California calling

| Updated on February 16, 2011 Published on February 16, 2011

A wine rack holds bottles of red and white wine in the tasting room of Cakebread Cellars in Napa, California, Monday, May 24, 2004. The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether states including New York can ban direct-to-customer shipments of wine from producers in other states while allowing such sales by local wineries. Dennis Cakebread, co-owner of Cakebread Cellars winery in Rutherford, California, said the direct-shipping bans are supported by a ``small group of companies maintaining their middleman monopoly.'' Photographer: Victor Fisher/Bloomberg News.+SEP+A wine rack holds bottles of red and white wine in the tasting room of Cakebread Cellars in Napa, California, Monday, May 24, 2004. The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether states including New York can ban direct-to-customer shipments of wine from producers in other states while allowing such sales by local wineries. Dennis Cakebread, co-owner of Cakebread Cellars winery in Rutherford, California, said the direct-shipping bans are supported by a ``small group of companies maintaining their middleman monopoly.'' Photographer: Victor Fisher/Bloomberg News. - Cakebread Cellars, Napa Valley - BLOOMBERG NEWS+SEP+BUSINESS LINE

It was an evening of fine wine and dine at the Taj Club House in Chennai, where Bruce Cakebread showcased the best wines from Cakebread Cellars. Hosted at Kefi, guests were enticed with a five course Mediterranean meal, with each dish expertly paired with a carefully selected wine.

The family-owned Cakebread Cellars was started by Bruce Cakebread’s father in 1973, in the sunny Napa Valley, California – one of the premier wine producing areas in the world.

The welcome wine was a dry Sauvignon Blanc 2009, which was wonderfully fresh, with citrus hints. It was paired with some traditional Turkish ‘pide’ bread, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and served with garlic mayo, sundried tomato tapenade and pickled gherkins as accompaniments.

Next on the list was a Chardonnay 2009, Cakebread Cellar’s most popular wine, which had aromas of fresh melon and yellow apple. It was served with ‘grilled vegetable and goat’s cheese tian’ and ‘wood smoked cornish hen supremes’. The wine was refreshingly cleansing alongside the ‘truffle vinaigrette’ that was served alongside the dish.

A more mature Reserve Chardonnay 2006 was served next, and we could immediately tell the difference – it was more weighty, richer and creamier, and was perfect with the earthy exotic Italian mushroom soup which was served in an oregano bread cup.

After a small breather, we moved on to the main course. For the vegetarians, it was ‘wild mushrooms in papillote asparagus and artichoke mash’, while the rest savoured a ‘pistachio crusted loin of lamb with smoked eggplant puree’. The mains were served with rich, full bodied reds – a Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 and a Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 to end it.

Cakebread Cellars doesn’t make any dessert wines, so we called a toast to the end of the evening with a delectable Raspberry and Chilli concoction, served alongside Ouzo cheesecake with pistachio and almond baklava.