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| Cencibel Field Trip to Doneckers |
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Saturday, October 12, 2002
Shopping all day, Cocktails at 6:00 pm then Dinner at 7 pm |
| Debby Allen, Chairperson |
Doneckers Community * 100, 318-409 North State Street
Ephrata, Lancaster County, PA 17522
(717) 738-9500
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Field Trip! Cencibel enjoyed a very special dinner on our field trip to Doneckers in Ephrata (between Reading and Lancaster). Doneckers is an adorable community with lovely shops, furniture and art galleries, The Restaurant and four B&B Inns.
Cencibel began our Donecker’s evening with two 1995 vintage sparklers, both from producers visited during our California field trip. “J” was pale yellow with a subtle, clean nose. Medium dry and light bodied, very well integrated flavours on the palate. Soft and supple mouth feel. Iron Horse Brut Rose was pinky-peach with a nose of subtle red fruit. This medium dry sparkler was the heartier of the two, no surprise considering it’s pinot noir base.
Carrying our glasses across the small country street, we made our way to the restaurant and were pleasantly escorted to table number one, passing the pianist who would provide a diverse range of background music for us this evening. A variety of wine glasses fanned in front of each “D” embossed charger (Daphne and the two Debs wanted to take those plates home!), making for quite the enviable table indeed.
Heidi Gable, Sommelier and wife of chef/owner Greg Gable, served and educated us on the first wine – a 2000 Marsanne from Domaine Cheze. Typically blended with Rousanne in Rhone, this wine was clear, medium to deep straw color with a clean, pronounced nose. Served a bit on the cold side, the gobs of flowers and violets blossomed as it warmed up. Low in acidity but with good citrus on the nose and palate, this medium to full-bodied white was crisp with a medium finish. The first course arrives: a Quail Salad with Banyuls Vinaigrette. Two halves, skin crisped to perfection, sit atop matchstick potatoes and beets (even the few of us who don’t eat beets LOVED these) topped with a small mache salad on top of which sat a perfect sunny-side quail egg. We swore there was chocolate in the Banyuls sauce (but there wasn’t). This dish had it all – color, texture, decadence. While the group decides that the wine and food match is slightly disharmonious, it is unanimous that we like both the wine and the dish on their own.
The next wine, a 2000 Guillaume Franche-Comte Vielles Vignes Pinot Noir, was so good that we enjoyed it before, during and after its intended course. Heidi explained that Guillaume develops rootstock for the great Burgundian producers like DRC and that the grapes for this wine come from the far north of France, over Switzerland. Clear, beautiful ruby with medium intensity and a nose of minerals, powder with floral hints and a touch of sweat (good), the flavors turn to fresh earthiness and strawberry after it warms up and with the dish. Served to accompany something that Greg threw in just for us: Wild Mushroom Orzo with Truffles, this was a great pairing, resulting in ooo’s and aaahhh’s from the group. Beth would be proud – Daphne craved a Riesling to match the feather light orzo and delicate, earthy sauce. Voted to be an excellent food and wine pairing.
The next food and wine pairing was also very nicely done: A 2000 Chehalem Chardonnay with Lemon Grass Crusted Arctic Char in Saffron Bouillon. Unusual because the Willamette Valley is best known for their pinot noir, this $30 Chardonnay was sourced from three different vineyards there. The group liked the brightness of the wine with the citrus (lemon grass, lime, tomato, ginger) in the dish as well as the moderately oaked balance of the wine with the buttery rich sauce. EXCELLENT PAIRING.
A fresh fruit sorbet was everything a palate cleanser should be; not too tart, not to sweet, just right.
Next came succulent Veal Cheeks next to Lobster Mashed Potatoes topped with a bright orange petit lobster (prawn?) tail, and accompanied by lightly tempura’d thin asparagus. Heidi chose a 1998 Cotes du Luberon “Cuvee du Gouverneur” from Domaine de la Citadelle. This new appellation (formerly Cotes du Rhone) is near Provence so you won’t be surprised to know that the cuvee contains Grenache, Cinsault, Carignagne, Mourvedre and Syrah. The wine showed well on its own: dense, dark purple with high intensity and alcohol on the nose of dark, briary fruit. The palate was dry, with well-pronounced tannins and a medium finish. What a difference the combination makes – the wine sings with the food. Yet another awesome pairing.
Dessert was a divine warm Apple Tarte Tatin with Honey Cinnamon ice cream, which was divine and accompanied by an assortment of delicious dessert wines.
Joe Doster, resident expert in-all-things-Port, treated Cencibel to quite the tasting, beginning with the Hunter Ridge Tawny from SE Australia. This was so yummy that we were served a second bottle. Taylor Fladgate Chip Dry White Port came next which was very good with the dessert and would be just as perfect with a pumpkin pie or apple anything. This white port reminded me of Calvados but with more subtlety and more fruit. Something tells me that there was yet another something poured but I did not write it down (so if anyone remembers – Mary? – please tell me!).
Greg & Heidi are an amazing team. I urge you to take the trip, and try their tasting menu. Tell them you are from Cencibel, the women’s wine & food group, the be prepared to be spoiled and amazed by the combinations and flavors. Cencibel will return, hopefully with some arranged transportation that will make it possible for more of us to be there!
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