I attended this elegant dinner at The Sutton Place Hotel on Wednesday November 16^th that featured Sandhill Wines along with their Winemaker Howard Soon.

Following the welcoming reception that featured the 2010 Small Lots Viognier and Lobster Roll bites, we all sat down to dinner.

Now on to dinner and the pairings!

First Course:

Caramelized Scallop with micro herbs & lettuces, smoked salmon noodles, apricot puree, salted almond powder

Paired with Sandhill Pinot Gris 2010

Second Course:

BC Seafood & Shellfish Pot au Feu with a creamy curry emulsion & consommé, clams, mussels, sweet peas, curry squash

Paired with Sandhill Small Lots Single Block Chardonnay 2010

Third Course:

Escalope of Duck Breast and Pine Mushrooms with mushroom pudding, apple jelly, sour plum jus, red chard & celery “Sous vide”, aged cheddar croquette

Paired with Sandhill Small Lots Sangiovese 2008

Fourth Course:

Certified Organic Beef Rib-Eye with root vegetables, tiroler bacon jus, onion horseradish “froth”, sweet potato puree

Paired with Sandhill Small Lots Two 2008

Fifth Course:

Butterscotch Vanilla Chamomile Gelato & Passion Fruit Coup

Paired with Sandhill Small Lots Syrah 2009

Executive Chef Michael Deutsch of The Sutton Place Hotel and his team created a menu that was well paired with these wines.

To finish this fine meal, we were treated to a selection of sweets that included a Strawberry Parfait, Sponge Toffee Crack and Chocolate Aero.

Comments:  All of the wines and courses were well paired, I found the Sandhill Small Lots Sangiovese 2008 to be outstanding with the Escalope of Duck Breast and Pine Mushrooms with mushroom pudding and aged cheddar croquette; as well as the Sandhill Small Lots Syrah 2009 that was delicious with the Butterscotch Vanilla Chamomile Gelato & Passion Fruit Coup.

Sandhill Wines is located in Oliver, BC.

By: Richard Wolak