March 5, 2012
Third Time’s The Charm…
And so it comes to an end… well, sorta. I had my third + final Jessup tasting last weekend and supposedly should be wrapping things up in the coming weeks… but to tell you the truth, I’m pretty sad to call it quits. I like this forum where I can talk to myself in written form with the hope + aspiration that one or two sets of eyeballs may catch glimpse of my vino adventures {Pei, hi-five to you b/c you have been one loyal follower + a Jessup ambassador in your own right – gracias!}. So until they turn off my mic, uh, keyboard… Imma gonna keep on’ bloggin.
But back to the tasting – It was my friend Em’s idea to tap into her pop’s social circle and bring some Jessup to local Minneapolians. It was an intriguing idea… I did want to expand beyond my own network but also wanted a captive audience and good company. The 411 on Mark Poindexter {aka Em’s pops} :: wine appreciator + well-connected to many different types of people + loves to throw a party. My kinda guy. I couldn’t wait to meet him.
We had our unofficial meet + greet | slash | planning dinner a few weeks back at Broder’s Pasta Bar {a Twin Cities gem with drool-worth handmade pasta} where of course, Mark knew the manager and got us some VIP treatment from the sommelier {cha-chung! 1 point}. Over our spread of bruschetta, roasted garlic bulbs {best stuff ever}, and pasta, I learned that Mark was a grazer {cha-chung! I am all about grazing… points for liking a li’l of this and a li’l of that}, actually had some common connections with me {cha-chung! points for making me feel like I have a legitimate Minneapolis network}, and knew a Jessup wine club member {cha-chung! yesss…. Love discovering local Jessup lovers!}. He didn’t need to do much to convince me that he + his wife Terri would be able to host one heck of a tasting.
We settled on a date and started working on our wine + pairing list. Being the grazers that we are, we nixed a coursed dinner in favor for something more casual, free-spirited, and conducive to nibbling. The idea was to just get a smattering of perfect pairings laid out so people could drink, mingle, taste, and chillax.
Mark had an idea of who he’d be inviting and knew we’d have a variety of palettes – we decided to start with white, pick a few reds to linger over, and finish with Port. I knew that the Poindexters weren’t big on Chards and had already loved the Jessup Sauv Blanc, but I wanted to be risky and bring the Chardonnay anyway. I’m not going to lie, part of it was a selfish pull b/c I really just wanted to taste some Jessup Chard – it had been a long time and that thing is delicious. Let’s face it – it’s the anti-Chard Chard. And you know what? It was a hit. Its atypical tropical fruit notes and characteristic smooth, full body were complimented with ricotta + honey crostini, pears + brie, fresh oysters, and fruit + nut salad. I’m seriously drooling right now reminiscing this…
On the road to Port, we tasted our way through the Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Table For Four. There wasn’t much talk on the Petite Sirah, but it was definitely my favorite pour {more like pourssss b/c this was a big repeat for me} of the night. I forgot how jammy and big that wine is – it almost made the Cab seem a little timid… switching back and forth between the two was interesting b/c each time the Petite Sirah just got BIGGER. Something about it was large + in charge and I loved it. Especially with the olives, tapenade, funky cheese, and stuffed mushrooms that Mark + Terri prepared.
The big debate of the night though was between TF4 and the Cab. Most of the guests had heard of Table for Four prior to the tasting and was eager to try it – the response was unanimously in favor of the Bordeaux blend, but people were just as enthused about the Cab. Those two were the big hits of the night and helped round out the rest of the grazing assortment :: mini quiches, pork tenderloin, sharp cheeses, soft cheeses, charcuterie, baguettes, crackers, chocolates. Perfection.
Only the true party animals made it through the night to the Port – but it was worth the wait and ended the night on a sweet note. Salted caramels + bittersweet chocolate ganache mini cupcakes {made especially for this tasting by this talented baker} was the perfect ending for the delicious evening.
I’m not gonna lie… The Poindexters know how to throw a party. Thank you Mark + Terri for opening up your beautiful home {with the coolest basement ever!} and sharing your friends + family + neighbors with me. I hope you and your guests enjoyed our Jessup rendezvous ~ I know I did!
*Xo ::
Jess
