Perfect wine. Perfect food. Perfect People. Perfect Night

Last weekend, my parents and I went to my "happy place" (Giorgios Family Restaurant) for dinner. We hadn't been on a Friday night in a while and it was long overdue. My heart and soul needed to be there, but little did I know that my taste buds and stomach would be thanking me as well.

This weekend's wine tasting showcased Chateau St. Michelle wines from Washington.  Anyone off the street can walk in and do a tasting of typically six to eight wines very Friday and Saturday night for $5. If you are a wine club member the tastings are free and, of course, I'm a member. Come try it one time and you'll become a member too!

 

 

Dad was thrilled to see Anew Riesling on the tasting table. He had received that wine in a monthly wine club a while back and wasn't able to find it anywhere. I like a dry Riesling and most of them I have come across are sweet. Anew was a pleasant surprise. Dad bought two bottles. Smart Dad, I have.

 

My favorite on the tasting table was the 2010 Seven Falls Wahluke Slope Merlot. It was a very nice, smooth Merlot that would be fine to drink on its own or to have with dinner. Not as bold as a Cab Sauv but bigger than a Pinot Noir. At $16.99, we were sold and took a bottle with us next door to share with dinner.

 

 

One thing I learned early on at my "happy place" was if it is on the "specials" menu and you are the slightest bit interested, order it!! Certain specials are rotated more frequently than others and some you may never see again which will often make you sad and force you to beg to have it put back on the menu one weekend. Trust me, I know from experience.  I ain't too proud to beg for the right food.

I have four all-time favorite "specials" menu items. This weekend one of them happened to be on the menu!!!  Lamb Youvetsi - a traditional Greek lamb stew that is so delicious that you want it to served in a never-ending crock. I literally savored every. single.  bite.

The hunks of stewed lamb are tender and moist. Every bite is a mouthful of flavor.  There is only one "special" served that I like better and when it comes back on the list I'll blog about it. But once I tried the Lamb Youvetsi it was a very close second. Feta cheese, orzo pasta, generous chunks of lamb, tomato-based sauce with cinnamon, nutmeg and who knows what else Chef Mike puts into this magical dish.

Normally, I would take home an additional order of lamb youvetsi since it isn't on the menu very often and I like to make it last for at least two days. However, this time, lasagna was also one of the "specials" and it is also delicious.

Because the lasagna is not on the regular menu, I decided to take it home for dinner the next night. Mom ordered it for her entrée at the restaurant and fell in love. It has a beautiful, homemade sauce with plenty of creamy cheese! Whoever said Greeks can't make a good lasagna?

Dad ordered the Chicken Francaise, which is on the regular menu and one of his "go-to" items. Thin chicken breasts coated in a lemon, egg and "not sure what else" coating with rice. Very simple, yet delectable.

After we enjoyed our meals and caught up with some old friends, we realized our Merlot bottle was empty! How did that happen? Good old Dad goes to get another bottle and then remembers "those chocolates" are over on the WineStyles side. Being the wonderful daughter I am, I bought two chocolates to share. One was a tiramisu and one was a dark chocolate and milk chocolate combo of some sort - I honestly don't remember what it was called. Nevertheless, they were scrumptious and perfectly paired with the Washington State Merlot!

 

P.S.  When I asked Dad earlier the aroma and notes that he got from the Merlot, he couldn't come up with anything specific. Three hours later he tells me, "Campbell's Tomato Soup". Never a dull moment. I think I'll keep him. :)