In celebration of what would have been Robert Mondavi's 100th birthday were he still living, Ruth's Chris Steakhouses across the USA participated in a wine tasting dinner of Robert Mondavi Wines (now owned by Constellation).
We started with a watermelon, goat cheese and arugula salad paired with a FUME' BLANC (from Sauvignon Blanc grapes.) The wine was quite nice and paired pretty well with the salad. The vintage was not listed on the menu and I didn't ask about the vintage on this wine.
The second course involved mushrooms and I forget the rest of the ingredients but the 2011 HUICHICA HILLS VINEYARD PINOT NOIR (Carneros) paired beautifully with the mushrooms. It was a really wonderful Pinot Noir which I may seek out to purchase. Robert Mondavi company owns the vineyard and also makes a Chardonnay from this vineyard. It displayed fruit along with structure and a peppery finish and was smooth and silky. (The presenter said like drinking lingerie.)
With the lamb chop third couse we had the 2010 OAKVILLE CABERNET SAUVIGNON (Napa) with most of the fruit coming from the To Kalon Vineyard. Darker color than the Pinot Noir as one would expect. This was the first release of this vintage so the diners at the Ruth's Chris Steakhouses were getting the first public taste of the wine. Made in an elegant and restrained style to be a balanced wine that is not too tannic now but will age well. I enjoyed this. I still had some of the Pinot Noir in my glass so tried both with the lamb chop. The Oakville C.S. had some black currant/cassis nose and flavor. Some grip and soft tannins on the finish.
The fourth course was a sizzling filet with green beans and roasted garlic as a side dish and was paired with the 2009 ROBERT MONDAVI CABERTNET SAUVIGNON RESERVE. 100% new oak for this wine. Leggy in the glass. Again, balanced and drinkable at an early age although might improve over the next seven or so years. I have always liked the C.S. Reserve although I have not tasted it every vintage.
A glass of MOSCATI accompanied the dessert but I did not really appreciate the dessert wine after the reds.
We also heard a bit about the history of Ruth's Chris Steakhouses. They serve certified USDA prime beef prepared in an 1800-degree broiler and served on a 500-degree sizzling plate. The founder of Ruth's Chris chain was friends with the Mondavis. Margrit Mondavi, Robert's widow, narrated a video clip prepared especially for these commemorative dinners.
Several bottles of wine and books by Robert Mondavi and Margrit Mondavi were given to diners whose names were drawn.
I sat with two other couples who are from Raleigh. A quick-moving storm passed through the area just before the dinner. I was staying overnight in Raleigh so drove up before the storm and checked into a Hampton Inn about fifteen minutes away from the restaurant. I watched the winds pick up from the hotel window and then the heavy downpour, but it let up about 6:20 PM and I was only a few minutes late to the 6:30 PM dinner. The storm was no little matter as winds of 50 to 60 miles per hour (maybe 70 mph) knocked down tree limbs and disrupted electrical power in many places. A University of North Carolina coed was killed by a falling tree on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill. What a tragic way to lose a loved one.