Known for their elegant style, glamorous setting and succulent steaks and seafood, Meat Market Palm Beach can add one more star to their list — sensational wine tastings.
This past week, they teamed up with the über fabulous Orin Swift Cellars for an evening of fine wines and decadent plates courtesy of Chef de Cuisine David Valencia. Since I’m a huge fan of Orin Swift (yes, on my last birthday, each of my dinner guests brought me a different bottle from the Orin Swift portfolio) — and know that Meat Market does everything with style and panache, I knew this would be the ultimate pairing.
The lounge area was set up for the tasting — comfy seats all around focusing on the TV screen. Why? you might ask. Winemaker and Founder David Phinney was connected to us on Skype. How we love modern technology! Although the room was noisy (they should probably wait until things are a bit slower) and it was challenging to follow along, we did get to hear David speak about the wines, share his passions — and even had time for some Q & A.
And now, the most important part — the pairings.
First in line was the 2012 Mannequin Blend. This beautiful bouquet of wild flowers, pear and candied lemon drew my lips in and finished with rich tropical notes. This was paired with ribbons of freshly made pasta with succulent lobster and a touch of black olive and parsley.
Next up, was the 2012 Papillon Red Blend, Bordeaux-style and Cabernet based. This big red, full-bodied wine was a delight to the palate and brought together the bold flavors of blackberry, cherry and vanilla. We needed something bold to stand up to the Papillon, and Chef’s duo of a Scallop with sweet breads, pancetta and wild mushroom did the trick.
Third in line was the 2012 D66 Red Blend, another high and mighty red. This complex blend drew me in with a blend of red and black fruits, a light floral note and herbs de Provence and had a rich finish of dark berries with a hint of mocha. Chef presented a plate of foie gras with brioche, wild cherry gastrique and anise, adding a welcome twist to an already luscious dish.
Chef David Valencia was spot on in the pairings for the evening and I knew our last course wouldn’t be any different. In our glasses, we were poured the much-awaited Mercury Head. This Cabernet Sauvignon was complex with rich layers of flavor, a truly elegant wine. When you hold up the glass, you’ll be drawn to the aromas of dark berries, currants and rose petals and finish off with mouthful of elegance. Adding a bite of the tender Kobe Ribeye with black truffle and Roquefort jus embraced perfection.
Although there were a few glitches, Meat Market Palm Beach produced a fantastic event — and the pairings were exquisite
While the pairings were exquisite and we loved how both Chef David Valencia and Sommelier Jonathan Negrin walked around the room speaking about the food and wine — it gave the event a more personal touch, we did feel the event had a few glitches, including the noise level (Meat Market is just too booming this time of the year — gee, what a problem to have) and the timing of the dishes in the beginning. Knowing that these two aspects of the event can be easily solved and are confident that they will be — we look forward to future events at Meat Market Palm Beach, just probably in the off season.
To note, I discovered this event on their Facebook page, so if you’d like to check out one of their events, you may want to become a fan.
Meat Market Palm Beach is located at 191 S. County Road in Palm Beach; (561) 354-9800
Disclosure: Although I received a free ticket to this event from their PR Company, all opinions expressed here are my own.