February 20, 2006 - Joanne

Menu for
A Hot Chocolate Tasting

To Begin

A Selection of 20 Hot Chocolates
A Selection of 12 Shortbreads

Tiny Trapeeze Chocolate
& Vanilla Marshmallows
Recchiuti Vanilla Marshmallows
Van Lauren Marshmallow Mushrooms

As an aperitif
Purifique Ginger Mint Bouquet -
Aromatherapy Drink

A Light Lunch of Soup and Tea Sandwiches

Wild Mushroom Soup
(Photo by Melissa Schneider)

Egg Salad with Boquerones
& Cucumber on Acme Herb Loaf

Ohlone Smoked Salmon Salad with
Basil Pesto & Cucumber on Acme Pain de Mie

Continental Chicken Salad with
Mango Chutney & Golden Raisins
on Acme Sweet Loaf

Duck sandwiches with fig jam

Sliced Willie Bird Smoked Duck Breast
on Acme Olive Bread
with Girl & The Fig's Black Mission Fig Jam

Foie Gras

Fabrique Delices Goose Liver Pate
on Acme Pain de Mie

Salads

Point Reyes Preserves Marinated Mushrooms
Point Reyes Preserves Asparagus
Joanne's Fennel Salad

Cheese Course

Montrachet (goat, Burgundy, France)
Le Drean (cow, Auvergne, France)
Bachtelstein (cow, Zurich, Switzerland)
Stanser Fladä (cow, Switzerland)
Rogue Creamery's Smokey Blue (OR)
Persillé de Tignes (goat’s, Savoie, France)
Tupi de Sort Soft Cheese in Ceramic Cup (Spain)
Friesago (sheep, Nerstrand, MN, Shepherd’s Way Farm)
Tronchetto (cow, Italy)

Cheese Course 2

Della Fattoria: Pain au Levain & Pumpkin Seed Breads

Picos: Bread Sticks

Rustic Bakery: Black Pepper Flatbread

Melissa Schneider's
Delicious Photos of the Day

Wines (Jack's notes)

1997 Movia Pinot Nero Brda
Another great bottle. The delicious fruit is still very forward, yet this is an extremely balanced wine and will age forever. (This is a "bright" wine rather than a "big" wine.) It does not have a very long finish or incredible complexity, but these will increase over the years. This pinot noir paired extremely well with the Wild Mushroom soup. (Link to our WBW feature on this wine.)

1976 Domaine de la Grand' Ribe Côtes du Rhône
Just for the fun of it. Perfect condition. Was good, but definitely past its prime.

2002 Marquis Philips Shiraz Integrity McLaren Vale
A monster in its prime. Tremendous fruit and concentration. Wonderful now, but don't cellar any longer!

1996 Movia Veliko Rosso Brda
This merlot blend showed pretty well, but it’s still a real baby – needs 3-7 more years before it should be tasted again.

1986 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant Savennières-Coulée de Serrant
Day 1: A wonderful bottle. We understand what the fuss is all about. Day 2: It revealed some TCA on the nose - no one picked up on this the day we drank 4/5th of the bottle.

2004 Didier Dagueneau Blanc Fumé de Pouilly
Wow! Great acids and complexity…a world class sauvignon. Definitely the best bottle of a Dagueneau I've ever had.

1994 Kalin Cellars Chardonnay Cuvee DD Sonoma County
Nearly overwhelming acids. Hard to drink.

White Wines

Menu for A Hot Chocolate Tasting

Menu for
A Hot Chocolate Tasting