Diane and Tom's Wine and Food Pairing Seminars

"Wine is sunlight, held together by water".
                                                           Galileo

In 2001, Diane and Tom decided to integrate their passion for wine and food with with learning and adventure.  To guide us and our friends on these journeys, we partnered with Connie Fowler, wine writer and consultant.

Connie Fowler has worked in the wine industry, in a variety of capacities, for the past thirteen years. She is the founder of Let's Have a Taste, and offers wine education, events and dinners for both corporate and private clients. She has served as a wine judge for Wine and Spirits Magazine.  Connie was awarded the London based Wine and Spirit Education Trust's Diploma degree in 2002 and she is currently preparing for the Master of Wine exam. 

Diane and Tom's wine seminars were so well received  that we are now making them a regular part of our annual entertainment calendar, one in the Spring and one in the fall. Our seminars have included subjects on: general wine and food pairing principles; dessert wines; wine and cheese matching; Champagne and food pairing, etc. We decide on the theme of the seminar, provide our wine inventory to our wine consultant, who picks the wines to be featured, and then we prepare all the food.  For the wine and cheese seminar, all the cheeses were supplied by the Ideal Cheese Shop.  The discussion at the actual seminar is also a partnership with Connie discussing the wines and Diane and Tom describing the food, preparation techniques and attributes.  The menus for some of our favorite seminars are listed below:

  German Wine Pairing Seminar

Aperitif & Amuse Pairing:
Assorted Sushi
Cheese: Pierre Robert, Roblechon, Selles Sur Cher
Prosciutto de Parma With Assorted Olives

Giel Scheurbe Kabinett 2001
Dr. Ganz Scheurbe Kabinett 2001

Starter Pairing:
Salmon, Goat Cheese And Leek Tart
Orange-Scented Crab Cakes With Fresh Tomato Relish

Ratzenberger Riesling Kabinett Haltrocken 2001
Meullenhof Riesling Kabinett 2001

Entre Pairing:
Chicken Chow Mein And Vegetable Fried Rice
Spiced Pork Tenderloin With Apple Chutney

Carl Schmidt-Wagner Riesling Spatlese Longuicher Maximiner Herrenberg 2001
Dr. Fischer Riesling Spatlese Wawerner Herrenberg 2001

Sweet Pairing:
Blackberry Nectarine Crisp With Vanilla Ice Cream
Raspberry And Lime Custard Tart

Jakoby-Mathy Riesling Auslese Kinheimer Rosemberg 2001
Alfred Merkelbach Riesling Auslese Erdener Treppchen 2001

Wine and Food Pairing Seminar

This seminar is a bit different that the others in that the intent is to explore the general principles around wine and food pairing, to try a number of different wines with different types of foods and discuss how that changes the taste of both the wine and the food, and lastly to try a number of different sauces with the selection of foods to focus on the role that sauces have in determining wine selections.  Participants sample the wines alone and then with the different foods and then with the different sauces and discuss the effects and their preferences.   The wines for this seminar were:

White Wines:
Domaine Weinbach Pinot Reserve Clos Des Capucins 2000
Apud Sariacum Sancerre 2000
R. Rostaing La Bonnette Condrieu 2000
Robert Ampeau & Fils Mersault La Piece Sous La Bois 1991

Red Wines:
Robert Ampeau Savingy Les Beaune 1989
Icardi Barbera D'Alba Suri Di Mu 1999
Oratorio Gigondas Caves Des Papes 1999
Chateau Pavie Decesse St. Emilion 1990 Grand Cru Classe

Food Pairings (for all wines):
Pea, tarragon And Goat Cheese Risotto
Grilled Sea Scallops
Grilled Chicken Breast
Grilled Filet Mignon

Sauces (For all Food Pairings):
Yellow Tomato And Mango Ketchup
Roasted Red Pepper Coulis
Lemon And Basil Lie
Spicy Szechuan Peanut Sauce
Rick Veal Demiglace
Light Tarragon Cream Sauce

Dessert Wine Seminar

Tangy Lemon Raspberry Meringue Pie

Andrew Quady Orange Muscat 1998

Brandied Apricot Ice Cream

Joseph Phelps Late Harvest Riesling 1993

Spiced Peach Lattice Pie

J. L. Mader Late Harvest Alsatian
Gewurztraminer 1988

White Chocolate Mousse

Wilfred Schwahn Rheinhessen Wormser
Liebfrauenmorgan Scheurbe Eiswein 1997

Caramelized Nut Tart

Chateau Doisy Daene Sauternes 1982

Chocolate Hazelnut Torte
(Diane & Tom’s Food Fantasy Dessert)

Hooper’s Vintage Port 1980

Wine and Cheese Pairing Seminar

Pol Roget Brut Champagne

Gratte Paille - France
Brillat Savarin - France
Pierre Robert - France

Nierstiner Olgberg Scheurube Kabinett 1997

Cashel Blue - Ireland
Cabrales Blue - Spain
Mont Briac Blue - France
Pont L’Eveque - France
St. Nectaire - France
Gruyere - Switzerland

Domaine Bongars Vouvray 1995

Fromage de Pyrneese - France
Pecorino Nero - Italy
Beaufort - France

Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygag Rioha Gran Reserva Especial 1989

Monchego - Spain
Fromage D'Alpage L'Etivaz - 3 Year Aged Gouda - Switzerland
Prima Donna - Holland

Chateau La Lagune Haut Medoc Grand Cru Classe 1988

Munster Alsace - France
Epoisse - France
Tomme de Savoie - France

Hoopers Vintage Port 1980

Stilton - England
Roblochon - France
Salers Cantal - France

Champagne and Food Pairing Seminar

Aperitif & Amuse Pairings:
Bites of Aged Parmesan Reggiano
Smoked Salmon Mousse & Cucumber Mini
  Open Sandwiches

Francois Seconde Champagne
Claviers Sillery
Deutz Brut Champagne 1993

Starter Pairings:
Tom's Award winning Spinach & Olive Fritatta
Cold Country Pate With Wild Mushrooms,
   Pistachios & Cornichons

TH. Blondel Cru Carte D'Or Champagne
G. Fluteau Cuve Prestige Champagne 1997

Entre Pairings:
Grilled Australian Baby Lamb Chop
Lobster With Champagne Vanilla Sauce

Serge Mathieu Brut Champagne
Charles Heidsieck Millesime Rose
Champagne 1985

Dessert Pairings:
Lemon Blueberry Meringue Pie
Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream

Moet & Chandon Nectaire Imperial Champagne
Veuve Cliquot Demi-Sec Champagne

Open a new entertaining window - Host a wine seminar or tasting!  A really lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon

Revised February 19, 2005