At one of my favorite local restaurants, I enjoyed an excellent shrimp newburg. They were beautifully cooked, large prawns with a wonderful reduced sauce that reminded me somewhat of a French nantua sauce, served with perfectly prepared rice. A special that evening was a classic weiner schnitzel, which, when done properly, is a delicious, delicate dish. The Oregon Grille’s rendition was certainly a good one.

The wines started with a beautiful, full-bodied, frothy Bollinger 1997 RD Champagne. Nearly every RD reveals a certain oxidative character, but it is usually very measured as the style of this Champagne is one of considerable power and substantial flavor authority. Michel Niellon’s 1997 Chevalier-Montrachet was superb. I have had several uninspiring bottles of this wine, but this one turned out to be fabulous. Although still young, I would recommend drinking it up rather than holding on to it much longer. The 2000 Peter Michael Moulin Rouge Pinot Noir, from the Santa Lucia Highlands vineyard owned by the Pisoni family, was somewhat muted aromatically. Initially I thought it was a cork issue, but in the mouth, the wine was pure and ripe. I could not coax much of a bouquet from it, which was surprising since this cuvée tends to be very perfumed in most vintages. In any event, the flavors were much more interesting than the nose, which is often the reverse, especially with Pinot Noir.

We then moved to a flight of Cabernet Sauvignons. The 1992 Caymus Special Selection was still lavishly oaked, silky in the mouth, and full-bodied, but it was overwhelmed by the three wines that followed it. The young, still primary 2003 Quilceda Creek is a fabulous example of what Washington State can do so well. Beautiful flavors of blueberries, crème de cassis, char, and spice emerged from this full-bodied, opulent, still young Cabernet that could still be mistaken for a barrel sample. It should age effortlessly for 20-25 years. Dalla Valle’s 2001 Maya, the last vintage before the vineyard was replanted, was tannic, powerful, and backward, but very promising. It should have 2 to 3 decades of life ahead of it. A dense ruby/purple color is followed by notes of graphite, cedar, spice box, and blue as well as black fruits. Powerful yet elegant and well-balanced, it may merit a higher score with another 4-5 years of bottle age. A wine that soared at the table was the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon from Scarecrow. Opulent, flamboyant, beautifully pure, wonderfully textured, and full, this is an exceptional wine to drink over the next 10-15 years.