Friendship Inn's "Taste of Hospitality"
Dave Eckert, of Culinary Travels fame, hosted the Friendship Inn's Seventh Annual "Taste of Hospitality" fundraiser. This extraordinary event had three unique aspects. The first is the relationship with the Friendship Inn which provides lodging and support for family members of patients in the Kansas University (KU) Medical Center. During the dinner, we heard the first hand accounts of the some of the people who relied on the Friendship Inn while they were supporting and attending to their husband, wife or child in the hospital for weeks or months.
Second, we enjoyed a fabulous dinner prepared by Chef Todd Walline of the Blue Hills Country Club.
As we arrived, we were greeted with goat cheese mousee crostini and braised beef bites. When the dinner started, our first course was seared salmon with chili sauce. Mine was perfect. The second course of duck pot pie was nicely balanced with richness of the duck, creaminess the sauces and the bright crunch of the vegetables. The third course of duo of lamb with potato puree and French green beans (haricot verts) was delightful with the wine pairing. We enjoyed the contrast of lamb shank and lamb chops. The final course of dark chocolate cream worked nicely with the walnut Madeleine.
As we arrived, we were greeted with goat cheese mousee crostini and braised beef bites. When the dinner started, our first course was seared salmon with chili sauce. Mine was perfect. The second course of duck pot pie was nicely balanced with richness of the duck, creaminess the sauces and the bright crunch of the vegetables. The third course of duo of lamb with potato puree and French green beans (haricot verts) was delightful with the wine pairing. We enjoyed the contrast of lamb shank and lamb chops. The final course of dark chocolate cream worked nicely with the walnut Madeleine.Third, we indulged in two wine parings with each course. The wine selections by Dave Eckert re-affirmed his credentials.
Initially, we enjoyed Wolf Blass Green Label Chardonnay, Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc, St. Hallets Gamekeeper’s Reserve Shiraz-Grenache and Wolf Blass Green Label Cabernet Sauvignon to pair with the hor d'oeuvres while we explored the silent auction items. The white wines were both great choices for an aperitif wine, as well as pairing nicely with the hor d'oeuvres. The reds provided fuller bodied enjoyment to complement the beef bites.
Initially, we enjoyed Wolf Blass Green Label Chardonnay, Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc, St. Hallets Gamekeeper’s Reserve Shiraz-Grenache and Wolf Blass Green Label Cabernet Sauvignon to pair with the hor d'oeuvres while we explored the silent auction items. The white wines were both great choices for an aperitif wine, as well as pairing nicely with the hor d'oeuvres. The reds provided fuller bodied enjoyment to complement the beef bites.Dave selected two Viogniers to pair with the seared salmon. Viognier is generally regarded as the 
most full bodied white wine. The varietal tends to be finicky and difficult to grow. Personally, it is one of my favorite varietals. The first Viognier was Bridlewood Viognier. It had the typical honeysuckle and honey on the nose. The palate was melon, tropical fruit and a touch of apricot. The second was an effort from the South African producer, Fairview. This Viognier was atypically light bodied. I did find it unpleasant, just a bit unusual for Viognier. The nose was very much a white flowers and white peaches, with just a bit of apricot. As the wine crossed the palate, the white peach and apricot really expressed themselves.
most full bodied white wine. The varietal tends to be finicky and difficult to grow. Personally, it is one of my favorite varietals. The first Viognier was Bridlewood Viognier. It had the typical honeysuckle and honey on the nose. The palate was melon, tropical fruit and a touch of apricot. The second was an effort from the South African producer, Fairview. This Viognier was atypically light bodied. I did find it unpleasant, just a bit unusual for Viognier. The nose was very much a white flowers and white peaches, with just a bit of apricot. As the wine crossed the palate, the white peach and apricot really expressed themselves. 
We moved into red wines for the duck pot pie. The star of the evening was the 2003 St. Clement Merlot. Rich and full, this Merlot is not the wimpy plonk disdained in the movie Sideways. I have been a fan of St. Clement for years. The longer this wine sat in the glass, the more it opened up with black and blue fruits, chocolate and finished with a pleasant mocha. We also had a Wolf Blass Merlot – Yellow Label. It was good, but not near the depth of concentrated flavor the St. Clement presented.
The fourth course parings were La Bramasole from Italy and Climbing Shiraz from Orange, New South Wales. I was disappointed at the lack of 
flavor with my first taste of the La Bramasole. I pushed it aside to come back to it later. The Climbing Shiraz was a typical brash Aussie wine. Just the wine to complement the lamb shank! I went back to the La Bramasole and knew immediately why it had no flavor on the first taste. By now the musty aroma of moldy wet newspaper reeked from the glass. Our bottle was corked. I was really surprised how many of the people at my table had never tasted a badly corked bottle before. They just assumed this was not a good wine producer. When the wait staff returned with a new bottle and poured into a clean glass, we found our second favorite wine of the evening.
flavor with my first taste of the La Bramasole. I pushed it aside to come back to it later. The Climbing Shiraz was a typical brash Aussie wine. Just the wine to complement the lamb shank! I went back to the La Bramasole and knew immediately why it had no flavor on the first taste. By now the musty aroma of moldy wet newspaper reeked from the glass. Our bottle was corked. I was really surprised how many of the people at my table had never tasted a badly corked bottle before. They just assumed this was not a good wine producer. When the wait staff returned with a new bottle and poured into a clean glass, we found our second favorite wine of the evening.
The dinner concluded with a nice pour of Graham’s Tawny Port. Port is always a great way to end an evening. Especially when paired with chocolate anything.
A few of final thoughts. First, I believe we have a moral obligation to support great causes such as The Friendship Inn. Second, I believe social events catered by great chefs appeal to that decadent foodie inside us. Third, people who appreciate wine tend to understand the best things in life are shared, like a good bottle of wine. When you put the three things together, you get to enjoy events like the Taste of Hospitality.
By the way, I also enjoyed meeting the ladies who won tickets to this event through VinVillage.
Cheers, MikeR
MikeR is a Consultant, Level-1 Sommelier, Independent Journalist and blog contributor to VinVillage.com
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