Some meals are simply magical…from beginning to end. And most of my magical meals have been meals I’ve shared with my family for more than six decades. But last summer we experienced an evening of incredible wines paired with dinner under the stars in a vineyard that I’ll remember forever. And we shared that meal with good friends. It truly was a magical evening.
As we were packing for our Oregon trip last summer I got a message from my friend Maria, a Willamette Valley winery owner and blogger. (Click HERE to check out her wonderful blog.) Maria told me to check out a special event called Bounty of Yamhill County that was happening during our upcoming stay in the Willamette Valley.
According to their website, “Bounty of Yamhill County (BOYC) is a three day festival showcasing the celebrated chefs, famous vintners and family farms that call Yamhill County home.” More than 40 wineries, 23 restaurants and 21 farms were scheduled to participate in the 2018 August event.
Maria was right. I couldn’t wait to drag out my credit card and start exploring the possibilities!
Several events caught my eye, but one stood out in particular. It was called Winemaker Chill and Grill at Remy Wines, with Nick’s Italian Cafe.
Remy Drahbkin’s wines and winery were one of the highlights of our 2016 visit to McMinnville, Oregon. (Read about that visit HERE.)
To make the 2018 event even more memorable, our Oregon friends Rick and Candy were quick to agree to join us for the upcoming event. Good friends, great wines and delicious food? (Yes please!)
Remy Wines tasting room has recently moved from McMinnville to a quaint and cozy refurbished 1900’s farmhouse nestled beneath towering trees on the family’s Lone Madrone Vineyard in Dundee Hills near Dayton, Oregon.
We were welcomed to the party with a glass of 2015 Three Wives Remy’s Red.
A very fine welcome indeed!
Before the guests were seated I snapped a quick photo of the glorious table under the trees. And I knew I was where I was meant to be for that perfect summer evening in Yamhill County!
Many volunteers were circulating among the guests who mingled and marveled at the gorgeous setting. Our meal that night? It was being prepared on site by Nick’s Italian Cafe, named “One of America’s Classics” in 2014 by the James Beard Foundation. That amazing restaurant has been a fixture in the town of McMinnville since 1977, and their Italian recipes have been passed down for three generations. Our chef that evening? Chef Carmen, the daughter of Nick Peirano himself! Let me say the apple did not fall far from THAT talented Italian tree! Chef Carmen is carrying on the family tradition of putting love on a plate. My photos only scratch the surface of the amazing meal we were about to share.
Silver trays of amazing appetizers were constantly circulated through the throng of mingling guests. And those dishes paired beautifully with that first glass of chilled Three Wives Remy’s Red. The locally sourced ingredients were carefully selected from the amazing small farms and businesses in Yamhill County. Let’s start here…and Bon Appetit!
Even Pull Farm Pickled Chioggia Beets with Briar Rose Goat Cheese and Toasted Hazelnuts
Wood Oven Roasted Caponata
And my very favorite???
House Smoked Mussels with Super Natural Farm Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette and Frisee
Those smoked mussels were harvested just hours before on the Oregon Coast. And they were the stuff of dreams! That smokey flavor with Three Wives Remy’s Red was truly magical!
As we savored those appetizers I was drawn to the vineyard by my desire to explore the trees and vines. We “sipped and sauntered” into that Garden Of Eden just beyond the farmhouse.
The bounty of Yamhill County was all around us!
From apples…
To olives…
And finally to the star of the show. These incredible clusters of ripening grapes.
To be sipping wine while walking among the fruit-filled vines? Priceless!
The magical moment continued when we were summoned back down the hill to be seated at that glorious table, surrounded by more “foodie friends” we just hadn’t yet met.
Dinner began with this heaping basket filled with warm, House Baked Focaccia.
And new glasses were filled with a 2016 Three Wives Fischerman’s Pinot Gris
We were warmly welcomed by the winemaker herself, Remy Drabkin. She spent the entire evening circulating among the guests and answering questions about her Old World Italian style of winemaking. She also chatted about her incredible wine selections that accompanied our amazing meal.
The next dish blew me away. I can still taste it. Or at least I WISH I could taste it. Again.
Bernard’s Farm Summer Corn Sformato with Super Natural Farm Heirloom Tomatoes, Grilled Corn and Even Pull Farm Micro Green Salad.
A sformato is loosely described as an egg-bound, molded dish. I’m sure I tasted a long simmered, rich chicken stock layer of flavor that blended perfectly with the fresh summer sweet corn. This was another food and wine pairing made in Heaven…or in Yamhill County, for sure!
Our friend Rick has been a public figure in the area for many years, and he and his wife Candy seemed to know everyone that evening. It was so much fun to watch the volunteers and the guests together! We all felt like family at that bountiful table.
Family bought together by amazing food and wine.
Our next course began with a 2015 Remy Wines Nebbiolo Riserva.
That amazing wine was paired with this incredible pasta dish. And the deeply flavored broth (brodo) was the stuff of dreams.
Prosciutto di Parma Raviolini in Wild Oregon Turkey Brodo, Arbequina Olive Oil and Parmigiano Reggiano
I only wish I had been given a STRAW to suck up every drop from the bowl. You’ll be happy to know I decided not to embarrass myself by hoisting the bowl to my mouth!
As the sun began to set, the table took on a magical light and vibe. And so did all of those incredible wines. I wish I could give you more insight into the complexities of each wine, but I am NOT a wine expert. I just know what I like. And each one of the Remy wines served that evening paired perfectly with each course. From beginning to end. Perfection in a glass.
The laughter and conversations flowed freely…just like the many wines we all shared.
Chef Carmen and her capable staff brought forth yet another amazing course…
It was time for meat!
Carlton Farms Pork Griglia Mista: Grilled Copa with House Made Sausage and Porchetta, Even Pull Farms Radicchio, Farro, and Fresh Herb Salad with Balsamic Condimento
This amazing porky platter was enhanced by the warm salad. Those tangy wilted greens cut through the delicious fattiness of the perfectly prepared sausage. That plate of perfect flavor and texture contrasts was paired with not one…but two Remy wines. A 2014 Lagrein and a 2015 Dolcetto.
“Squisito!”
Then it was time for one more course. Dessert!
Baird Family Farm Peach and Raspberry Summer Trifle with Remy’s Rose’ Zabaglione and Pistachio
It was a light and airy creation, served up as the perfect ending to our magical vineyard meal.
That beautiful trifle was artfully paired with Remy’s 2016 Three Wives Germaine Gabrielle Rose’ of Pinot Noir. Once again, a home run.
When that final lucious course had been served and savored, it was the moment when we gave a sincere (and lengthy) round of applause to the Chef Carmen and Winemaker Remy. Those talented women succeeded in making a dining memory that will last forever for me. And they were both quick to share the credit for their success with their incredible staffs, and with the many volunteers who made this Winemaker Chill ‘n Grill event a rousing success.
Yes, Dear Readers…that magical dinner in a vineyard made “Meemaw Memories” to last a lifetime.
Meemaw Eats…and Meemaw Sips.
And the Bounty of Yamhill County is bountiful indeed.
What can one say
You need to make it an annual event
Thanks Jan! It was absolutely fantastic. And yearly would be FINE with me!!!
XOXO
Meemaw
It was so fun reminiscing with you on that wonderful evening! Thank you
Thanks Candy! Being with you and Rick made it even more magical! Let’s do it again!!
XOXO
Meemaw