The American Institute of Wine and Food is hosting a dinner on Feb. 4 at the historic Hayfields Mansion at Hayfields Country Club in Hunt Valley. The meal will begin at 5:30 p.m. with butlered hors d’oeuvres, including crab canaps and a raspberry-almond brie wrapped in filo pastry.
Dinner is served at 6:30 p.m. and features mushroom and onion tart, marinated crispy duck breast with a raspberry reduction, winter vegetables and souffl bread pudding. Each course will be paired with wine.
Reservations are required by Jan. 28. Tickets are $75 for AIWF members, $85 for non-members. Visit www.aiwf.org/baltimore for more information and a reservation form.
Appreciating Barbaresco Italian winemaker Aldo Vacca came to Baltimore last week to pour his wines for an appreciative group of diners at Cinghiale restaurant.
Barbaresco is a tiny community in the Piedmont region of northern Italy, where Nebbiolo grapes are grown. Nebbiolo, named for the fog whose arrival each autumn signals the time to harvest the grapes, is “the pinot noir of Italy,” said Vacca.
Barbaresco, which is made from Nebbiolo, is meant to be enjoyed with food, he said. Barolo wines are also made from Nebbiolo, but because they grow in different soil, the character of the wine is different, he said: Barolo is more imposing, while Barbaresco is more refined and approachable.
Vacca oversees production of about 35,000 cases of wine annually by a cooperative called Produttori del Barbaresco.
American wines in White House Since the Lyndon Johnson administration, only American wines have been served in the White House.
Three California wines were served at President Obama’s inauguration luncheon, according to Wine & Spirits Daily newsletter. The first course, a seafood stew, was paired with Duckhorn Vineyards 2007 Sauvignon Blanc. The main course of pheasant and duck, sour cherry chutney and molasses sweet potatoes was served with Goldeneye 2005 Pinot Noir. The apple cinnamon sponge cake served for dessert was accompanied by Korbel Natural “Special Inaugural Cuvee.”
Earlier in the week, two wines from Virginia’s Barboursville Vineyards — Octagon Eighth Edition 2005 and Cabernet Franc Reserve 2006 — were served at the Inauguration Conservation Gala honoring the new president.
