Birthday Boy

This past weekend I celebrated my 34th birthday which also happened to be the 10th birthday I've celebrated in Memphis. A lot has happened in 10 years.....anyway, you don't want to hear about that.

To get us started I popped a bottle of Elk Cove Brut 1999



What a lovely way to start the festivities this outstanding bubbly from one of the best Oregon wineries was exactly what I wanted. Toasty, crisp, a hint of creaminess, nice notes of dried fruit & this beautiful golden color. I absolutely MUST get my hands on some more of this.

Max, Marlinee, Kelly & I arrived at Restaurant Iris to some ice cold Hendricks martinis & Zardetto Prosecco. The restaurant was buzzing with energy, people smiling, digging into delicious plates & sipping wine. It all had a glow about it. We were seated at our table & our lovely server Rickie went over the menu with us. Max & I settled on a bottle of Michel Turgy Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil Sur Oger Champagne to sip on while we decided on our meals. When I saw it, I just knew I had to have it: rabbit. Not just any rabbit but Braised Mississippi Rabbit with Potato Gnocchi & peas. I love love love rabbit & in the hands of the incredibly talented Chef Kelly English it was elevated to something spectacular.



The rabbit was tender, moist, almost melting in mouth with a rich sauce & pillowy, light gnocchi. Perfectly matched with William Fevre Champs Royaux 2008 Chablis. The acidity of the wine perfectly sliced through the richness of the dish. Plus the minerality & medium weight were so damn enjoyable.

Next we had Tennessee Foie Gras with Shallot Confit & Pepper Gelee. Rich, fatty, unctuous & pure decadence.

Then arrived my lamb sirloin



Oh....my....god. Cooked to a perfect rare & anointed with a dill flecked foam it was pure heaven. Many times throughout this meal my eyes rolled back into my head. The pairing of this absolutely amazing dish with a bottle of Brogan Cellars My Father's Vineyard PInot Noir 2004 Anderson Valley. The earthiness that came out of the wine & the mesmerizing dark fruit made for a wild pairing up against the slight gamy flavor & wonderful toothsomeness of the lamb.

I also received the best birthday present ever!!

Pinot Up in the Mountains

Day 3...

We awoke a little groggily after perhaps one too many sips of wine the night before. I luckily didn't have to shield my eyes from the glaring sun because the morning fog was doing that for me. Gazing out over the Willamette Valley I was already getting nostalgic for it. I knew I'd miss it regardless of how much Kelly didn't really care for it. This place just felt like home to me. We said goodbye to our Renegade Ridge Vineyard home & hopped in the rented Nissan to get some strong coffee & get a jump on the day. I wanted to try to get by Carlton Winemaker's Studio before our appointment at Elk Cove Vineyards. We drove into McMinnville for coffee then headed towards Gaston. the drive was idyllic. Quaint country roads, green rolling hills, blue skies. Wow. Who couldn't love this?? We pulled into Carlton & discovered a cute little town with a traditional main street that was quiet given the early morning hour. After meandering around the street & stopping for more coffee we were on our way to the Studio. Unfortunately they weren't going to open until just before we were supposed to be at Elk Cove. Boo. Oh well, there is always next time. So we headed back out & made our way towards Elk Cove on a series of two lane gravel roads that were a bit dicey for awhile but we made it out the other side to this:



Karen Sanderson poured us some refreshingly delicious rose of pinot noir to quench our thirst after the rough drive.



We tasted through a series of wines with Karen. 2008 Pinot gris & pinot blanc as well as 2007 pinot noir. One of the key qualities to Elk Cove's wines are their acidity level. It keeps them bright & fresh & helps the flavors linger on my palate while making me want to go back to the glass. Each wine was as good if not better than the last & was a perfect example of why they have garnered such respect & admiration from wine lovers all over the world. After the tasting run through we sat back & enjoyed a little lunch out on the deck & just unclenched.