It sounded like a good idea, before the start of the seemingly nonstop eating and drinking of the six-week holiday season – to have a quiet little wine dinner among friends. I was thankful to be invited.
Kurt Bromberger, the highly talented chef/owner of Belford Bistro in Belford, was kind enough to prepare a multicourse tasting menu with which we could pair some of the wines that each guest brought. Each course of food was delicious, the wines drinking well, and the night memorable. The group was oohing and aahing over the arrival of each mouthwatering course.
There was an amuse bouche of chunks of seared filet of beef on a bread crisp, paired with a non-vintage Veuve Clicquot Rose champagne, which was fruity but not sweet, soft and almost lush. A good start to the evening!
The first appetizer course was Nantucket Bay Scallops with beets, citrus and basil. The plating was gorgeous, a feast for the eyes, and the tender scallops were tasty and juicy. A 2019 Premier Cru Domaine Vocoret Chablis Vaillons was at its prime, crisp and flinty. It was easy to drink and worked well to balance the lushness of the scallops and beets.
A smooth and creamy Cauliflower Soup seasoned with Manchego cheese and marjoram highlighted the flavor of the cauliflower without being overly rich. It was a great second course.
It was time to open some red wine and we wound up uncorking and decanting several of them so everyone could sample, then pick and choose which ones they wanted with each course. We were served a delicious pasta dish: Garganelli (a ridged cylinder of pasta with points at the ends) plated with a ragout of Two River organic mushrooms and Parmigiana Reggiano cheese. The sauce was flavorful and well-balanced and the pasta perfectly done – not too soft and not too chewy.
Two beautiful Burgundies were popped open to taste: a 1971 Bouchard Grand Cru Chambertin Clos de Beze and a 2002 Comte Georges de Vogue premier cru Chambolle- Musigny. The Bouchard had a nice berry nose of mature Pinot Noir fruit, which evolved for a while before starting to fade a bit, which was understandable due to its age. The Vogue was lush and silky with good balance and continued to improve as it got air. Both were a rare treat, as Burgundies have now become much sought after and quite pricey. Happily, these were acquired a number of years ago when they were still reasonably priced. A 2017 Merry Edwards Flax Vineyard Pinot Noir was quite youthful and enjoyable, if a bit simple after tasting the complexity and depth of the French Burgundies.
Cedar Roasted Salmon, plated with a celery root and leek puree and Swiss chard, was served properly on the rare side and was juicy and moist. The creamy puree was an ideal companion to the fish. The food outshone a 2006 Clos du Val Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon which was rather lean and dry and probably a bit past its prime.
One guest had requested foie gras be included in a dish, so the chef prepared Long Island Duck Breast with foie gras, port wine, sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts. The thick slices of rare duck breast, the star of the plate, were super moist. The 2017 Brand Cabernet Sauvignon, which we had already opened and tasted, was a great pairing for this dish. This rich but not heavy wine was well-balanced and got better and better with time in the glass and decanter – clearly a wine that will only grow better as it ages.
By this time, all of the reds had been opened and decanted. A 1999 Araujo Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon was an off-bottle and not drinkable.
It is always nice to have a Cheese course with which to enjoy the last reds of the evening, and we each received a serving of beautifully plated Comté, cambozola and Camembert. A 1997 Pira Luig Vigna Rionda Barolo was spot on as a pairing for these. This nebbiolo-based wine was still youthful but improved as it sat in the glass. This is a modern style barolo and approachable now but clearly will get better and better with more time.
Dessert was as special as the rest of the meal; we enjoyed a Pear and Chocolate Bread Pudding with vanilla gelato. This was very well executed and not in any way heavy, but still packed with lots of taste and a grand finale to the evening.
This kind of meal is a special occasion and not an everyday event and it got rave reviews from all in attendance. The food and wines were complimentary and provided a great variety of complexity and flavors. The regular menu at Belford Bistro has a number of similar dishes which are all equally as good. Indeed, one does not do this too often, but this was a nice chance to enjoy great food, special wines and excellent company. The guests were still talking about the evening the next day.
Bob Sacks, longtime food and wine buff, writes about food, wine and restaurants in this column. Follow him on Instagram @dinnerwithbob.
The article originally appeared in the December 12 – 18, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
