A sweet dinner for valentines

Chateau Lafayette Reneau winery provided a delightful dining experience on Valentine's Day weekend.

Friday the 13th did not deter about 25 couples from participating in a sweetheart's dinner that began at 7 p.m. in the winery's banquet facility overlooking Seneca Lake. A different Chateau Lafayette wine was paired with each course of the dinner throughout the evening.

We began the meal with a country pate made with chicken liver and pork butt accompanied by cranberry chutney. It was paired with their 2001 Pinot Noir. The spice in the meat and cranberry flavor of the chutney complemented the spice and fruit flavors in the wine.

As we were being served our second course, my wife Pat and I got to know the other people seated at our table a little bit better. We had the pleasure of dining for the evening with two couples that had driven up from the Hudson Valley area for the weekend. Lee Pisani and Barbara Ashworth have developed a close working relationship as administrators for the Beauty School of Middletown. During dinner, Barbara was sad when she learned that Lee and her husband Joe Pisani would be relocating to the West coast within months, not years. Not only would Pat be losing a dear friend, she would also have to find a capable administrator to replace Lee sooner than she thought.

One of the reasons for the Pisanis' move is to be closer to their son Chris, who has been promoted to winemaker at ZD Wines in Napa, Calif. The proud parents brought out a business newsletter detailing the promotion and offered me one of Chris's business cards.

But back to dinner. Potato and leek soup was served with the winery's Seyval-Chardonnay wine. This crisp, clean wine blend was a wonderful contrast of flavor when paired with the rich and creamy soup.

Next, we were served a strawberry and spinach salad with poppy-seed dressing. We were some of the first to taste a 2003 dry Riesling that had just been bottled the previous day. The citrus and crisp, green apple taste cut through the sweet salad dressing and provided a clean, refreshing finish.

For the entree, we were served grilled rack of lamb accompanied by asparagus, and twice-baked potatoes stuffed with bacon and cheddar cheese. The winery's 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon, a light-bodied wine with tastes of cherry and oak, went well with the lamb.

For dessert, we were served white chocolate and strawberry mousse. The creamy white chocolate really added a sweet accent to the strawberry dessert. It was paired with the 2002 Late Harvest Riesling. Although the wine had 6 percent residual sugar, it was not a syrupy, sticky wine as you might expect. It had a refreshingly clean fruit finish.

Throughout the evening, owners Dick and Betty Reno stopped by the various tables to visit with guests. The Valentine's dinner demonstrated how a whole evening's entertainment can come from pairing good food and good wine with great company.

Jeff Richards' wine column appears Saturdays. For comments or questions, he can be reached at 607/271-8279 or 800/836-8970, ext. 279, or e-mail: jrichards