David O'Reilly & Sweetgrass

Back in September Joe's Wines & Liquors hosted a wine dinner at Sweetgrass with David O'Reilly of Owen Roe Winery. The menu, as always, was paired perfectly with David's distinctive, expressive & bold wines. We began the evening with a trio of oysters paired with O'Reilly's Pinot Gris 2009 Columbia Valley. Each oyster preparation brought out a different flavor & texture in the wine. My favorite was definitely the raw oyster with mignonette. I guess I'm just a traditionalist that way. Next up was a Delta Sol Farms "Chile Relleno" stuffed with housemade chorizo, queso fresco & served over fennel cream with sriracha.

This unique spin on classic Mexican was paired with Corvidae Wine Co "The Keeper" Cabernet Franc 2009 Columbia Valley. The fennel cream amplified the fennel aroma & flavor in the wine while the spice played off the pepper & dried spice notes. Then we moved on to Confit Duck leg with squash & goat cheese flan with plum glaze paired with two special wines. Both Owen Roe Abbot's Table & Owen Roe Ex Umbris were a lovely match for the earthy duck & tangy goat's cheese. The Abbot's is a unique bottle comprised of zinfandel, sangiovese, blaufrankish, malbec, syrah, merlot. Quite interesting no? Initially I think some people might think it's just the leftovers. In fact O'Reilly & his team are meticulous in their blending of this. It's as if they are using the pantry & all the contents of the spice rack to create a perfect dish. The Ex Umbris is a syrah that initially was a result of a wildfire. The smoky style of this bold red is an ode to the that first "roasted-smoked" vintage. We ended on a superb note. Chef Ryan Trimm & his talented team paired up a Hangar Steak au Poivre with truffled pomme frites, fresh pea shoots, 63° Donnell Farms Egg & Honey Thyme Reduction with Owen Roe Yakima Valley Red Blend.

This gripping, earthy, sensual, heart grabbing red blend acted as a knife through the gorgeously toothsome hangar steak which is my favorite cut of beef. Everything came together beautifully. Chef Trimm's dishes are always delicious but the way in which they were paired was superb. David O'Reilly's wines were absolutely stupendous & just as cool as he is.