Annual Business Meeting & Dinner

Theme	Annual Business Meeting & Dinner
Venue	Radio Milano
Location	800 Sorella Court
Date	Aug 25, 2016
Time	6:00 PM Mtg/6:30 PM reception/7:00 PM dinner
Host	Bill & Tina Bivin
Chef	Jose Hernandez
Registration	Closed on Aug 25, 2016
Price	Members: 150.00 Guests: 180.00
This event has capacity limit of 60 people. Registered: 39, Slots Available: 21 View Registration List »

Dear Fellow IWFS Members,

On Thursday evening August 25, 2016, we will have the pleasure of dining for the first time at the celebrated restaurant Radio Milano on the fashionable west side. Radio Milano and Chef Jose Hernandez are excited to have us as their guests. Radio Milano has been distinguished as the 17^th best restaurant in the Houston Chronicle Top 100 Restaurants in Houston by restaurant critic Alison Cook. Ms. Cook pronounced that “serious fine dining has come to the west side, thanks to the prodigious talents of Chef Jose Hernandez. He brings classic French training and good ingredients (many of them local) to his precisely calibrated modern Italian cuisine, all of it beautifully plated.” Please join us at our Annual Business Meeting for an evening of marvelous food and fine Italian and French wine.

The Business meeting begins at 6:00PM in the restaurant upstairs. The reception with Prosecco and hors d’oeuvres begins at 6:30 PM downstairs in the bar followed by dinner at 7:00 PM in the restaurant upstairs. There is an elevator for those who prefer that mode of transportation. Business attire with medallions is requested. Radio Milano restaurant is located at 800 Sorella Court in Citycentre at the Sorella Hotel. Complementary valet parking is provided. This promises to be a wonderful evening of wine and food.

The cost is $150 for members and $180 for guests. We look forward to seeing you.

Cin cin

Bill and Tina Bivin

Course I

Food: Reception Passed hors d’oeuvres Prosciutto Pizzettas, Caprese Skewers, Roasted Red Pepper Bruschetta Caposaldo Presecco NV Dinner *First Course* TART Thinly presented onion tart, layered with rubiola cheese, topped with a hint of spicy honey 2014 Alois Lageder Pinot Grigio *Second Course* RISOTTO Sweet corn risotto composed with oven roasted Port belly, topped with 24-month parmesan cheese 2010 Querciabella Chianti Classico *Third Course* STRIPED BASS Pan seared bass over a bed of red quinoa, paired with asparagus spears and panisse 2010 Chateau Carbonnieux Blanc *Fourth Course* DUCK Wild caught duck presented over a thyme potato cake, topped with orange gastrique 2003 Maison Bertrand Ambroise Beaune 1er Cru Les Tuvilains *Fifth Course* CHOCOLATE Creamy chocolate cremeux, paired with a coconut biscuit and homemade Roasted banana ice cream

Wine: Event Featured Wines – Descriptions Caposaldo Prosecco NV - GRAPES: 100% Glera (the grape formerly called Prosecco). Caposaldo blends a handcrafted, artisanal approach to winemaking with cutting-edge quality standards and techniques. Fruit is hand harvested from 100% DOC-rated 20-year-old vines that yield fewer but more intensely flavored grapes. Vineyards are located on hillsides in Pieve di Soligo, one of the 15 communes allowed for Prosecco production, nestled between the famed DOCG provinces of Conegliano and Valdobbiadine, Vento Italy. The wine is crafted using preferred natural fermentation in autoclave, which results in a superior effervescent quality. Like all Prosecco, Caposaldo Prosecco is nonvintage. TASTING NOTE: Bright with persistent bubbles, the wine has a fruity aroma of citrus, green apple and acacia blossoms. On the palate, the elegant, brut-style wine has a pleasant acidity and freshness and a soft, round mouthfeel. 2014 Alois Lageder Pinot Grigio is a brilliant straw yellow with green shimmer. There are quite pronounced and expressive aromas of flowers with somewhat spicy notes. There is rich flavor in the mouth, with slight smokiness at the back and a good fresh finish. James Suckling - "A tangy and fresh white with lemon, pear and green apple. Full-bodied, clean and crisp. Gorgeous mango aftertaste. Subtle. " Rated 91. 2010 Querciabella Chianti Classico boasts flavors of cherry, cedar and herb matched to a medium-bodied frame. The acidity and tannins are in the correct proportions, offering a lingering finish. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Cool spring temperatures accompanied by abundant rainfall yielded a wine with very balanced alcohol and acidity levels. James Suckling - "Delicate and fruity with a blackberry and mineral character. Full body, with firm tannins and a juicy, fruity finish. Made from biodynamic grapes. Give it a year or two to come together." Rated 91. Decanter - "Big cherry fruit and iris aromas with notes of moss and autumn leaves. Soft, round and fleshy palate, very refined, silky tannins, sweet fruit and hints of vanilla oak in the finish. Less typical of the vintage, but beautifully crafted. " Rated 93. Bass2010 Chateau Carbonnieux Blanc has a lemon-yellow hue. 2010 is long awaited vintage. Remarkable flowering and a very good summer followed by dream harvesting when each variety and plot could be picked at their optimal oenological maturity. 2010 was an excellent vintage for Semillon grapes, powerful and flavorsome. Aging : 12 months in barrels and wooden casks (25% new oak). 70% Sauvignon, 30% Sémillon %Alc.Vol.: 13° Gilbert & Gaillard- Delicate nose showing accents of almond, mild spices and grapefruit. The attack is shy at first leading into a more expressive mid-palate. A dense, tightly-wound wine with greater aromatic complexity on the finish. Rated 95. James Suckling rated it a 94. From IW&FS cellar. 2003 Maison Bertrand Ambroise Beaune 1er Cru Les Tuvilains. There are no professional reviews to be found on the internet for this vintage. There is one rating of 88 from Stephen Tanzer with no comment. In general it is said that these 1er Cru wines have a splendid color, spicy-rich bouquet, and a vibrant fruit flavor which can be under pinned with vanilla. This wine is no exception. I and others on the board tasted the wine in order to make sure that this 13 year old burgundy was not passed its prime. It is not. It is a delightful burgundy that will complement the duck well. From IW&FS cellar.