Another Vintner's Festival Weekend, and we had another outrageous dinner at the Ballard Inn. It has become a tradition for winemaker Rick Longoria and chef Budi Kazali to team up on Vintner's weekend.
It's a combination that works well to showcase both the food, and the wine.
Last night's dinner broke new ground in that Rick introduced us to some wines he is making from Spanish varieties; Albariño, and Tempranillo. There is very little Albariño produced in Santa Barbara County, but Rick feels that it does well here and we should expect to see more winemakers working with it.
Budi paired the 2006 Longoria Albariño, Clover Creek, (vineyard located on Refugio between 246 and the river) with Oysters Two Ways - fried oysters with yuzu aioli, and oysters on the half shell with chili mignonette. There was one of each, presented on a rectangular plate. The raw oyster was just that, fresh, and tasting of the sea, but the fried oyster, treated with a light tempura, set the tone, because it was absolutely perfect. The chef contrasted the warm, crisp exterior with the creamy, soft gem of an oyster interior, and it worked brilliantly with the wine. The wine has quite a minerally backbone and zippy grapefruit flavors, compact and focused. Another diner called it stunning; I have to agree.
Next, our glasses were filled with 2006 Longoria Chardonnay, Santa Rita Hills. This is a heftier wine, featuring aromas of toasted bread and tropical fruits and roasted nuts. The Santa Rita Hills minerality is there, knitting everything together. To match this wine, Budi came up with Pan Seared Halibut with Truffled Edamame Flan over Miso Beurre Blanc. Edamame flan - where does he come up with this stuff? It was amazing, perfumed with the aroma of truffle, and some whole edamame thrown in for good measure. The halibut was pristine - I dragged my pieces through the buttery sauce, and again the balance of flavors matched delightfully with the wines, making a whole far more than the sum of its parts.
After this, the 2006 Longoria Pinot Noir, Rancho Santa Rosa Vineyard, was poured. Very dark in the glass, the wine has an inviting, familiar nose of earthy SRH pinot fruit, complemented by, but not overrun with, a touch of French oak. Spicy. Baking spice, like Christmas in April. The wine is balanced in the mouth, with cranberry and black cherry notes framed up nicely in a classic SRH pinot from the man many consider the dean of Santa Barbara County winemaking.
The matching course for the wine was Roasted Veal Loin and Crispy Sweetbread with Spiced Currant Chutney, Sour Cherry Demi Glace.
I've always felt that where this chef really shines is with his accompaniments. After all, a steak or a piece of fish can only get SO good, but the sides presented with it have infinite possibilities. This sweetbread was phenomenal - the texture of the breading was different than that of the fried oyster - it was heavier and crunchier. Budi's fried foods are always spot on; never greasy, never overdone. I could have eaten a bucket of these, and gone back for more. The chutney was wonderful as well, very closely tracking the flavor profile of the wine. I have to believe a lot of thought went into this course, and it showed.
Next up was the Tempranillo, specifically, 2005 Longoria Tempranillo, Clover Creek. This wine is dark in the glass, and the nose pops with American Oak - there's some dill and some picked up light bell pepper. The entry coats the mouth with fine tannins, and the wine seems a bit tight. Would the food remedy that?
We were about to find out with Moroccan Coconut Rack of Lamb with Israeli Couscous and Artichoke Hearts. The lamb was served very rare, and I think that helped tame the tannin in the wine somewhat. The couscous again provided interesting texture. The wine yielded a bit with some swirling, but I think it would benefit with a bit more time in bottle, as it never really blossomed for me.
Dinner isn't dinner without dessert, and what better to serve with dessert than...........Syrah? Actually, the 2005 Longoria Syrah Vin Dulce, Santa Barbara County, is a late harvest effort made in the style of Port. It was an interesting wine, not in any way cloying, and it made a fine partner to the Bittersweet Chocolate Caramel Tart. The tart was delicious, and artfully plated in diagonal cuts. What famous pastry chef created this masterpiece? Actually, it came from the kitchen of Budi's lovely wife, Chris. Who knew such talent lurked there? It was a very tasty end to a delicious and educational meal.
The front of the house performed flawlessly, and the kitchen staff came out for a bow. Budi has a assembled a team of young and enthusiastic professionals. He has reason to be proud.
disclaimer: I enjoy an eensey weensey, itsy bitsy business relationship with this property, so please take that into account when reading my review.
Thanks for reading.