An Evening in Nehalem...
You ask: where is Nehalem, Oregon? Well, let me tell you. Nehalem is just south of the popular north Oregon Coast destination of Cannon Beach, a favorite place of the Portland population. If you are looking to get away where it is quiet and quaint, look no further than the Nehalem River Inn!
I just finished hosting a Wine Dinner on Friday night (April 7) with Chef Ryan Hamic and Nicole, his lovely wife and business partner, at the Nehalem River Inn. Let me start by telling you I have been to and hosted a lot of wine dinners over the years and indulged in many good meals and wine pairings. (Boy I hate my job sometimes! )
Last night’s magic of food and wine pairing falls in my top wine dinner experiences! Chef Ryan’s culinary talent in the kitchen is in one word amazing. I love when a Chef has a passion for local fresh ingredients and a passion for wine as well. You may be wondering why I say this. To be honest, there are a lot of talented Chefs out there but they are not always wine drinkers. Beer is generally the beverage of choice for these culinary knights.
To sum up our culinary feast from Chef Ryan, we started with Seared Diver Scallop on a bed of fresh local greens with blood orange, kumquat, avocado layered on a slice of Manchego Cheese paired with Sokol Blosser 2004 Rosé of Pinot Noir. My taste buds were overwhelmed with the delicate flavors from these ingredients and then cleansed by this wonderful Rosé. I thought to myself, “How can it get any better than this!” Well, hold on to your napkins - because it did.
I could continue to tantalize you with all these courses (6) we indulged our senses on, such as the Wild Mahi Mahi with Cippolini Onion Tart, Fennel Cream, and Caviar paired with our 2002 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir. But I am going hold back and let your curiosity take over. What I am saying is if you are ready to get away from a lot of people and surround yourself with the beauty of the Nehalem River, visit their web page at www.nehalemriverinn.com .
Make your reservation to get away and enjoy some culinary magic by Chef Ryan and wonderful hospitality from Nicole and their staff.
Cheers
Lee Medina
Regional Sales
Sokol Blosser Winery