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As usual for the event's Friday dinner, Master Sommelier Madeline Triffon, an old friend of MoCool, presided over the wine choices and food-and-wine matching. Five wines were served before dinner with hors d'oeuvres: Chateau Mourgues du Gres 2000 Costieres du Nimes "Les Galets Rosés" - Bright cherry red. Fruity and crisp, strawberries. San de Guilhem 2000 Vin de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne - Grassy, herbaceous. Full and tart, grassiness predominates. Cuvee Guilheuret 1998 "Clos Thou" Jurançon Sec - Faint white fruit and caramel. Nutty-creamy, a hint of oxidation, typical of Jurançon. Guilhem Durand 1999 Syrah Vin de Pays d'Hauterive - Peppery, earthy, a whiff of the barnyard. Very good value wine. With the first course, celery root vichyssolse with seared crevettes and papaya: Vilmart 1993 Champagne "Coeur de Cuvé" - Pale gold, with tiny persistent bubbles. Toast and milk chocolate; crisp, creamy and dry. Delicious, and a fine match with the cool, herbal soup. Schoffit 1999 Tokay Pinot Gris "Cuvé Tradition" - White fruit and wool, rich and full. Well-matched with the vichyssoise. With the second course, sea bass Provencale with white beans, tomatoes, fennel and herbes de Provence: Chateau Smith Haut-Lafitte 1998 Blanc - Clear straw. Herbal white fruit aroma, surprisingly oaky for a Bordeaux; could almost pass for a Chardonnay. Big and structured, almost objectionablyh woody, a New World-style wine with an Old World label. The food match improves it some, but it's hard to get past the oak. Dujac 1996 Morey St. Denis - Light ruby. Smoky ripe cherry aromas, fresh and ripe; good structure. Its light, fresh fruit doesn't overwhelm the bass. With the principal course, roasted beef tenderloin Bordelaise with crispy potato galette and bouquetière of summer vegetables: Michel Perraud 1999 Cornas "Le Vignon" - Inky reddish-purple. Peppery, grapey, full and fiercely tannic. Very young, but the roast beef tames the tannins to make a good match. Les Forts de Latour 1996 - Very dark garnet. Blackcurrant and cedar, classic Bordeaux. Good balance and structure, fine with the beef. With dessert, bittersweet callebaut chocolate souffle raspberry chantilly: Docteur Parce 1993 Domaine du Mas Blanc "Rimage Mise Tardive" Banyuls - Ruby-amber. "Rancio" style, a planned oxidation is part of its character; but serious volatily is not. Stronglly vinegary elements detract badly from sweet-tart fruit flavor. A near-disaster.
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