After yesterday’s snow dump this blogger is beginning to succumb to cabin fever. The longjohns, hot chocolate and double duvets were fun once but it’s all getting kind of old.
Venturing out of the flat just isn’t inviting and even short forays into the outside world seem to require a major effort of will and warm clothing.
All I want is to be able to nip out for a pint of milk from the corner shop without having to dress up like a polar explorer. Moan, groan, wail.
Fortunately, this Chateau Musar wine dinner at Santini in Edinburgh’s Sheraton Hotel looks just the sort of thing to encourage loafers such as myself to get out of the house.
On Friday, wine expert Ralph Hochar, descended from Gaston Hochar, the founder of Chateau Musar, will be hosting a four course wine dinner at Santini.
The Musar wines come from the Bekaa Valley in the Lebanon and, as diners tuck into their meal, Ralph will talk about the history of Chateau Musar and the vineyard’s wine-making process.
The menu features a starter of yellow fin tuna carpaccio with seared foie gras, ponzu dressing, endive and grapefruit salad served with Mosaic Syrah Cinsault Cabernet Sauvignon. The main course is a Provençal crusted Dornoch lamb loin with violet aubergine purée, sautéed butternut squash, oven roasted tomatoes, basil oil and lamb jus served with Red Gaston Hochar.
This will be followed by an assiette of desserts with roasted apple tart, stem ginger iced parfait and chocolate soufflé served with White Gaston Hochar.
A Scottish and Northumbrian artisan cheese board served with Hochar Père et Fils Red tops the meal.
The dinner and wine is £50 a head.