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Seth Kunin is a busy man. As one of the West Coast's hottest wine makers,
there are great demands on his time and when he gave us the only date he'd
be available to host a wine dinner in Southampton, Chef Gulija agreed, even
though it would be just three weeks since our previous dinner. We knew that
with such a short time to get the word out, attendance would likely be modest
but we didn't want to pass up the chance to work with this talented craftsman.
Our Kunin distributor, Polaner Selections, went out of their way to support our
decision to take on the project, and it was greatly appreciated.
Mr. Kunin takes what might be called a minimalist approach to making wine.
He works very hard at doing as little as possible to influence the character of
the wine, preferring to allow the personality of the grapes to shine through.
He wants you to taste the subtle differences in the grapes from one vineyard
and the same grapes from another two miles down the road. In a sense,you
could say he strives for inconsistency... and it's bringing him great success.
Because of the relatively small turnout, we were able put together on large
banquet table and the entire group dined together. This created a less formal
atmosphere and encouraged a lot of lively conversation, a perfect way to enjoy
great food and wine. Chef Gulija even joined the table several times during the
proceedings and the evening developed it's own special character, much like
Seth Kunin's extraordinary wines.
The Menu
*Guest Chef Michael Meehan joined Chef Gulija in the kitchen to create the dinner.
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The Plaza Café Assorted Canapés
Westerly Vineyards 2001 Sauvignon Blanc (Santa Ynez Valley, CA)
***
Horseradish Crusted King Salmon with Pea Puree and Citrus Vinaigrette
Westerly Vineyards 2002 Viognier (Santa Ynez Valley, CA)
***
East Coast Halibut wrapped in Brick Pastry with Foie Gras served over
Wild Mushrooms with a Syrah Reduction
Kunin Wines 2002 Syrah 'Santa Barbara County' (Santa Barbara, CA)
***
Grilled Vermont Quail
Corn Pancake, Wild Berry Compote, Pomegranate Molasses
Kunin Wines 2001 Syrah 'Alisos Vineyard' (Santa Barbara, CA)
***
Sliced Prime Sirloin with Truffle-Potato Puree, Sautéed Satur Farms Rapini
and Bone Marrow Foam
Westerly 2000 W Rouge a 'Cabernet Franc/Merlot blend' (Santa Ynez Valley, CA)
***
Cherries 'Three Ways'
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Chef Gulija visits with his guests during the dinner.
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Christian Troy (Polaner Selections) and Seth Kunin
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For more information on Kunin wines, please visit
www.kuninwines.com
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