There are many different ways to learn about wine. You can join a wine club, read a book or a blog, belly up to a wine bar, go to an Internet site such as Wine Review Online, subscribe to a magazine or newsletter, take a class–all of these can be 
informative ways to expand one’s vinous horizons. I was reminded a few nights ago that one of the most fun as well as educational ways to expose one’s palate to a good selection of wines is to sign up for a wine dinner at a local restaurant.
In this case the event was held at the Oceanaire Seafood Room in Baltimore, in partnership with Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, for a dinner billed ‘A Tale of Riesling in 9 Courses.’ About sixty guests paid $85 each for the whole shebang: food, wine, and guidance from a couple of educators from the winery who spoke 
about each of the wines as they were poured. Having been in this position myself on occasion, I know that the challenge for the speakers is to gauge remarks about the wines accordingly as the noise level in the room increases apace with the amount of wine consumed (true professionals, these two did a great job, keeping their remarks brief and concise, yet managing to slip in enough information to satisfy most of those guests who really did want to learn something about the wines).
Oceanaire’s chef and operating partner Benjamin Erjavec had clearly devoted time and attention to tasting the wines, and then a period of trial and error in the kitchen creating recipes that would maximize enjoyment of both the food and the wine. ‘At first, I couldn’t’ imagine a whole dinner based on Rieslings,’ says Erjavec. ‘But then I tasted them, and I couldn’t believe the variety, the complexity and how well they lent themselves to so many different dishes.’
The evening started off with guests being handed glasses of 2006
Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling as they arrived. Glass in hand, we all made our way around the room stopping at various tables to sample raw oysters and clams spiked with Gremolata and Riesling Mignonette. The wine’s dry, crisp character connected beautifully with the disarmingly briny oysters (demonstrating the way the cool saltiness of shellfish balances beautifully with light, dry wine).
The second course, served after we were seated, was a simple yet stunning salad of jumbo lump crabmeat highlighted by mint and lemon zest, with marinated Belgian endive. When this salad
met Ste. Michelle 2006 ‘Eroica’ the result was a symphony of harmonious tastes and textures, and was a good illustration of how rich foods taste even better in the company of rich wine. Onto course number three: shrimp, a seared scallop, and a bite of spicy sausage–all bathed in creamy fennel and Sambucca sauce, served with Ste. Michelle Riesling 2006 (the touch of sweetness in the wine was a fine foil for the spicy element of the dish).
And so it went, course after course, each one served with an appropriate wine partner. As might be expected, some of the matches worked better than others. For example, the 2007Columbia Valley Riesling struck me as a tad too sweet for a bacon-wrapped lobster medallion, whereas the sweetness in fruit-
driven 2006 Indian Wells Riesling tamed the whack of spice in shrimp jambalaya. The most surprising and felicitous partnership of the evening may have been the 2006 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Riesling, which positively danced on the palate with chipotle-rubbed baby back ribs–it was a duet of intricate flavors and levels of sweetness, tartness, and spiciness.
At the end of the evening, I glanced around as the convivial crowd
was draining the last drops of 2006 ‘Ethos’ Late Harvest White Riesling. The buzz of conversation was cheerful as many people discussed the different wines, and the pros and cons of some of the pairings. Chef Erjavec later summed up the experience best: ‘It’s wonderful to be surprised by a wine. After that first tasting I realized I had a very outdated image of what a Riesling can be. That’s the beauty of a wine dinner. We all learn something new.’
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