WINE BLOG - Portland

October 2009

Pyramid and MacTarnahan's Breweries join Salty's in Portland for a Beermakers Dinner.

PORTLAND - Salty's in Portland is proud to partner with local microbreweries Pyramid and MacTarnahan's on Thursday, October 29, 2009, for an autumn beermakers dinner.

While it is common to see food and wine paired together, beer and food are fast friends, too, but their compatibility is less often celebrated. There is no better timing for a beermakers dinner than as we bid farewell to summer and hello to autumn. As the weather turns crisp, join us for a unique celebration of soul-warming ales and the Northwest's best ingredients, all with an incredible view of the mighty Columbia River. Our sommelier and chef and Brewmaster Vasilios Gletos will be present to talk about each beer selection and why it pairs perfectly with our menu choices. Our menu below is a collaboration of Sommelier Matthew Carter and Chef Dana Cress.

First Course
Apricot Hazelnut Stuffed Prawn Wrapped in Applewood Bacon finished with Honey Gastrique paired with Pyramid Audacious Apricot Ale

Second Course
Roasted Quince with Herbed Goat Cheese Field Green Salad, Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette paired with Pyramid Haywire Hefeweizen

Third Course
Housemade Lobster "Sausage" finished with Lobster Coral Mustard
with MacTarnahan's Amber Ale

Fourth Course
Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Potato & Gorgonzola Gnocchi finished with Juniper Berry Demi-Glace paired with Pyramid Thunderhead India Pale Ale

Fifth Course
Salty Caramel & Chocolate Marquis with a Beer Nut & Pretzel Crust paired with MacTarnahan's Winter Humbugger Porter

Pyramid has been winning awards in the craft of brewing for more than 25 years. Founded in Washington, Pyramid now has alehouses in Seattle, Portland, and California. See www.pyramidbrew.com for more.

Since the beginning of the craft beer revolution, MacTarnahan's has been producing bold and flavorful brews, now for more than two decades. One taste of the Amber Ale and you'll experience the tradition of a true Portland original. See www.macsbeer.com for more.

Reservations are highly recommended, and can be made by calling (503) 288-4444. Attendees must be 21 or older. Cost is $59 per person, including five-courses paired with five beers. We hope to see you there

September 12, 2009

Wow, what a night we had with our first ever Panoramic Pinot Noir event! Salty's had a turnout of over 130 people for the kick-off of this yearly event and all enjoyed the food, the view and especially the wine. I would like to give a very big thank you to all of the wineries involved and the dedicated employees of those wineries for giving their time to this fun event. Lee Medina and Staci Pettus of Sokol Blosser (one of the pioneer Pinot Noir wineries of our beloved Willamette Valley) and your truly are pictured here. With over 35 wines to sample, those who attended got to taste the finest Pinot Noirs Oregon has to offer, from Patricia Green's Dollar Bills Only to King Estate's Signature to Archery Summit's Red Hills which was recently voted Oregon's Top Pinot Noir in Portland Magazine. I can't wait for next year!

Coming up soon is our Pyramid/MacTarnahan's beer dinner on Thursday, October 29. Salty’s on the Columbia is proud to partner with local microbrewery Pyramid Breweries for this five-course beermaker’s dinner. Pyramid has been winning awards in the craft of brewing for more than 25 years. Founded in Washington, Pyramid has alehouses in Seattle, Portland and California.

While it is common to see food and wine paired together, beer and food are fast friends, too! The timing couldn’t be better as the weather turns crisper—join us for a unique celebration of soul-warming ales and the Northwest’s best ingredients, served up with the incredible view of the mighty Columbia River. Join me and Chef Dana Cress and Brewmaster Vasilios Gletos as we discuss each beer selection and why it pairs perfectly with our menu choices (my taste buds are already dancing):

The Menu

Apricot Hazelnut-Stuffed Prawn Wrapped in
Applewood Bacon finished with a Honey Gastrique
Pyramid Audacious Apricot Ale

Roasted Quince with Herbed Goat Cheese
Field Green Salad, Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette
Pyramid Haywire Hefeweizen

House-Made Lobster “Sausage”
finished with a Lobster Coral Mustard
MacTarnahan’s Amber Ale

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Potato & Gorgonzola Gnocchi finished with Juniper Berry Demi-glace
Pyramid Thunderhead India Pale Ale

Salty’s Caramel & Chocolate Marquis
with a Beer Nut & Pretzel Crust
MacTarnahan’s Winter Humbugger Porter

For just $59 you can enjoy our chef's imaginative food paired with five fantastic beers made right here in Portland. Call (503) 288-4444 for reservations today. Seating is limited. What better way to spruce up a cold winter night than with hot food and big bold beers. Hope to see you there!

August 28, 2009

Don't Miss Salty's Portland
Panoramic Pinot Celebration!
Thursday, September 10, 6 p.m.

Amazing Pinot Noir producers, fresh seafood, a bounty of backyard ingredients and the mighty Columbia River are our Oregon celebrities. In honor of these local superstars, Salty's Sommelier Matthew Carter will host our First Annual Panoramic Pinot Celebration on Thursday, September 10, 2009 beginning at 6 p.m.

Panoramic Pinot is a celebration in our luck in geography. What better way to celebrate Pinot Noir and Northwest ingredients than with 15 All Star Pinot Producers next to the mighty Columbia?

Eyrie Estate
Adelsheim Winery
Cooper Mountain
Domaine Drouhin
Penner Ash Winery
Archery Summit
King Estate Winery
Sokol Blosser
Erath Vineyards
Willamette Valley Vineyards
Cristom Vineyards
Patricia Green Cellars
Panther Creek Winery
Dobbes Family Estate
Willakenzie Estate Winery

Salty's Executive Chef Dana Cress will present hors d'oeuvres to complement the wines, like smoked wild salmon with salmonberry preserves, albacore tuna niçoise, duck roulade with pancetta relish and black mission figs with Humboldt Fog chèvre.

A panoramic view of the Columbia River serves as the backdrop to what is sure to be a lovely evening of sipping, noshing and mingling. On this special night only, remarkable wine purchase discounts will be offered, and Salty's gift cards, paraphernalia plus bottles of wine will be given as door prizes.

Reservations are highly recommended (must be 21 or older). Cost is $29 per person. Hope to see you there!

August 2009

I have a new cocktail just for you. Bubbles and Squeek, it's all about clean crisp flavors. I almost called it Citrus Squared because it features lemon and grapefruit but whatever you call it it's built to pucker you up and quench your thirst. It's designed to beat the heat. Look for this beverage on our Cocktail Menus under Salty's Stimulus Plan. If you can't make it into Salty's, here's the recipe to try at home.

July 1, 2009

People are asking to be seated on our decks and patios, and we love to say, Yes. All three Salty's have launched new Bazillion Dollar View Café menus bursting with summer flavors and thirst-quenching cocktails. If life is giving you lemons let us show you a Fantasy Lemonade laced with your choice of fruit.

We have a long-standing tradition of fun fine dining and you won't need your frequent flyer miles to enjoy a taste of summer with a glass of Rosé or one of our newly concocted liquid creations. Our deck-diners have voted the Mango Sunrise back onto the menu because we blend these tropical flavors of summer into a silky smooth sleigh ride for your tongue-it goes down cool and easy. Here's the Mango Sunrise recipe so you can make one in your backyard while you fire up the BBQ. Hello, YUM-O!

March 2009

By Chef Dana Cress

PORTLAND - "Individually we are just Butch and Jerry. But when we are working together we are like one really talented person." This is the quote you'll find on the back label of every bottle of Milbrandt Vineyards wine. Milbrandt Vineyards is a team of dedicated, passionate individuals doing what they love, and it shows.

This is why Sommelier Matthew Carter and I chose them for our spring wine dinner in Portland. Milbrandt Vineyards has earned a reputation for growing some of Washington State's finest grapes. The vineyards are concentrated in the Wahluke Slope AVA and the Ancient Lakes area (currently under application for AVA) of the Columbia Valley. Their winery and tasting room is located in Prosser, Washington's Vintner's Village, but you should come to Salty's wine dinner in Portland on April 3 and experience an evening of award-winning Milbrandt wines carefully paired with Salty's world-class cuisine.

The Menu

1st Course: Halibut Tartare, Sweet Basil Parmesan Flan, Spring Pea Bisque, Red & Yellow Pepper Coulis paired with Traditions Pinot Gris 2007

2nd Course: Duck Trio - Smoked Duck Toast, Gingered Rhubarb - Duck Confit, Marionberry Black Pepper Chutney, Sweet Potato Gaufrettes - Crispy Seared Duck, Scallion Pancake, Sweet Cherry Sauce paired with Traditions Merlot 2006

3rd Course: Filet of Beef Wellington, Roasted Garlic & Preserved Lemon Pate, Roasted Fiddlehead Ferns, Oregon White Truffle Hollandaise paired with Legacy Syrah 2005

4th Course: Chocolate Pear Frangipane Tart, Late Harvest Anglaise paired with
Estates Late Harvest Riesling 2007

Milbrandt Regional Sales Manager Brian Patterson will help us present our wine dinner on Friday, April 3, 2009. The cost is $99 per person including gratuity. Seating is limited. Please call us at (503) 288-4444 for your reservations today. We look forward to serving you! Visit www.milbrandtvineyards.com for more on the Milbrandt Vineyards.

February 2009

Stop and Smell the Pinot

February’s menu features crab-stuffed Salmon and we would like you to try a glass of Pinot Noir with this dish to extract all the savory flavors that our chefs create in this meticulous and imaginative preparation.

The pairing of Pinot Noir with salmon is well documented but I think I can provide a few Pinot Pointers that will make your selection a happy one.

One very important caveat if your bottle of Pinot is more than ten years old it may fade and fall apart if it is decanted well ahead of drinking. In this case open right before serving and you will notice how wine changes in the glass more easily.

Okay I’m all done being geeky and you can go back to just enjoying wine. Oh, and be sure to make a reservation before you head over to Salty's- it’s easy to do online at http://www.saltys.com/reservations

January 2009

Napa Valley Merryvale Vineyards wine dinner at Salty's in Portland.

PORTLAND - Merryvale Vineyards is a family-owned Napa Valley winery founded in 1983. Dedicated to passionate winemaking and the fine art of living well, Merryvale has been turning exceptional Napa Valley grapes into world-class wine for 25 years. Merryvale is renowned for its rich Cabernet Sauvignon (92 Points, Anthony Dias Blue, April 2008), "Double Gold/Best of Class" Chardonnay, iconic Bordeaux-style red blend Profile (94 Points/Cellar Selection, Wine Enthusiast, December 2008), and its everyday drinking brand, Starmont.

In addition to numerous awards for its excellent wines, Merryvale has received Napa Green Vineyard and Napa Green Winery certifications. Merryvale's goal is to sustain and improve the environment for future generations through conservation, renewable energy and sustainable farming practices, while producing some of the world's finest wines.

Join us for an evening of award-winning Merryvale wines carefully paired with Salty's world-class cuisine. Here's your menu:

• 1st Course: Quail Confit, Champagne-Soaked Brie, White Truffle Sauce, Candied Cranberries Paired with 2007 Starmont Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley
  
• 2nd Course: De-Constructed Dungeness Crab Cake En Baluchon Paired with 2006 Starmont Chardonnay, Napa Valley
  
• 3rd Course: Beef Carpaccio, Multi-Grain Salad, Red Wine Vinaigrette Paired with 2005 Starmont Merlot, Napa Valley
  
• 4th Course: Pan-Seared Moulard Duck Breast, Red Chile Pear Sauce, Red Bartlett Pear Relish, Oregonzola Cheesecake Paired with 2005 Starmont Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
  
• 5th Course: Crème Brûlée Parfait, Layers of Vanilla & Chocolate Custard with Candied Kumquats Paired with "Antigua" Dessert Wine

Salty's Chef Dana Cress and Sommelier Matthew Carter present the wine dinner on Friday, January 23, 2009. Merryvale Vice President of Sales & Marketing Phillip Correntes will tell you about Merryvale wine. The wine dinner is at 7 p.m. The cost is $120 (includes gratuity). Call (503) 288-4444 for reservations today. There is limited seating.

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