TASTING! April in Paris - 4/25

Have you made your reservation yet for April in Paris this Friday, April 25? 

Mark Brogna of Capital Wine & Spirits on Lark Street in Albany has lined up a tasting featuring French wines perfect for spring and summer - red, white and rosé. The tasting is included in the price of the buffet - $30 includes tax and gratuity.

• Mouton Cadet White Bordeaux 2013 (100% Sauvignon Blanc) This elegant white wine reveals the freshness of Sauvignon Blanc and offers crisp, spring-like flavors of white peach and grapefruit. It is a perfect accompaniment to grilled fish, seafood and poultry. 
• Jean-luc Colombo Cape Bleue Rosé 2013 (67% Syrah, 33% Mouvedre) Subtle hints of peach, rose petal and soft pepper on the nose. Round and full of finesse. Surprisingly complex, with intriguing notes of raspberries, fresh cherry, black olive and fennel. 
• George Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages 2011 (100% Gamay) This wine is tender and wonderfully fruity with the aroma of fresh grapes, cherries and stone fruits. Serve slightly chilled to complement many lighter foods. 
• Nicolas Potel Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2012 (100% Pinot Noir) Still young but it has a full cherry nose, a beautiful light red color, the taste of tart cherries with plenty of soft tannin; an excellent example of what it is, an every-day drinking red. 
• Mouton Cadet Bordeaux Rouge 2011 ( 65% Merlot, 20% Cab Sauv, 15% Cab Franc) Complex aromas pleasantly combining ripe stone fruit (cherry) with fresh berries, especially blackcurrant. On the palate, very smooth with a full-bodied attack. Right Bank.

Carte du Jour

After the tasting, enjoy a special buffet menu that our Chef Kevin, trained in the art of French cuisine, has developed. Sounds délicieux!

• Vichyssoise ~ a chilled leek and potato soup 
• Coquille St. Jacques ~ scallops and mushrooms in a rich sauce 
• Coq Au Vin ~ a country dish of chicken braised with wine, mushrooms, bacon and onions 
• Chateaubriand ~ the choicest part of the beef tenderloin, the fillet, gently roasted and carved to your liking 
• Haricot Vert ~ French string beans 
• Potatoes Au Gratin ~ thinly-sliced potatoes in a creamy sauce with a crunchy topping House-Made 
• Crème Brulee ~ traditional French custard topped with caramelized sugar

Wine Pull How often do you get the chance to pay $20 for a bottle of wine worth $100 or more? At the April in Paris Wine Pull, everyone's a winner! Buy your chance, and choose a mystery bottle of red or white wine. Your bottle will have an average retail value of at least $20 and as much as $100!

Wine Raffle
Raffle tickets will also be available during the evening for $5 each or five for $20, and guests may enter drawings for collectible wines and other prizes. We are delighted to offer two wines in the raffle, donated by a generous University Club Foundation benefactor who wishes to remain anonymous.

• 1985 Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour, Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley average value $89 This wine is nearly opaque black-ruby with purple highlights. The aromas show dark fruits, licorice, black pepper and minerals, with Rutherford accents of black olive, peppercorn and dark cherry. Full-bodied in texture, this wine has pronounced, dense and concentrated flavors of black currant, anise, sweet vanilla and distinctive minerality. The rich tannins are balanced by medium acidity providing freshness. 
• 1992 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley average value $169 Rich and full, this wine's opaque ruby/purple color is followed by a sweet, jammy nose of black fruit and minerals, huge body, a sweet inner-core of ripe fruit, and a long, low acid, opulent finish.

April in Paris is presented by the University Club of Albany Foundation, and one need not be a member of the Club to attend. The cost for the buffet and tasting is $30 and includes tax and gratuity, beverages are additional. Tickets for the wine pull are $20 each, your choice of red or white. Raffle tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20. The tasting will be held from 5:30 - 6:30, the buffet from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m., and the wine pull and raffle will take place at 8:30 p.m.

Come for the tasting and buffet, and then - if you're feeling lucky - take your chance at the wine pull and raffle! 

Répondez s'il vous plaît! Reservations are required and may be made by calling the University Club at 518-463-1151. Tickets and wine pull chances may also be purchased online with PayPal or a credit card. Proceeds from the evening will benefit the University Club of Albany Foundation, a 501c3 corporation.

The Foundation was formed in 2009 to recognize and maintain the unique historic and architectural significance of the National Register-listed University Club building and property, its historic neighborhood and the city of Albany, where it has been located since its inception in 1901.