The Western All Terrine and Pate Eaters Society "WATAPEAS" held the First
Annual International Terrine Tasting "FAITT" on Saturday. The rules of
engagement were simple - bring an interesting terrine (ballotines, galantines,
pates also eligible) and a couple of bottles of wine that you think might go
with it.

The advantage of this event was that although some of the cooking was arduous
and extended (one contestant compressed a traditional 5 day recipe into only 3
days), all of it was done before hand, leaving everyone free to enjoy
themselves on the day. The other suitable aspect was that all of the courses
were served cold, which fit into the weather and the venue - dining in the
garden - perfectly.

Combat commenced at 4 PM and continued until the torches were lit and we sat
about chatting in the twilight. Although each team were allowed complete
freedom of choice, the dishes chosen could not have fit together in a better
progression if we had carefully orchestrated the whole thing.

The first up was our international entry from below the border (Washington
State, which as the rest of us are Canadian based, at least allowed us to claim
international status). It was a delightful crab and scallop terrine with a
white pinot noir aspic and carrot vinaigrette.

2001 Michel Colin-Deleger & Fils Saint Aubin 1er Cru Le Charmois - very clean
crisp nose with nice minerality - I might have guessed Chablis had I been
tasting blind. Light on its feet, elegant and smooth with good length.

2003 Isenhower Snapdragon - a 52% Viognier 48% Rousanne from Washington State,
this wine was quite a contrast with the previous one. Big juicy warm (14.5%)
nose that showed unctuous tropical fruit, but perfectly balanced on palate and
with good length. Hard choice her. The traditionalists liked the Burgundy, but
were drawn to the new world wine.

Next up was a very smooth textured chicken mousseline of vegetables (morels,
artichokes, zukes etc.) arranged in a millefiore pattern that was a treat for
the eyes as much as the palate. It was lapped with a tomato vinaigrette.

2000 Bouchard Beaune du Chateau - a blend of several premier cru wines, this
Burgundy had a medium big chardonnay nose, medium body and good fruit.

2001 Willi Haag Riesling Kabinett Brauneberger Juffer - excellent greenish
nose, and while the wine started out fairly sweet in the mouth, there was an
almost instant onslaught of energetic acidity that carried through to the long
end, and matched very well with the dish. I preferred this one with the dish.

The next dish was the pivotal one where we switched over to red wines, and the
segue was accomplished seamlessly by the presentation of one white and one red
with a chicken galantine stuffed with pork, veal, tongue and truffle and coated
with aspic and decoration..

1998 Ch. Couhins-Lurton (Pessac Leognan) - made, I believe, from 100% sauvignon
blanc, it had some excellent development in the nose at this age with some
complex melony things happening, and was supple and smooth in the mouth.

1991 Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especiale - you won't find a more striking
contrast than this pair of wines, and yet both worked superlatively well with
the galantine. Still a good colour, this wine from a modest vintage showed a
lot of oak in the nose, but not too much, was a little hot, and with the
tannins essentially resolved was smooth on palate. I had a very hard time
choosing here, but finally opted for the Rioja as being such an interesting
match.

I was up next and had prepared a traditional pork terrine using leeks instead
of pork liver to lighten the effect a bit, and with pistachios. It was served
with red onion and currant confit, as well as an arrangement of cherry tomato
halves and a gherkin that apparently struck one female entrant as rather
risqu逦.

1993 Moillard Santenay 1er Cru - at just over a decade of age, this wine is
drinking perfectly now, and I must say this is possibly the best bottle I've
had from the case. Good colour, very good balance and right at peak. I think
this was the favourite of everyone, although I don't recall if I had a response
from the lady that still seemed preoccupied with the gherkins€¦.

1994 Daniel Rion Vosne Romanee - I thought that a better wine from a lesser
vintage might be interesting and while this had some very attractive fruit in
the nose, when it came to palate, the 1993 had it all over the leaner and
slightly edgy 1994.

We then moved on to the 'main course' category, which was a rather labour
intensive oxtail terrine - braised with carrots, scallions, and tomatoes, then
stripped of meat and made into a terrine - no additional binding agent needed
considering the gelatin present in oxtails.

1995 Swanson Napa Sangiovese - American Sangios are seldom anything like Tuscan
ones, though they are sometimes worthy wines in their own right, and that
proved to be the case here. A hot sweet nose with some leather, but none of the
cherries you'd think to see, this could have been a Syrah. Big hot and long in
the mouth, I'd have also agreed it could be a Rhone had I tasted it blind.

1997 Amador Foothills Winery Murrill Vineyard Carignane - I alwsy enjoy this
winery for its odd lots of interesting wine. The nose on this one was big, warm
(only 13%, mind you), and raspberry. Made from 80 year old vines, it was smooth
and interesting. Hard to choose here.

With chocolate terrine:
2001 Maculan Dindarello - very sweet wine with tangerine Muscat nose. Pretty
well balanced but just a bit too sweet for my taste.

With terrine of blue and chevre cheeses layered with candied spiced walnuts:

1985 Rocha Port - a minor Portuguese house, but a decent Port - hot nose, sweet
and hot in mouth ( typical, it seems, from this house) with abundant fruit . I
thought it drank well now, but another Port aficionado said it would benefit
from another 5 years. Having drunk my way through most of a case, perhaps I'll
take his advice and leave the last couple of bottles a few years.

And that was the end of the terrine event. Winners? Everyone there, without
doubt. It was resolved to make it an annual event, so I have a year to find the
definitive recipe€¦..