On occasion at the restaurant (Ursula's Wine Bar & Cafe in case you have forgotten) we entertain visiting winemakers with 5 course dinners and wines paired with the course. April 6 we were fortunate to have Stuart Blackwell from St. Hallett in the Barossa Valley in Australia as our guest. The winemaker dinners are fun, the winmaker generally has great stories, terrific insight and he shares his take on how to make great wine. We started the evening with an olive and sundried tomato tapanade pair with Poachers Blend. Poachers Blend is semillon, sauvignon blanc and riesling. There is just a touch of sweetness. It made a wonderful aperitif with the semillon shining in the blend. A spicy mango shrimp served with riesling was up next. The reisling was fairly dry but was a great match for the shrimp. Gamekeepers Reserve is a blend of shiraz, grenache and touriga nacional. A wee bit lighter red that was served with chicken pot pie to which was added tomato, red pepper and sweet potato to meld better with the red and I must say it worked beautifully. The Faith Shiraz was simple and straight forward. It was controlled and very drinkable. A rack of lamb with mint sauce paired very well. Finally we had a New York strip with a Yukon gold and chevre gratin and crispy leeks serve along side the Blackwell Shiraz. I loved the Blackwell. It was a classic with hints of pepper, leather and berry fruit. It was stylish and sophisticated with a rough edge. Stuart was a delightful guest, his manner and charm made for a warm evening on a chilly day.
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