Winemaker dining event a success at Hyat

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers GOOD TIMES-Camarillo resident Jetti Porter and server Mirna Lopez share a laugh during last week's winemaker dinner at the Hyatt Westlake Plaza. The event pleased, too, the palates of patrons. A good meal accompanied by fine wine makes the soul happy. Just ask the many smiling faces who attended the March 17 winemaker dinner hosted by the Hyatt Westlake Plaza.

The popular ongoing series at the Westlake hotel pairs the gourmet creations of executive chef John Foerster with the fruit of some of California's finest wineries. Last week's winemaker dinner brought the top varietals from Sonoma's Kenwood Vineyards to the table and the results were a mashing success.

Restaurant manager Eric Overstreet organized the event.

Founded in 1970, Kenwood Vineyards is a 22-acre estate that uses both locally grown grapes and those sourced from Sonoma County's renowned Russian River region, where the winegrowing conditions can only be described as heavenly.

To kick off the evening, guests

were greeted with a tuna tartar and firecracker shrimp with Thai sauce appetizer, accompanied by Kenwood's Yulupa series sparkling champagne.

Vineyard representative Dwayne Davenport quickly introduced the guests to a pair of Kenwood reserves: first a rich, viscous Chardonnay to go with a black stripe bass with saffron vanilla reduction and scallop, and then a Russian River Pinot Noir served with a to-die-for plate of seared foie gras and mushroom. The Pinot was poured from a carafe, not a bottle, to let the wine breathe.

Kenwood reserve wines are offered on a limited retail basis. Other lines are more readily available at popular prices.

"Our reserves only use new French oak barrels to gain more enhancement," explained Davenport as he spoke between courses about the history and preparation of each of the wines.

He said that for the Pinot, 10 percent of the fruit that is used contains whole--not crushed--berry, which leads to more exotic results during the fermentation process.

The highlight of the meal came next: perfectly tender roasted veal loin and tiny root vegetables surrounded by herb risotto, paired with the winery's Jack London Series Cabernet Sauvignon. The deeply rich, 91point-rated wine came from Kenwood's 2002 vintage. The famous American author for whom the wine was named had been an accomplished grape farmer.

For dessert, the guests enjoyed chocolate lava cake and vanilla bean ice cream complemented by a deliciously sweet Kenwood port.

"The setting in the Hyatt is special," chef Foerster told his patrons. "I enjoy the chance to show what I can do."

Said guest Paul Cox of Thousand Oaks, "I get to meet a lot of nice people and the food is special. . . . Plus you get to try all the wines."

This year, the hotel plans on three more winemaker dinners, one each quarter. To keep abreast of all the Hyatt activities, visit www.westlake.hyatt.com. For information about the winery, see www.kenwoodvineyards.com.

-John Loesing