A French Culinary Experience with Barton & Guestier Wines at Nella Cucina

I never realized the cook inside me until I attended Nella Cucina’s cooking class hosted by Barton & Guestier Wines.
It is embarrassing to say but it was probably the first time I’ve ever successfully cooked a real meal. A French one, too.

Upon arrival, Clementine Quereax from Barton & Guestier personally greeted me and gave me a heads up on what to expect for the night: ohhh wine, lots of wine.

Barton & Guestier wines

First course was a beet, fennel and apple salad with honey-mustard dressing. The dry, medium-bodied B & G Partager La Gardie Merlot ($9.95/ LCBO) with a dark ruby colour and hints of raspberry, currants and herbs complemented the salad well.

beet, fennel and apple salad with honey-mustard dressing

A B & G’s Domaine La Gardie Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 ($9.95/ LCBO) reduction prepared with shallots, rosemary and beef stock was the perfect complement to the main course, an organic New York strip loin from Beretta Farms. Hints of cherry, blackcurrant and plum in this wine produced a sweet and aromatic flavour and added a nice touch to the lean strip loin.

New York strip loin

Brianne Nash of Chopped Canada guided us through the whole process of making this dish and also taught us a few tricks on how to grill the perfect steak.

While we were preparing food, the Nella Cucina team served us shrimps & fig and ricotta cheese crostini which was washed down with B & G Passeport Bordeaux Blanc, a seductive wine with floral notes, and vanilla and fruity aromas when agitated (available in LCBO later this year).

Dessert was a Dark Chocolate Brownie served with sour cherry compote, another creation of the Nella Cucina team. The brownie was paired with B & G Les Charmes De Magnol Medoc ($18.95/LCBO), a special selection by the Barton & Guestier winemakers blending two famous varietals of Bordeaux: Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The making of this wine undergoes strict quality control procedures, and the wine is aged in French oak barrels for 6 months. It has a bold taste with fruity aromas. The finish is long and elegant.

Dark Chocolate Brownie with sour cherry compote

(photos by Tanya)

Nella Cucina French Cooking Class with Barton & Guestier Wines