Adelsheim wine dinner

Adelsheim Wine Dinner

Menu

Founded in 1971 by David and Ginny Adelsheim, they produce 40,000 cases annually from 190 acres on 11 exceptional vineyard sites in the Willamette Valley. With Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay the focus, the house style emphasizes rich, balanced fruit and clean finishes. The labels feature Ginny's portraits of women family and friends who helped the Adelsheims establish the business in the 1970's.

 

 

Course One

Apple & clove soup

fennel & date compote

 Paired with

 Pinot Gris

 http://www.adelsheim.com/ourwine.php?i=964

 

Course Two

Panini

Comte, pear & toasted almond

 Paired with

Chardonnay

 http://www.adelsheim.com/ourwine.php?i=965

 

Intermezzo

Sweet potato gelato

caramelized meringue 

 

Course Four

Pomegranate poached salmon

Winter spice risotto

Caramelized butternut squash

Pomegranate reduction

 Paired with

Pinot Noir

http://www.adelsheim.com/ourwine.php?i=967 

 

Course Five

Pumpkin cheesecake

Bruleed fig & apricot puree

Paired with

Deglace

Dessert Pinot Noirs are relatively rare in the world. The inspiration for Adelsheim Deglacé occurred in 1988, when Michael Adelsheim was lucky enough to have an empty glass when Rheingau winemaker Josef Becker walked by with his 1976 Spätburgunder Trockenbeerenauslese at a party after that year's International Pinot Noir Celebration. Adelsheim set out to produce something similar with the 2001 harvest, mostly so they would have a wine with which to finish their winery dinners.

There are two ways in which dessert wines of moderate alcohol content are traditionally produced: the grapes can become desiccated by botrytis cinerea ("noble rot") or they can be pressed when still partially frozen. An Oregon Pinot Noir producer would never want "botrytis" to spread in the vineyards (it ruins red wines), and Adelsheim can't remember a fall when they had an early freeze (i.e before the winter rains started.) Thus, in winemaker Dave Paige's first year with Adelsheim, one block of grapes was chosen for the experiment – which was to take the grapes to a freezer instead of the winery. The resulting faux "ice wine" was delicious, and a hit, so they have continued to produce it every year.

Even with this sweet wine, Adelsheim stays true to its philosophy that a wine's highest use is in pairing with meals. That means retaining enough of the grapes' natural acidity to ensure that the wine never becomes too cloying. Deglacé has amazing apricot, fig and honeysuckle flavors that should prove to be a perfect match with red berry tarts, pumpkin cheesecake, and a wide range of other desserts.