Last Tuesday night, a small but eager crowd gathered at Ella and
mingled around the dazzling wines of Russian Hill and chef Ian Kipp's
artful tasting menu. When it was all finished, everyone, myself
included, left a little more enlightened.

Oftentimes, it is a sommelier's task to pair the 'perfect wine' with
both the guest's tastes and also that of the flavors and textures of
their menu choices. While this can be a challenge, the vast knowledge
gained while sampling and studying to build a wine list generally
increases the success rate.

In the case of a wine dinner, the process works in reverse. The chef
tastes the wines that will be offered for a particular function and
then goes to work with his or her palate, using culinary tools and
gastronomic skills to color the canvas, hopefully presenting a
well-matched and balanced creation. The winemaker's dinner is the
chef's time to shine, alongside the wines.

Patrick Melley, the winemaker of the prestigious Russian Hill Winery in
northern California's Russian River was on hand. In tow he had some of
the state's most compelling wines: chardonnay from the pioneering
Dutton Ranch vineyard, pinot noir from Merry Edwards' Meredith
Vineyard, as well as pinot and syrah from their own estate vineyards.

The winery began operations in 1997, with a goal to produce wines of
world-class distinction. Patrick, along with his sister Ellen Mack and
her partner, Ed Gomez, knew that it was necessary, while waiting for
their own parcels to develop, that they had similarly elite neighbors.
One row over sits the famous Dutton Ranch, responsible for a who's-who
of about 40 California chardonnay bottlings, including Kistler, Martin
Ray, Lynmar and Dutton-Goldfield. In expressing their own sites today,
Russian Hill takes full advantage of the micro-climates of the Russian
River Valley.

First planted around 1812 by European immigrants, the valley is the
premier site in North America for growing the pinot noir and chardonnay
grapes. While cooling ocean breezes and fog roll up the river course
from the west, a land feature called the Petaluma Wind Gap allows more
of the same to enter the region from the southeast, further tempering
the extreme heat of the inland. Bright sun adds to the mix, and
crunchy, charcoal-like alluvial soils provide the perfect growing
medium for the vines. Add to this the highest viticultural and
winemaking standards and you have Russian Hill's recipe for success.

Pairing a five-course meal that weaves and flows with wines of this
caliber proves to be no small feat. There is such little room for error
when the wines are so extraordinary. Ian Kipp nailed it. No surprise,
he has been flaming up plates and dishes all over the country for the
past 10 years, from his native Maine, to the West Coast, and up and
down this valley.

We started with the 2005 Gail Ann's Vineyard Chardonnay. Gail Ann is
Gail Ann Dutton, of Dutton Ranch. The wine is bright, crisp, full of
lime and apple flavors. No butter here, and very little presence of oak
flavors. We enjoyed it with squash and spinach ravioli, garnished with
Serrano ham and fresh greens. The wine's bright focus enlivened this
rich and earthy starter, and one guest of French descent hinted at its
similarity to those from the Mersault area of Burgundy.

Next, two pinot noirs in perfect procession highlighted subtle
climactic differences in one area, and how each wine pairs with very
different flavors and textures. The 2005 Meredith Pinot Noir was poured
for plates of elk sausage, Gruyère and grits, with a stonefruit
demi-sauce. Lean, tart and acidic, the pinot was spot-on for this
edgier yet simplistic dish, with the tannins and acids washing the
palate for the next bites. When the 2005 Estate Pinot Noir was offered
alongside halibut with lobster sauce, artichoke hearts and peas, it all
made sense. The estate vineyards are a few miles inland, and the warmer
climate allows a little more ripening, lending more richness and
roundness, and less acidity to the wine. The way this wine swirled
around and blended with the richness and "airy sweetness" of the
halibut, as Kipp calls it, had a much different effect than the first
pinot pairing, but in succession kept the meal elevating on an upward
plane.

Continuing, everyone then dove into New Zealand racks of lamb, with fig
jus, roasted red potatoes, basil and mint leaves. We were all agape
about the 2004 Top Block Syrah. The vineyard is at the top of the
property, taking advantage of more heat and sun, as well as one row of
Viognier, which co-ferments with the syrah to make a wine in the style
of France's northern Rhone Valley. The wine has a delightful aroma of
crushed hibiscus flowers. Very few California syrahs, if any, have this
complexity. Tiny bites of mint leaves sent the plate soaring and the
wine opened to flavors of deep cherry and chocolate, while remaining
fresh and acidic. This is my very favorite California syrah, if not one
of my top California choices altogether.

Given what we had already been lavished with during the meal, Ian
gently served fresh berries with balsamic, cracked black pepper and
orange zest alongside Patrick's syrah port. Made in small batches and
unavailable to the public, the port is young and fresh, not heavy or
sweet enough to get hung up with such a beautifully cleansing end to
the evening's offerings - something of which we could all use more.

It is an honor to reside in the company of genius, from mega-talented
chefs and winemakers, to the beautiful guests I serve in this
community. Cheers! Remember, wine reveals truth.

Drew Stofflet is the sommelier for Ella, in Carbondale. Correspond with him at aspendrew@hotmail.com.