Seven Hills Winery Dinner at Cafe Maxx with Special Guest Erik McLaughlin

"After working late one night, I drank a bottle of frisky Beaujolais and slipped into bed beside my lady love. By moonlight I pursed my lips and into her ear whispered, "moelleux, moelleux." She bolted up, shouting, "What the hell is wrong with you?" - A.D. Livingston, chef and author

Wine always makes me a little frisky and we have only one event this week that we still have availability and that is our Foley Family and Pacific Southern wine tasting here at the store on Friday night.  You can get frisky for only $35 and we have over 40 wines on the table this evening.  Check out the line-up on our Calendar of events.

Next week we have two Washington State events back to back and although it was not intentionally planned like that we like the way it happened so we have the info for both of these events on this e-mail.

We have the Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Erik McLaughlin from Seven Hills winery at Café Maxx next Tuesday and the following night we have our bi-weekly tasting and our theme this week is- you guessed it Washington state wines.

Those of you that have been paying attention to the broadcast know how I feel about the wines of Washington State.  These are some of the best wines in the genre of big reds that you will find anywhere in the world and I have made a pilgrimage to Washington state for the last three years to learn more about the wines of Washington.  When our good friend Mike from Bulletproof called to see if I wanted to break bread with one of the pioneers of an area like Walla Walla, I jumped at the opportunity to educate myself and my wine drinking people about one of America's premier wine growing regions.

 Join us as we welcome the VP of Sales and Marketing of Seven Hills winery Erik McLaughlin to taste through the current releases from this landmark Walla Walla winery along with a five course tasting menu prepared by chef Oliver Saucy.  This dinner will be in the back room at Cafe Maxx and there are only 25 seats available.  The fee for this event is $95 + tax + Gratuity, for reservations call 954-523-9463.

Seven Hills Winery Dinner at Cafe Maxx with Special Guest Erik McLaughlin
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
7:00 PM

Pass arounds
Cardamom scented sea scallops with lime
Seared mahi-mahi with grapefruit and pink pepper
Java crab with Fuji apple

Seven Hills Columbia Valley Riesling 2011                    
Price: $14.25  Sale $12.54  Case $146

It’s a delight to offer our very successful off-dry style Riesling from the cool 2011 vintage. The very low alcohol and fresh crisp finish are very showy this year. We continue to source from two old sites in the Yakima Valley, with their depth and complexity, with a cooler northern vineyard adding freshness and minerality. Light straw yellow in color, the nose opens with fresh Fuji apple, guanabana, lime, grapefruit, with a hint of vanillin and cardamom. The palate is lightly citrus-sweet up front, moving through smooth lychee to a crisp, grapefruit mineral finish. The wine will develop more roundness and richness as the acid integrates, but I find it vibrant irresistible now, alone or paired with scallops, Dungeness crab, or other light fare. A very versatile style suitable for a wide variety of occasions.

First course

Poached hog snapper, pear & pistachio strudel, wilted Swiss chard and vanilla butter sauce

Seven Hills Oregon Pinot Gris 2012                              
Price: $15.75  Sale $13.86  Case $161

Our Oregon Pinot Gris is carefully pressed after harvest to preserve fruit character and a fresh, clean mouth feel. We ferment with Chanson yeast in stainless steel, adding just enough time in French oak to complement the fruit. The wine is light straw-gold in color with aromas of ripe pear, spearmint, honeysuckle blossom and fresh hazelnut. There’s an enticing streak of vanillin and spice from the oak. The palate is round and full with bright, sweet pear made more interesting by a hint of spearmint by mouth. The finish is slightly honeyed, brisk and fruitful. Pinot Gris is a delightful match with seafood and a variety of lighter dishes. It also makes a great pre-dinner glass of white wine. I like to drink Gris within a couple of years of the vintage, and this wine is styled to show well at release.

Second course

Peppered tuna with mushrooms

Seven Hills Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012       
Price: $25.50  Sale $22.44  Case $261

(90 points)  the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley is a rock-solid value that gives up plenty of lead pencil, new leather, black currants and subtle herbal notes to go with a firm, structured, medium-bodied profile on the palate. A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot and the balance Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec that spent 16 months in 25% new oak, it too will have over a decade of longevity.  Wine Advocate #213 Jun 2014

Third course

Duck confit pot pie with root vegetables

Seven Hills Walla Walla Merlot 2012                              
Price: $33.00  Sale $29.04  Case $337

Careful farming of these prized old vines at Seven Hills Vineyard gave us fully ripe and expressive grapes in this cool vintage. Enticing violet and rose aromas with clove and plum, hint at the fruitful, rich palate. Raspberry, baking spices and rhubarb cobbler flavors are accented by fresh, crushed herbs de provence offering the elegant herbal component that is a vineyard hallmark we treasure in this Merlot.

Fourth course

Filet mignon roulade with foie gras mousseline and sundried cherries

Seven Hills Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Vintage Red 2011 
Price: $40.50  Sale $35.64  Case $414

(91 Points) "The 2011 Vintage Red Wine Ciel du Cheval Vineyard is a smoking blend of 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 15% Petit Verdot, 14% Cabernet Franc that spent 21 months in 40% new French oak. Medium to full-bodied, elegant, focused and with fabulous purity of fruit, it offers up loads of black rspberry, creme de cassis, cruashed flowers, toast and graphite. Showing solid tannic structure under its fruit, it will benefit from short-term cellaring and have 10 to 12 years of overall longevity."  Wine Advocate - June 2014

Fifth Course

Lamb osso bucco, sage biscuit, red wine sauce and stuffed roasted acorn squash

Seven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla 2011      
Price: $42.00  Sale $36.96  Case $429

(94 points)  **Cellar Selection** This vineyard designate, showcasing the oldest vines from the oldest vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley, piles on the details of earth, grape and barrel. There’s cassis, blackberry and fig in generously layered profusion, along with substantial components of dried herbs, cedar and pipe tobacco. The exceptional complexity, balance and length make this a sure-fire candidate for cellaring until 2024 or more. (8/ 2014)  Wine Enthusiast

Dessert

Pumpkin flan and cinnamon crème brulee sauce

This dinner will be in the back room at Cafe Maxx and there are only 25 seats available.  The fee for this event is $95 + tax + Gratuity, for reservations call 954-523-9463.

A bit about Seven Hills Winery

Located in the heart of Walla Walla, Washington, Seven Hills Winery is one of the region’s oldest and most respected wineries. As a fourth-generation farmer who worked alongside his father to plant the famed Seven Hills Vineyard, Founder Casey McClellan played an important role in the viticultural history of the Walla Walla Valley appellation (AVA). As a winemaker, Casey has guided Seven Hills Winery, creating wines that are benchmarks for excellence in the Northwest.

Since its founding in 1988, Seven Hills Winery has helped to champion the rich diversity of the region, and its potential for producing an array of stellar wines. It has also been part of many firsts for the appellation. In keeping with its focus on Bordeaux-varietal reds, it has bottled more vineyard-designate Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots from the AVA than any other winery.

In addition to its influential role in Walla Walla Valley winemaking, Seven Hills has explored the promise of many of the Northwest’s other great appellations, building relationships with Washington’s finest winegrowers. As a result, Seven Hills works with renowned vineyards such as Klipsun, Ciel du Cheval, Melrose and Seven Hills Vineyard, sourcing fruit from the same coveted old-vine blocks and rows year after year.

Using these storied grapes, Seven Hills Winery has developed a style known for balancing structure and grace. With restrained oak, bright acidity and pure varietal flavors, these terroir-inspired wines are recognized as some of the finest coming out of the Northwest, and are among the great values of the North American wine world.

Erik McLaughlin – Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Erik oversees sales, marketing, business development, and represents  Seven Hills in all national markets.  His palate and encyclopedic  knowledge of wine make an invaluable contribution to our blending and production decisions.  Erik has twenty years of industry experience and has worked in all aspects of the wine business.  He was an English and Philosophy double major (with minors in Art History and Speech Communication) at Linfield College, before later studying enology, viticulture and graduate business administration.  Erik's family began farming and ranching in the area over a century ago.  He lives in Walla Walla with his wife, Jennifer, their four children, and their dog, Pablo