This group of wine lovers does not need much of an excuse to get together to share their wine with fellow winos! So when it was proposed to celebrate the change of seasons with a wine tasting dinner at 21A on Broadway in Long Branch, everyone was eager to be there. The restaurant is an excellent new addition to the Lower Broadway area of Long Branch and features delicious Italian/Mediterranean food in an upscale, New York-style setting. Service is as polished and refined as the food.
The first course was a crispy Crostini which held baba ghanoush, roasted peppers, fresh basil and olive oil. Two French white wines were chosen for this lead-off pairing: 2012 Bouchard Montrachet and 2017 Boillot La Mouchere Puligny Montrachet. Both were full bodied and at their peak with lots of ripe fruit, but the Bouchard, a Grand Cru, outclassed the Boillot, a Premier Cru, in terms of complexity and length of finish.
Bronzino Mediterraneo arrived next. The crispy broiled filet was finished with sautéed cherry tomatoes and olives, and dressed with a garlic-white wine sauce. This was deemed dish of the night by many guests. We opened two more whites: 2013 Aubert Carneros Chardonnay, which showed restrained oakiness, which in excess, can be off-putting in many California Chardonnays, and a 2017 William Fevre Les Preuses Chablis from France which was rich enough to pair well with the fish without overpowering it, but not be overshadowed by the Aubert.
A pasta course of Tagliatelle Fresca, with locally grown mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh garlic was served with 2005 Geantet-Pansiot Charmes Chambertin, a French red burgundy. This was our least favorite pairing of the night. The wine was rather simple and one dimensional with a short finish, and the weight of the pasta overwhelmed it. Perhaps a more delicate pasta next time with an Italian red wine would work better together.
A very tasty Chicken Rollatini, panko encrusted organic chicken breast stuffed with mushrooms, spinach and fontina cheese with a pomodoro sauce, was paired with three red Bordeaux wines: 2001 Lafite Rothschild, 2000 Chateau Montrose and 1982 Ch. Gruaud-Larose. The Lafite was relatively tight and closed, but enough fruit was evident, so that we assumed it simply needs more time in the bottle to improve. The 2000 Montrose also was still relatively young and not showing secondary characteristics yet. The 1982 Gruaud-Larose, from a highly-regarded vintage, was the most enjoyable of the three wines, but less impressive than one would have expected.
A fifth course offered a choice of Wagyu Skirt Steak or Salmon. Both were grilled and served with asparagus and chimichurri. The steak was tender and moist, as was the salmon.
It was time to bring out the bigger wines, so we paired this course with two California Cabernets: 2015 Abreu Madrona Ranch, which had plenty of fruit but lots of tannin as well. This clearly needs at least a decade more in the bottle to show at its best. 2008 Scarecrow, a sought-after “cult” wine, had lots of rich fruit, a long finish, and was better balanced in terms of fruit, acid and tannins.
A Cheese Plate was served as a sixth course. Ricotta salata, fontina, and manchego shared the plate. We had saved what we assumed would be the biggest red wines of the night for this course: 1995 Zenato Amarone Classico della Valpolicella was a stunner and the wine of the night. Unlike many Amarones, the alcohol was not overly apparent, the fruit was clearly present and the balance was impeccable. Many felt that this was one of the best Amarones they had ever tasted.
The other wine for this course was a 2001 Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz from the Barossa Valley in Australia; a blend of Syrah and Viognier, which was rich and intense, even a bit jammy. Very tasty, but lacked the subtlety and nuance of the Amarone.
Dessert was a delicious Banana Bread Pudding served warm with coffee gelato and Amarena cherries. This was paired with a 1993 Chateau d’Yquem, a sauterne from France. Normally, this is the penultimate sweet wine, and although it was very nice, it seemed like it had dropped some fruit and was a bit past its prime. Very possibly an off bottle.
21A on Broadway created a superb tasting menu with a wide variety of courses, each one allowing for interesting wine pairings. The group was well-sated and appreciated the opportunity to share a large number of special wines which complemented the food. It is said that wine is sauce for the food, hence a spritzy white is not unlike a squirt of lemon juice, and a rich red provides layers of fruitiness. This dinner was a success on all levels. We look forward to the next one…a Welcome Winter Wine Dinner! Stay tuned!
Bob Sacks, longtime food and wine buff, writes about food, wine and restaurants in this column. Follow him on Instagram @dinnerwithbob.
This article originally appeared in the October 19 – 25, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
