If an event is serving food AND wine, you can generally count me in. So when I saw that Knob Hill was hosting a Wine and Dine Pairing, the proceeds of which would benefit The Advocates, I jumped on board.
This was my first time visiting Knob Hill Inn since its renovation last year. I know, I’m a bit behind the 8 ball, but but better late than never! I snagged my wine-partner-in-crime, Colleen, and we set off to try a sampling of vintages from Bookwalter Winery and a taste or two of Knob Hill Inn’s legendary cuisine.
We arrived at 4:30 and were escorted to a private room off the dining room, where a long table was set up with glasses, numerous bottles of wine and beautiful plates of food. It was a casual environment that allowed guests to stand or sit while sipping wine. Al McCord from Hayden Beverage was doing the pouring along with winemaker John Bookwalter. Since it was a “wine tasting,” I knew we’d be trying wines I might not normally choose. Here’s a rundown of our night:
NOTE: I am not and have never claimed to be a wine expert. These are just my personal opinions about the wine. So don’t get mad when I say I liked the Cabernet over the Red Blend. Ok? Ok.
1. 2010 Bookwalter Couplet Cardonnay/Viognier. This was my favorite wine of the night. I will admit right now that I prefer white wine to red (no eye rolling please), but I tried to keep an open mind and trudge onward into the heavier red department. The Viognier half of this particular blend stood out with its aura of Bartlett pear, lemon and apple. It was fresh and not too buttery—simply delicious. I felt the need to go back for a second glass.
2. 2011 Bookwalter Supblot #26 – Red Blend. This was my least favorite wine of the night. The hint of raspberries, vanilla extract and pencil shavings (yes pencil shavings) were too much for my delicate palate. Although, Colleen, my partner-in-wine, enjoyed the complexity of this vintage.
3. 2010 Bookwalter Foreshadow Merlot. What a great name! I liked this merlot with its medium body and slight sweetness with an aroma of rose petals, toasted bread (yes toast) and sandalwood. It had a bit of Cabernet mixed with the Merlot and although I don’t care to use nouns as verbs, the recommended cellaring is 5-8 years.
4. 2009 Bookwalter Foreshadow Cabernet. This was my favorite red wine of the night. Its dark fruits included plums, blackberries and figs gave it a beautiful, hearty color and an intoxicating aroma. It started out sweet and finished clean, with no biting aftertaste. Four percent of this vintage is a Syrah grape and the whole concept went down smooth as silk.
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Left to right: Crostini with Roasted Tenderloin, my favorite bite of the night;
Bacon-wrapped Scallops came in a close second.
To accompany such delicious elixirs, the chefs at Knob Hill, Mark “Sparky” Anderson and Felix Gonzales, created some wonderful delicacies including: Bacon Wrapped Scallops (yum!), Sauteed Cilantro Marinated Shrimp, two kinds of Flatbread—one with Italian Sausage, Roasted Tomatoes and Mushrooms and the other with Mozzarella and Grilled Seasonal Vegetables. My favorite bite of the night however was the Crostini with Sliced Roasted Tenderloin and Chimichurri Sauce. The tenderloin was so, well, tender and came garnished with caramelized onions. It was, for lack of a better description, out of this world. There was a plethora of cheeses, spreads, fruits, breads and crackers to nibble on as well, so no one went hungry. The buffet was top-notch and I may have had more than my fair share of bacon-wrapped scallops. But who’s counting?
Left to right: Cilantro Marinated Shrimp were a hit; Flatbread with Roasted Tomatoes and Mushrooms.
Well done Knob Hill Inn and Bookwalter Winery! My compliments on a fabulous evening of food and wine that were a perfect, drama-less marriage (my favorite kid of night), all to benefit The Advocates.
Left to right: John Bookwalter explains a vintage to a guest at the Knob Hill Inn Wine and Dine; Fruit Platter with all the fixings included roasted garlic.
Julie Molema is SVM's yum! blogger and production manager for Sun Valley Magazine. Her favorite things to do are going hiking, skiing and going to lunch. Read more of her yum! blogs here.
