February Wine Tasting

Our normal Wine Tasting schedule doesn't start until April, but every February we give a little taste of the Tasting in our Grand Hall. Our little taste this year is on February 16, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in our Grand Hall, and features wines host Deb Mortillaro and Mike Gonze of Dreadnought Wines. In the spirit of the rapidly approaching St. Patrick's Day, we're also offering entertainment by Irish Troubadour Terry Griffith. We're featuring the following wines:

* Louis Scheurebe: A wonderful German white wine, which is softer than a Riesling but balanced with some nice acid. A Kabinet, this is a dry wine.

* Paul Blanck Pinot Blanc, Alsace: Bolder and fuller than the Scheurbe. Not a Pinot Grigio.

* Sattler St. Laurant 2006, Austria: Deb and Mike picked this so that they can tell the story of how this is one of the two grapes that are grafted together to make Zweigelt. This also will show that Austrian wines can handle some age. .

* Lancatay Bonarda, Argentina: If you are tired of hearing the word Malbec try Bonarda. It is a little bigger and more complex. It grows where Malbec does but Deb and Mike think it makes a more interesting wine.

Chefs Pete Phillipy and Mike Henney are offering some culinary treats in the form of heavy hors d'oeuvres to accent our wines:

Shrimp fajita with lime sour cream with the Scheurebele;

Goat cheese soufflé with roasted apples and mango coulis with the Paul Blanck;

Smoked chicken and spinach stuffed with cremini mushrooms with red pepper with the Sattler; and

Roast beef tenderloin with tomato bruschetta on ciabatta bread, with pesto oil, with the Lancatay Bonarda.

It should be a fun night, as always. Tickets are $50 per person. Contact Gene Lucente at (412) 224-6300, or at gene@thepriory.com to make reservations.