Spanish Wine Dinner at West Cafe

Tuesday night I headed out with some friends to Portland's West Cafe. There we enjoyed a six course dinner paired with different Spanish wines. Our group had two vegetarians (me included) and one vegan. So we really got the full gamut of offerings at our table. Overall the pairings were very well done, and so I'd like to share the menu with you and some of my comments.

Starter: Asparagus, Arugula & Butternut Squash Crepe with Garlic Cheese Spread paired with Francoli Non-Vintage Brut Cava

Cava is Spain's sparkling wine, produced in a number of regions throughout the country. Unlike Champagne, Cava can be produced in any region that qualifies. Most of it however is made in the region of Catalonia (around Barcelona). The standard grapes used are Macabeo (Viura), Parellada and Xarel-lo. The Francoli is a 50/50 blend of the first two.

For $14 (per the distributor rep) I think this was an excellent Cava. It was crisp and refreshing, and had just enough complexity via yeasty aromas and flavors. It was a great pairing with the starter - and honestly I would have been happy just drinking that the rest of the meal!

1st Course: Garlic & Pecorino Romano Toast Bruschette with Basil, Shrimp (Tofu) & Tomato Sauce paired with Bodegas del Rosario 2007 Monastrell

Monastrell is also known as Mouvèdre in southern France and Motaro elsewhere in Spain. It is the second most planted red variety in Spain (the first is Garnacha or Grenache). Primarily used for blending in other regions it adds color and structure to wines. This one in particular seemed somewhat flabby (lower acidity) but had a nice raspberry aromas. Some found production notes indicate no oak was used.

Food wise, this was probably my favorite course of the whole meal. Instead of shrimp I got tofu, though I heard the shrimp was very good. You can't go wrong with cheese and garlic broiled onto bread.

2nd Course: Caesar (Red Pepper Dressing) Salad with Romaine & Leaf Spinach topped with Anchovy & Grilled Chicken (Beets and Apple) paired with Protos 2007 Ribero del Duero Roble Tempranillo

Tempranillo, perhaps the most well known grape of Spain, is called many different things throughout the country. In Ribera del Duero, where this wine is from, they call it Tinto del País. This particular bottle saw very little oak aging, referred to by the producer as Joven Roble. Joven means young, and indicates a wine that has little aging (often minimal oak) and is very fruity in style. Definitely the case here as well as bright refreshing acidity.

Tempranillo is a grape which similar to Pinot Noir and Sangiovese can offer lots of bright red fruit and can be very versatile with food pairings. If I liked fresh beets I imagine it would have done very well with this course.

3rd Course: Pan-Seared True Cod (Maple Tofu) over Sliced Tomato with Black Olive Tapanade paired with Bodegas Lozano 1998 Gran Reserva Tempranillo/Cabernet

This next wine is a blend that comes from La Mancha region in central Spain. It is a blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon, and labeled as a Gran Reserva which indicates the length of aging - five years, 18 months of which must be in oak. The producer of this wine indicates 24 months were spent in oak for this blend.

Being a 1998 it was interesting to compare this wine to some of the newer vintages at the dinner. Spanish wine makers have a long tradition of aging wines for a very long time, though I felt this one was just past its prime. Little fruit was present, though it had nice herbal, oaky characteristics. The aromas were actually one of the best parts, that was until the cod started coming around, at which point I think the wine was muted by that smell. It paired well with the tofu I got which had been marinated in a maple syrup mixture. Sweet and savory.

4th Course: Steamed Quarter Artichoke with Grilled Lamb Sausage (Portobello) & Saffron Aiolo paired with Protos 2003 Ribera del Duero Crianza Tempranillo

Finishing with another Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero the Crianza classification dictates that this wine was aged at least two years, six months of which in oak. The producer chose a blend of wine aged 12 months in both French and American oak, and then an additional 12 months in bottle.

Lots of fennel on the nose with this wine, which I imagine paired very well with the sausage served. It was a good accompaniment to the mushroom as well. Nice tannins and a good level of structure on the palate with more oak than the Joven Roble bottle served earlier.

Dessert: Cinnamon, Ginger & Pecan Bread Pudding with Café Crème Anglaise paired with... no wine sadly.

No wine pairing? I think this was the only disappointment of the meal for me. The dessert itself was a good balance of savory and sweet, and would have easily paired with a sweeter Sherry.

Overall I had a wonderful time dining at West Cafe, and am interested to see what future wine dinners they offer. I think the price was fair ($35 + gratuity per person) for the number of courses and wines served. While I may have changed a few things here and there, the pairings were very well done, and had beautiful presentation.

Cheers!