For wine lovers, there is nothing more fun than a wine pairing dinner that features a vintner whose wines are still a fairly well-kept secret.
So when we heard that Costa d’Este’s first wine pairing dinner of the year was going to include some of the varietals of Cairdean Estates, a relatively young Napa winery that is still flying under the radar just north of St. Helena, we decided to give it a try.
While previous wine pairings we have attended at Costa were held in The Wave, the hotel’s oceanfront restaurant, on this occasion we were ushered into the ballroom, which had been elegantly dressed out for this special dinner. Up on the stage, Costa sous chef Omar Oscasio put last-minute touches on the evening’s five courses while arriving diners enjoyed a pre-dinner glass of bubbly.
The first dish of the night was a coconut cobia crudo – a beautifully plated dish of thin slices of raw cobia marinated in lime juice and serrano pepper, and dressed with radish, fresh dill and coconut. This wonderful dish was accompanied by a Cairdean Riesling – a soft and nicely balanced straw colored wine that on the palate showed good acidity.
The second course, a grilled pear salad with whipped ricotta and charred grapefruit, was served with a Cairdean Napa Valley chardonnay. This was a classic Napa chardonnay, smooth and well balanced.
For the third course, chef Oscasio prepared a pan-seared snapper, served with roasted fingerling potatoes and grilled spring onions in a saffron broth. Perfection. And it was very nicely complemented by a Cairdean Napa Valley sauvignon blanc, an expressive wine that won the Silver Medal at the California State Fair.
The fourth course of the night was the highlight of the evening – roasted rabbit, served with a celery root puree and caramelized Cipollini onions in a red wine reduction. The roasted rabbit – very delicate, tender and juicy – was sooo good. And it was paired with a very smooth Cairdean merlot that my husband – not a big merlot enthusiast – pronounced one of the better ones he has had in recent years.
The dinner concluded with a coffee and chocolate pot de crème – a silky, custard-like dish topped with Chantilly cream. This was paired with a Cairdean Russian River Valley pinot noir. While this wine was another Silver Medal winner, we thought the pairing was less successful than the previous courses.
All during the dinner, Cairdean’s Edwin Williams – whose wife Stacia is the winemaker – circulated from table to table, discussing the wines and what they were trying to achieve. The good news for those who missed this event is that Cairdean wines are now going to be available at Varietals and More on Royal Palm Pointe and Alimentari in the island’s Village Shops.
While this wine pairing event was priced a little higher ($90 per person plus tax and service) than some of those held at Costa, we thought the combination of great food and getting to know some interesting new wines made it an excellent value.
Meanwhile, Costa is in the process of bringing in a new executive chef to replace Antonio Estremera, who, after several years in which he brought The Wave restaurant up to its current high standard, moved north to the Sheraton in Jacksonville.
While The Wave continues to serve fresh seafood, the best paella in town, and great steaks under the interim leadership of Oscasio, we will be revisiting it later in the spring to report on further developments at what has become one of our favorite island restaurants.
