Last Thursday I had the pleasure of attending one of the nicest wine dinners I have ever been a part of. The team at Tina’s Restaurant in Dundee, Oregon did an exceptional job of creating a wine centric menu that not only highlighted Sokol Blosser wines but also showed the kitchen's exceptional skill.

We started with house made crackers topped with a pacific salmon spread paired with our 2009 Rosé of Pinot Noir. While we mingled in the front of the restaurant and got to know each other this little hors d'oeuvres and wine pairing helped ease us into the event.

When we sat, we were greeted with a plate of freshly picked radishes and house made speck (a type of smoked prosciutto). Shortly after they began pouring our Estate Pinot Gris from 2008, and halibut arrived served over braised fennel and topped with pesto. The Pinot Gris was just coming into its prime and tasted spectacular with the fish.

On to my favorite pairing of the night! Our 1999 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir matched perfectly with a roasted quail. This was a match made in heaven. A perfectly aged wine with a gorgeously prepared dish. The short ribs that came next let us know our journey was far from over. A light smokiness and hint of citrus made the tender meat a stage on which our wines performed. The 2007 Goosepen Block and the 2005 Dundee Hills Pinots were a fun juxtaposition of vintages to compare side by side.

Topping off the night was an olive oil cake and vintage 2002 White Riesling Dessert Wine - it was a perfect end to a perfect night. Thank you to our friends at Tina's for the wonderful evening!