Tapas-style shared plates were an unexpected and very pleasant surprise! Durham Ranch Cheeseburger Sliders w jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo; Grilled Blackened Wild Fish Tacos w silver dollar corn tortillas, radish/cabbage slaw, chipotle aioli; Sesame Ginger Duck Meatballs w pomegranate chipotle bbq, pickled cucumber daikon carrot salad; Warm Chocolate Bread Pudding. The relatively young 2013 Enzo Boglietti was intense and had a complex bouquet. Floral, red fruits on the nose with a touch of oak. Medium to full-bodied, this Italian red was ripe and savory with good acidity. Our server, Derek, made the whole experience even more enjoyable!

It was so amazing the first night, we had to go for another round! This time, we started with The Cheese Plate w honey, fig cherry jam, crostini with a glass of 2011 Domaine del Janasse Rhone…a Grenache/Syrah/Mouvedre blend that did not disappoint. Needing some comfort food, we tried the Green Chile Mac N’ Cheese, which was creamy and decadent with a kick! The Pan Seared Sea Scallops w hazelnut~nduja romesco, fennel were perfectly cooked with a nice spice. Our favorite of the night was the BLT…bacon/Maine LOBSTER/roasted tomato sliders! Overflowing with buttery sweet lobster, these sliders were the BEST paired with a flute of Pierre Sparr Sparkling Rose from Alsace, France. For something sweet and savory, we had The Wrapped Dates stuffed with blue cheese and wrapped in bacon, drizzled w warm honey…yum! And, we had the Warm Chocolate Bread Pudding w extra vanilla ice cream, again! The featured wine of the evening was a bottle of 2008 Noster Templari Grenache from Priorat, Spain. “La Perla del Priorat, one of Priorat’s oldest wineries, was founded by the Carthusian monks of Scala Dei in the 15th century. Originally named Mas del Frares, the property was abandoned for almost a century, until the Pinne family acquired it, restored it and gave it its current name in 1998. The winery is located near the town of El Molar on the southwest border of Priorat, just 40 km from the Mediterranean.”