Wining and Dining events in Richmond are far and few between. So when one is announced, it’s worth seeking out. I recently attended the Red Icons Dinner organized by Sip Wines at Tapenade Bistro. There, a sold-out house enjoyed a six course banquet with seven of the best premium BC wines.
BC Wine author, John Schreiner gave an informative play-by-play on each of the wines, six of them variations on the Bordeaux Blend having Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and often mixed with some Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petite Verdot.
One of the heroes of the evening, aside from the wines, was Tapenade’s talented chef, Colin Uyeda and his imaginative cuisine. A Richmond native, Uyeda became interested in cooking in his teens out of necessity; both parents worked long hours. He did his chef training at Vancouver’s Art Institute and has worked at Seasons in the Park, Grouse Mountain, and at King Pacific Lodge before arriving at Tapenade two years ago.
I asked Uyeda about the challenges preparing for the extravaganza, aside from having a small brigade and spending a week prepping. “I love it! It’s a chance for me to interact and play with things. When you are doing the same thing over and over again with the regular menu, it’s fun for me and my guys to have new recipes to cook.” says Uyeda.
He get’s his inspiration from recipes on the Tapenade menu and from meals he’s enjoyed elsewhere or read in research, but sometimes it’s spontaneous on the spur of the moment.
A big hurdle to overcome was the challenge of making dishes with six reds. “There are subtle differences in the wines so it’s pinpointing one or two things and either contrasting it or enhancing it.” Uyeda says.
For example, the 2011 Hester Creek The Judge has a smoky flavour from the French oak aging. To match that, Uyeda chose to lightly smoke a Brome Lake Duck breast with apple wood.
And to go with The Judge’s dark berry character with hints of cloves and cinnamon, the chef plated pickled blackberry and spiced jus, which was made from the same wine his guests sipped. That was both Chef Uyeda’s and my favourite combination.
One course that seemed unusual was the Braised Octopus. Normally one thinks of white wine working well with seafood. But because the dish was served with the Clos du Soleil 2012 Signature from the Similkameen, Uyeda braised the protein with the red wine and added a meaty chorizo, black olives, with harissa spice. What a match!
The banquet ended on a high note with Kootenay Alpine’s Alpidon cheese with house-made raisin and walnut bead and pickled blueberry, all washed down with the most popular BC Icon Red, the Church & State 2011 Quintessential. Ending with cheese rather than dessert is desirable because “a heavy red is harder to do with something sweet.” confesses Uyeda. Chef Colin is up for a new challenge on Feb. 18 when he presents another Winemakers’ Dinner with Bill Eggert and the wines of Fairview Cellars. Tickets are available at Sip Wines, 604-271-9463.
Finally, I’m hosting Matching Wine and Cheese on March 7 at Kwantlen University’s Richmond Campus as part of the Talk Series for adults over 50. Register at 604-599-3077.
Eric Hanson is a retired teacher and wine educator.
