][1]The 5pm Dining blog loves a birthday party. Especially when the treats on offer are rather more interesting than jelly and ice cream.
In Edinburgh, the Californian restaurant Calistoga is marking its tenth birthday this month with a very tasty celebratory evening.
On Thursday 14th August, the restaurant will be serving up a different Californian wine from each of the years that they have been open plus an eleventh bonus wine.
The tasting of each wine will be accompanied by a live video link to its winery – some of those participating include Domain Carneros, Paul Hobbs, Viader and St Supery.
Canapés and a buffet will also be on offer.
The event starts at 7.30pm and costs £25 a ticket.
Wine list of the year
Calistoga has a well-deserved reputation for the quality of its wine list.
Calistoga’s wine selection was recently included on the ‘commended’ list by Imbibe magazine in their 2014 Wine List of the Year – one of only two Scottish restaurants to be included. They were also short-listed for the AA Wine List of the Year.
In addition, the restaurant was also awarded an AA rosette for their food earlier this year.
The kitchen serve up inventive California-inspired dishes such as crispy panko cod with potato salad and lemon chutney; slow cooked pork belly with sweet potato fries, blue cheese and walnut salad, and a beetroot and arugula risotto rice cake.
The birthday party is the first of several celebrations taking place in the restaurant between now and October.
Innovative cooking
Gordon Minnis, owner of the restaurant, said, ‘Calistoga continues to go from strength to strength, attracting not just local diners, but visitors from throughout the UK and beyond, who keep returning for our innovative cooking, regular wine tastings, wine tasting dinners, and our friendly welcome.’
These are the wines being served on the 14th of August:
2004 Le Reve Sparkling Brut, Domain Carneros
2013 Rose of Pinot Noir, Paul Hobbs
2011 Pinot Gris, Parducci, Mendocino
2008 Elevage Blanc, Chimney Rock, Napa Valley
2006 Chardonnay, Durrell Vineyard, Patz and Hall
2012 Barbera, McManis Vineyards
2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, Raymond Family Collection
2007 McNab, Bonterra, Mendocino
2009 Zinfandel, Rous Vineyard, Ironstone
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Dare by Viader, Napa Valley
Finishing with a pre-Calistoga
2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Supery, Napa Valley
