After a vigorous day of sampling wine from barrels from about 40 wineries, Terry and I got back to where we were staying, bushed. What a fun, fabulous (but exhausting) way to spend a day.
But then we remembered that we had an exclusive invite to dine under the stars at the chic winery, St. Supéry. But of course St. Supéry is chic. After all, famed perfurmer, Chanel, owns it, having purchased it in 2015, joining the Chanel family of wineries that includes Chateau Rauzan-Segla and Chateau Canon, both Bordeaux legends. St. Supéry does have an air of elegance, a rare modifier for a winery.
The St. Supéry dinner was one of several offered that Friday evening for auction attendees. The money raised went to help organizations dealing with youth mental health in Napa Valley. Among other things, these charities connect kids with therapists to help them deal with issues at home and in their lives in general. They also establish wellness centers at all Napa Valley schools.
Besides being chic, the St. Supéry dinner was intimate, with only about a dozen fellow diners. Among others were three gentlemen from The Boca Raton, a luxurious resort in Florida. I think they were there to both enjoy the wine and experience, but also to pick up a few tips, as they will be hosting The Artisans in Food and Wine Auction at the Resort, Jan. 17-19, 2025.
Dinner started with a green papaya and daikon radish salad with octopus, shrimp and razor clams. If that had been the entire dinner, I would have been satisfied. Normally, Terry doesn’t like chewy fish like octopus, but chef Ken Frank (of La Toque Restaurant) apparently knows a thing or two since Terry wiped her plate clean. Poured with the salad was one of the finest California sauvignon blancs, St. Supery 2022 from Dollarhide Vineyard. It is 16% barrel fermented and spends five months on its lees. Crispy and refreshing, it’s a delight to drink. Terry got notes of grass, slate, and apple on both the nose and the tastes.
Then we had Delta asparagus, fava beans, and Mt. Shasta morels topped with Parmesan cheese. The winery poured 2009 Ch. Canon (75% merlot and 25% cabernet Franc) and 2009 Ch. Rauzan-Segla (57% cabernet sauvignon and 43% merlot), both stars of the 2009 Bordeaux vintage. In Japanese, “umami” means delicious, savory taste, which describes this mushroom plate perfectly. Terry didn’t detect much of a nose on the Canon, but she found it well balanced with a long finish. The Rauzan-Segla was outstanding, marrying well with the mushrooms as it has a forest floor element to it.
The main course was prime rib cap roast with Hasselbeck potatoes and a tasty sauce. All of the tried-and-true sayings – “cuts like butter”; “melts in your mouth,” etc. — while trite were still applicable. The St. Supéry 2014 Dollarhide Cabernet Sauvignon and the St. Supéry 2012 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon joined the beef. The Dollarhide, like its sauvignon blanc cousin, shined. An inviting nose of blackberry, cherry and chocolate, with similar notes on the palate along with leather and smoke, this wine has enjoyed its time in the cellar. The 2012 has hints of licorice. Both worked quite well with the meat.
The winemaker, Michael Scholz, first arrived at St. Supéry in 1996. He’s honed his craft since then. He was the one responsible for all of the delicious California reds and whites we enjoyed that night. Together with the creativity and skill of chef Ken, this proved to be a memorable evening in the seductive Napa evening air.
What a unique way to raise funds for such worthy causes.
Carl Kanowsky is an attorney, a fledgling baker, an enthusiastic cook and an expert wine drinker.
