Watching the sun set on the year 2007 a.d.
So with the year 2007 almost in heaven, my family and I sat on the dock of the bay and watched as the sun set for the final time this year. No worries. There is another sunset tomorrow in the year 2008. Instead of joining the throngs of folks gathered on Duval Street in front of Sloppy Joes for the dropping of the Conch Shell at midnight, we chose to have a private tasting of dessert wine and chocolate pairings back at our place on Saddlebunch Key. My family savors food and beverage so finding the best combination of anything is serious good fun.
On the wine menu:
1) Sobon Estate Rezerve Orange Muscat 2005
2)Les Clos de Paulilles Banyuls Rimage 2003
3) A 10 year old Talijancich white Solero (Swan Valley, Australia)
4) Hunt Country Vineyards Vidal ice wine, Finger Lakes 1990
On the chocolate menu:
1) Scharffen Berger 41% Cocoa
2) Hershey's Cocoa Reserve 'Arriba' 50%
3) Hershey's Cocoa Reserve 'Santo Domingo' 67%
4) Hershey's Cocoa Reserve 'Sao Tome' 70%
5) Scharffen Berger 82%
Best Pairings:
Everyone agreed on the best pairing of the evening which was a symphony in our mouths--the white Solero with the 41% cocoa bar. Other fabulous marriages were the Orange Muscat with the 67% chocolate and Banyuls with the 70% Sao Tome. A major disappointment of the evening was the ice wine which had gone off despite it's raisiny nose. Sad, but we poured more Solero and worked through our sorrows..
A delight of the evening was having my daughters join us in the tastings- reinforcing that sipping tequila one night and tasting wine another, without going to excess, is possible, and rather enjoyable.
This year ends on quite a good note for me and I really hope yours does as well...Additionally, I hope year 2008 is a particularly good vintage for all of y'all, too.
