Looking for some ways to break the 'cabin fever' and celebrate the beginning of spring? The Ohio Wine Producers Association (OWPA) has two ideas.
On April 13, the Discovery Dinner will be held for those who love wines.
Are you tired of 'ordinary' varietals? Are you adventurous and have a curious palate? You want to discover some Ohio-proud-and-grown vintages? Do you realize that our winegrowers produce a huge range of grapes from the ‘hybrid’ varieties which can adapt to the many and various “terroirs” across the state? Would you like to own an elegant set of premium stemware to enjoy at home with all the wines you love?
If most of your answers are yes, join in for the first in a series of Discovery Dinners designed to showcase the best of the best of French-American and American wines. The first of these dinners will be held at The Vineyards at Pine Lake in Columbiana.
And since the hybrid gold medals abound, OWPA is showing off these lovely wines in the very best light: by pairing them with exceptional cuisine and serving them in beautiful Schott Zwiesel 'Pure' stemware.
For the first course, OWPA will pour a gold medal slightly carbonated wine called 12:45 Silver, from the French hybrid, Vidal Blanc grape. It is produced by Lincoln Way Vineyards in Wooster and will be served in a delicate sparkling SZ flute to be paired with a roasted strawberry Pesto Wood-fired Pizza with Brie and a balsamic reduction with Red Onions.
The entrée will feature a white and red wine. The white is Reserve Blanc, a best-of- class winner from Maize Valley Winery in Hartville. It is made from a French hybrid called Traminette which shares heritage with the classic Gewuztraminer. The Vineyards at Pine Lake red will be a barrel aged Frontenac, a dry, cold- climate hybrid developed at the University of Minnesota. This hybrid was designed to withstand the coldest winter climates.
These wines will be served as a part of the main course including, Poulet Gaston Gerard, Comte cheese, Rice Pilaf and Haricots Verts and will be served in the elegant SZ’ ‘Pure’ Red and while stemware.
Dessert will be a chocolate and Cherry Port-style Wine ice cream with Amarena cherries, chocolate fudge sauce, candied pecans, and whipped cream with a mint garnish. Cold Front, a sweet red port-style award winning wine produced by The Vineyards at Pine Lake from the cold hardy Frontenac grape will complement the dessert perfectly. It will be served in the SZ flute.
Why are these dinner experiences being planned? Because our vintners want to help those serious about great wine about the potential of what we can grow to yield eye turning, nose loving, and sipping-worthy award winning wines.
About the grapes used in the wines:
Vidal Blanc: a complex white hybrid developed in France in the 1930's from several vitis varieties.
Traminette: is a cross between a French hybrid and the Germanic Gewurztraminer noted for its 'spicy' aromas.
Frontenac: was released in 1996 by the University of Minnesota and has both French hybrids and riparias [indigenous North American grape] in its background
And the stemware: Schott Zwiesel:
In nearly every Google posting about the 'best' glass for a specific wine, SZ appears somewhere at the top of the list. To elevate your hybrid wine experience, these crystal glasses will be the perfect complement to these fine Ohio grown award winners.
Cost is $199 per couple, $109 per single [includes $45 worth of Schott Zwiesel glasses per person to take home]. For tickets, go to https://www.ohiowines.org/ or call 440-466-4417 during business hours
Categories: Ohio, Crops, Rural Lifestyle