Every Wednesday, the Palisades Restaurant in Eggleston, Virginia hosts a "Wines Around the World with a Hop" dinner. I had the privilege to attend the dinner on Wednesday, March 5th, 2014. The theme for the evening was a wine selection from Spain and a beer selection from Colorado. I left my apartment for the Palisades at around 4:30 PM and arrived at the restaurant around 5:15 PM. The reason for the delay in my arrival was that I missed my original turnoff for the restaurant (needless to say, dirt roads were involved after that mistake).
 |
| The Facade of the Palisades Restaurant in Eggleston, VA |
Nonetheless, I was immediately seated and my order was taken. The first pairing for the evening included Stuffed Black Mussels with a Blend of Pork Sausage, Herbs & Spices, with a 2010 Don Ramon Vino Tinto Barrica, and a Flying Dog Doggy Style Pale Ale. Second, I received a Sun Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart, with a 2011 Antano Tempranillo, and an Oskar Blues G'Knight Imperial Red I.P.A.. Finally, I was given a Roasted Chicken Skewer with Kalamata Olives, along with a 2012 Rio Madre Graciano, and a Breckenridge Brewery Vanilla Porter.
 |
| The Pairings |
 |
Don Ramon Vino Tinto Barrica 2010 and
Flying Dog Doggy Style Pale Ale |
The first pairing that I tried included Stuffed Black Mussels with a Blend of Pork Sausage, Herbs & Spices, with a 2010 Don Ramon Vino Tinto Barrica, and a Flying Dog Doggy Style Pale Ale. The food by itself was wonderful - full of spiciness and flavor, with the sausage accenting the black mussels very well. The 2010 Don Ramon Vino Tinto Barrica (75% Grenache, 25% Tempranillo) provided a full bodied wine, with blackberry and plum notes present. The Flying Dog Doggy Style Pale Ale provided a malt body, with notes of citrus and hops apparent. The muscles, along with the wine, brought out more of the spiciness from the sausage, as well as enhanced the finish of the wine. Furthermore, I noticed more cherry notes when I paired the wine with the muscles. On the other hand, the beer enhanced the seawater taste of the muscles.
 |
Antano Tempranillo 2011 and
Oskar Blues G'Knight Imperial Red I.P.A. |
The second pairing on the evening involved a Sun Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart, with a 2011 Antano Tempranillo, and an Oskar Blues G'Knight Imperial Red I.P.A.. By itself, the goat cheese tarts were delicious - a very creamy filling along with a golden, flaky crust. The 2011 Antano Tempranillo offered a black currant and plum nose, while providing a dry palette with notes of plum, apple, and blackberry apparent. The Oskar Blues G'Knight Imperial Red I.P.A. provided a hoppy, bitter taste. The goat cheese tart, along with the wine, brought out additional sweetness in the goat cheese. Furthermore, I tasted more of a black pepper and olive taste in the wine after eating the tarts. In addition, the beer provided a more sour taste when paired with the goat cheese tart. Overall, one of the best pairings of the evening!
 |
Rio Madre Graciano 2012 and
Breckenridge Brewery Vanilla Porter |
The final pairing involved a Roasted Chicken Skewer with Kalamata Olives, along with a 2012 Rio Madre Graciano, and a Breckenridge Brewery Vanilla Porter. The chicken with olive was another winning combination - the chicken was spiced well, with the olive providing a more mellow taste. The 2012 Rio Madre Graciano provided intense aromatic notes, with a dry palette. I tasted an array of spices, as well as chocolate and tobacco. I would also note that there was a small amount of sediment present at the bottom of this wine. The Breckenridge Brewery Vanilla Porter included notes of vanilla, chocolate, and coffee that provided a very smooth taste. The chicken and olive, along with the wine, made the chicken really pop. Additionally, I tasted a hint of green pepper in the wine when pairing it with the chicken. The chicken didn't add much to the beer - the vanilla and chocolate notes in the beer overpowered the chicken.
I really enjoyed myself while eating at The Palisades. The staff was very friendly and the food/wine/beer pairings were excellent. The only thing that I didn't enjoy about the evening was the price - I thought $18.95 was a little steep for the small amount of food and beverage that you receive. Nonetheless, the drive out to the Palisades Restaurant was extremely scenic and I had a very enjoyable experience that I would recommend to everyone!
 |
| Mmmmmmm...that was good! |
