Recently I was invited to join the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa for one of their famous Wine Dinners. This time, the guest of honor was the Wagner family, the winemakers of the well-known Caymus wine.

To say it was a fabulous dinner would be an understatement. The night was cool and breezy so we were able to sit outside and enjoy a lovely experience learning about all the different Wagner wines and enjoying the dinner spread that chef Brian Contreras prepared for us.

Let me tell you a little secret. When you are a food blogger, eating so much great food all the time becomes the usual. It is hard to impress my palate, let alone do so from beginning to end during a dining experience. Chef Brian Contreras did so during this dinner, let me tell you why.

The Dining Experience

Cocktail Hour

First, we started with a salmon cured in beet juice over cucumber slices with whipped goat cheese, I am not a big fan of beets but I can tell you I ate probably ten of those salmon bites, they were that delicious! We paired this salmon appetizer with Conundrum, a bubbly young wine, the perfect way to kick start the night.

First Course

Our next course was a duck confit nestled in a slice of Noble bread garnished with shaved pear, foie gras mousse, and pomegranate molasses. Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc was the wine we paired with; this wine is the perfect balance between fruity and fresh without being overly sweet.

Second Course

Next, chef Brian Contreras presented the Slow Roasted Pork Belly, which let me tell you, was a crowd pleaser! Not a surprise right?? A tender and juicy pork belly strip with a crispy outside, on a bed of petite greens with roasted bell pepper and maple pure that we washed off with Emmolo Merlot.

Third Course

The next dish on the menu was my favorite of all. It was one of those dishes that created an everlasting memory for its creativity and flavor profile. It was also the dish that chef Bacon used to pair with the renown Caymus cabernet sauvignon.

The smoked Venison Loin was a thick, cooked to perfection, tender piece of meat, topped with orange hazelnut chimichurri and a buttermilk crisp. Instead of your usual potato puree, chef Bacon created a brioche bread puree with a huckleberry preserve. I did not lick my plate but used no help to finish this dish.

Fourth Course

Last but not least, is dessert. My favorite part of any meal, my must have no matter how full I am. The sweet ending to this meal was paired with the Red Schooner Malbec voyage 4. There is a pretty interesting story about this wine; the grapes are shipped from South America where this grape variety is grown.

The Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse created with an exclusive cacao that is the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale signature on all chocolate creations. It was not only beautiful but luscious, smooth and deep.

This dinner was one of the most memorable media invites I have been to lately. I highly recommend this experience, especially this time of year where the weather is just beautiful and dining outside is possible. Their next Wine Dinner will be October 19th with Rombauer Vineyards.