A Winemaker’s Dinner in Woodinville

I’ve been teasing this dinner for two days now, wait no longer here it is…

While doing research for our trip Pam learned that one of the Woodinville wineries, Covington Cellars, was hosting a winemaker’s dinner. The event was earmarked for their wine club members, but it appeared to be open to others if seats remained. Before committing we thought it best to first taste their wines to see if we liked them. As it was, we did, especially the Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc. After a nice tasting and good conversation with Donovan Claflin, assistant winemaker and general manager, we asked if seats remained for Saturday’s dinner. Lucky for us two seats at the banquet table were available and so with a swipe of the credit card we were in.

Covington has a young-gun of a winemaker, Morgan Lee. Under the direction of owner David Lawson, Morgan and Donovan craft some very nice wines that exemplify the greatness Washington State fruit and contemporary wine making techniques, and great talent produce. Morgan greeted us and all the guests at the door and we were soon handed a glass of their Rough House Red, a blend featuring Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot.

As you might imagine, a winery like Covington is going to host a party most befitting it–small, intimate, unpretentious, informative and fun. The table was set for 18; a perfect number of seats for this winemaker’s dinner. Even though we knew no one at the party (few did) we all had a common tie that bound us to the event which made it easy to get to know one another. We had a grand time dining next to an Australian couple who, because of positions of employment, spent most of their adult lives traveling the world. With the husband approaching retirement soon our newest friends could rely on life experiences to add color and flavor to the conversations. This is the hidden jewel at events like this: your common appreciation for wine and food and desire to learn more about each creates the perfect environment for complete strangers to intersect lives on a rainy evening at the back end of a warehouse district sitting at a grand dining table.

The evening unfolded with a tour of the production facility for some, and a brief cooking demonstration for others. Each of the seven courses prepared by Executive Chef Trinity Mack was paired with a wine. Mid-way through the courses we took a break. Morgan lead us back to the fermentation tanks to discuss the latest vintage and how he chooses to work the fruit in the tank and also to sample a yet to be released wine. We made our way back to the tasting room to continue our dining and conversation. As we enjoyed the meal our conversations gravitated towards the state of Washington wines today and how Morgan found his place in the industry.

To say that the food and wine was a wonderful way to end a day of wine tasting goes without saying. The important take-aways include the fellowship with new-found food friends and the added layer of knowledge gained about Washington State boutique wines that we could only have experienced through an evening with a winemaker, a chef, and a dozen or so people with unique points of view.

What we ate, what we drank…

Tray passed

Smoked Salmon Stuffed Petite Yukon
Wild Mushroom Smoked Gouda Tart
2006 Rough House Red

Amouse Bouche

Seared Scallops with Eggplant Truffle Caviar & Roasted Garlic Fried Kale
2008 Dress White

Soup

Chorizo Clams & Mussels with Goat Cheese Crostini & Sweet Pea Vines
2009 Josie Rosé

Greens

Bed of Baby Spinach with Poached Quail Egg, Capicola Ham & Balsamic Beet Candied Almonds
2007 Prima Miscela

Palate Cleanser

Cranberry Wine Infused Sorbet

Entrée

Braised Porcini Pork Shank With Cauliflower Potato Puree & Bacon Beurre Rouge
2007 Cabernet Franc

Sweet Bite

White Chocolate Crème Brulee With Lace Cookie & Blood Orange Shooter
2006 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc

Heading West for a Seattle Food Experience

The time was right, the airline and hotel deals were great, so off we go… Seattle-bound for a Pacific Northwest food experience.

Tuesday morning… up at 3 a.m. and off to the airport. By 10 a.m. Seattle time we’ve landed and are taking the Sound Transit’s Central link (light rail line) to the heart of downtown. Getting to the city couldn’t have been easier.

Base camp for the first half of our journey is the Inn at Harbor Steps. Thanks to Priceline.com we scored a great rate for our three day stay. Tuesday must have been a double bonus day because we were bumped up to a suite instead of the standard room we reserved.

Even though we were both a bit travel weary, with almost a full day in front of us, we wanted to explore. The weather was near perfect, sunny and mid-sixities, and so off we went.  I don’t think you can visit Seattle without a stop to the Space Needle. We walked a few blocks to the Monorail station and for a small fee took the excursion to the site of the 1962 World’s Fair, Seattle’s big coming out party. We took the elevator up to the observation deck, 520 feet, where we gained a 360-degree view of this beautiful city.

For dinner we wanted a place that was casual but still offered some local flavor. One of the locals recommended the Steelhead Diner, located at the Pine Street entrance to Pike Place Market. We shared an order of Steamed Totten Inlet Mediterranean Mussels with Roasted Hempler’s Ham, Sofrito & Toasted Garlic ~ Black Pepper Broth.  Entrees included Grilled Washington Troll King Salmon with Pan Roasted Yellow Corn, Spanish Chorizo & Safflower Pan Stew and Crispy Idaho Stream raised Catfish Tacos with Salsa Veracruzano & Warm Corn Tortillas. All were quite tasty with a common flavor profile of Pacific Northwest meets Southwest with a pinch of Bobby Flay. All in a all a good meal, good location, and perfect ambiance–like an upscale diner should be.

Next up, a private insider’s tour of Pike Place Market.

Photo gallery from Day 1.