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| Sea Bass, Chardonnay and Fennel - A Long Awaited 3X! - 9/13/2008 |
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| Menu
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Orange Tomatoes and Avocado
Grilled Sea Bass with Fennel and Orange
Farro with Butter
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| Wine
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Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay 2004
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| Comments
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As we poured this lovely golden wine into our glasses, we were met with aromas of buttery pineapple, soft citrus and warm spices. Tasting the wine further amplified these flavors along with a hint of coconut and tropical fruits. Creamy, smooth and delicious, we hoped this wine would be a good match for our dinner.
The menu included grilled sea bass with fresh fennel, orange and a dusting of roasted hazel nuts. Complimenting that was the nutty sweet flavor of farro, laced with rich salty butter. Finishing the meal were vine sweet tomatoes with smooth avocado in a simple balsamic vinaigrette. When the fish came off the grill it was very brown and we were concerned that it might have become overdone and tough. Instead we were delightfully surprised with a crispy crunchy finish that just melted in our mouths. The dense oily nature of the fish prevented any burnout. As we sampled all the foods we found they had created a very harmonious blend of delicious flavors that were all held together by the exotic licorice flavor of the fennel. A subtle combination of rich, smooth tastes that integrated perfectly with no one flavor dominating.
When we added the wine to this wonderful mix, we found that its buttery creaminess and ripe fruits blended perfectly. In fact, the combination was so seamless that we quickly realized we had one of those rare 3X combinations where the food and wine blend to form a third level of flavor that transcends the original components. Ah, the excitement of a perfect pairing! The harmony, depth and complexity equaled total food and wine enjoyment. And, not forgetting the salad… the nutty avocado and sweet balsamic all worked surprisingly well with the buttery aspects of the wine while the soft acids from the mild tomatoes matched our Chardonnay's bright, spicy finish.
JJ really enjoyed this meal. His only recommendation for improvement would be to serve the food on hot plates to help maintain the delicious flavors of the fish. He said that crispiness was what made the meal for him. The wine was a good part of that enjoyment, as it had a complex character that not only blended perfectly with the food, but also maintained itself before, during and after the meal.
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