Farm-to-Table Dinner - Wine and Farms

Today will be my second to last post about the 2013 Page County Grown Farm Tour.  Tomorrow’s post will be about the Farm-to-Table dinner, and today's will have information about the Wisteria wines that were served, and a note about all the farms that provided ingredients that were part of such a delicious meal.  I have photos of the menu and the acknowledgement to accompany this post.

Six wines were paired with the six courses.  I am writing these descriptions from memory – based on talking with Sue and Moussa or the introduction he gave for each course, or I’ve simply Googled and summarized what I found.

• Ashtaroot – This is a light white wine that is named after a Phoenician goddess.  It is a very pleasant blend of grapes and apple juice.  It was paired with the polenta dish that was served as an appetizer.
• Oak Vigonier – The grape is “Virginia’s official grape” and Wisteria offers two main versions of the wine, one fermented in oak and the other in steel.  I’ve heard many of our neighbors describe this one as their favorite Wisteria offering.
• Chardonnay – Here’s one that needs no description; it’s an obligatory offering.  It was delightfully paired with the pasta course at our dinner.
• Pinot Gris – The lighter taste of pinot gris was an element of the cantaloupe sorbet that was served as a palate cleanser.  So we didn’t actually drink it, although plenty was consumed.
• Carmine – This is a red wine that Wisteria introduced in the last couple of years.  It features an intense red color, great aromas and ample tannins.  At past dinners, I’ve gone back for more, but there was never enough for another pour.  This time it was served with the meat course.
• Velvet – This is another red, a blend that is a little sweeter.  So it was served with the dessert course.

By the time the dinner had progressed to the third course, the crowd was pretty rowdy and cheered Moussa and Sue on for each new introduction.  Good times – and they were made better by the full pours at dinner!

For a complete description of the farmers – not just those who were part of the Farm-to-Table dinner, but all of the members of Page County Grown, check out the web page here: 

http://pagecountygrown.com/

Here’s the list of contributors to the Farm-to-Table Dinner:

• Wisteria Farm and Vineyard
• Skyline Premium Meat
• Public House Produce
• Survivor Farm
• Moyers Farm

All in all, another great tour, and a fantastic dinner.  I’m looking forward to next weekend at the farmer’s market after all of that.