Please help me decide

[Roy Hersh]

Today is my 10th wedding anniversary and although we have a big night out planned for Saturday, tonight I will be cooking up a storm and opening wine and Port. My wife likes wine very much but is not into big showy Bordeaux and prefers Burgundy. However, she is in love with Ridge Geyserville and the vintage that won her over was 1995. So that definitely is in the cards for this evening. Additionally, I am planning a Port for dessert. Sure I can go hog wild and open a 1945 or something crazy, but I'd rather do that on Saturday when we'll be alone (sans Taylor) and enjoying a 5-hour decadent dinner at a local restaurant which we've never been to before.

So tonight will be either a Quinta da Romaneira 10 year old Tawny (probably my favorite of all 10s) or a VP from 2000. I am leaning towards the Tawny, but would love input. Thanks for the help!

[Moses Botbol]

Tawny all the way!

[Glenn E.]

Happy Anniversary!

Unless you're making something big, bold, and beefy for dinner, I'd go with the Romaneira. But you knew that already.

[John M.]

My best to you & your wife.

Knowing you they're both great bottles...so I'd go with the one your wife would enjoy the most...that to me is the essence of what you're celebrating.

[Marc J.]

Happy Anniversary!!! Go with the Romaneira.....

Marc

[Derek T.]

Roy.

Firstly - happy anniversary to you and D. The very fact that Mrs Hersh has endured 10 years of being Mrs Hersh is enough to celebrate in itself

As to what you should drink - there is no reason why either of you should be disappointed or limited - pop whatever you fancy. Don't hold back

[Eric Menchen]

I'm probably too late to help decide, so I'll just wish you happy anniversary!

[Jim R.]

Roy

I am with Eric, Happy Anniversary. I have been married to the same woman for 40 years and I can tell you the secret is to spoil her (a lot) and compromise. Take care. Jim

[Eric Ifune]

Happy Anniversary!

[Roy Hersh]

Thanks everyone!

Our actual anniversary was on Thursday. I did the cooking, and a simple meal at that. Grilled off some rib eyes, adorned with mushrooms sauteed in Pedro Ximenez, baked potatoes w/sour cream/butter, and fresh crop asparagus w/ EVO oil and sea salt. We began with my last 1996 Schramsberg Reserve which was a last minute addition, enjoyed while my wife and I chatted during the dinner prep. I had decanted my next to last bottle of 1995 Ridge Geyserville an hour before we sat down. It is my wife's favorite red wine and the same wine I had been sharing the first time I told Dorene I loved her. Sadly, this bottle was corked. Fortunately, I had one last bottle (of 4 cases I've enjoyed of this over the years) and it proved to be as great as any I have consumed since 1997. My wife was in heaven and the pairing with the medium rare rib eye and mushrooms was fantastic. Simple. For dessert, I had decided to do the 10 year old Romaneira after all. It is about as good as 10 year old Tawny can get. Seriously delicious Tawny. I have no regrets that we did not have a VP.

Tonight is our celebration alone. Our daughter will stay at her best friend's and we're going to this destination restaurant that is the best in the state, called The Herbfarm. 9 courses paired with 6 wines over 5 hours. Although it is only 20 minutes away, I've never splurged for dinner there before. It will most assuredly be Madeira for dessert as their list is surreal in its notoriety for depth. I hope it is as good as touted.

Thanks again to all for your kind remarks!

[Gustavo Devesas]

Happy Anniversary!

[Raj Patil]

Happy Anniversary!! Please let us know how the dinner was at the Herbfarm, we'd love to live vicariously through your splurge! I'll have to try to find that tawny for my 10th anniversary this September.

[Espen S.]

Happy anniversary from me too!

[Roy Hersh]

Hi Raj,

The Herbfarm was very good. They have a relatively new chef and he came over to chat towards the end of the evening. They only do one seating and I'd say there was about 75 people in the main dining area, which has a Victorian feel to it and there was a private party in a small dining area close to the exalted wine cellar. I perused their wine list and lots of gems, heavy with Northwest wines, but lots from the Old World too. Their Port listing was deep but no real bargains, the Madeira list equally deep and pricey. Each quarter, the menu changes. They take you on a half hour tasting tour of their herb garden ... which is extensive and beautiful, if not inspiring to those with a green thumb (not me). The six wines chosen to pair with the 9 courses, were all from OR/WA. My two faves were a bubbly to start the meal and a WA wine which was a Rhone blend, paired with a lamb dish. What is wild to watch is that since the exhibition kitchen is adjacent and open to the middle of the restaurant, everything can be seen. But since we were all seated at the same time, many were at communal long tables, the professional service seemed more like a banquet to me. I was glad we had a private little nook in one corner, directly next to another very friendly couple celebrating their 5th anniversary and on the other side of us was a guitarist with classical Spanish roots (think Andre Segovia) accompanying the courses. For dessert my wife and I enjoyed pours of the 1795 Barbeito Terrantez and although I've had it on a small handful of occasions, it never showed better than this. A great way to end our evening at this hallowed hall of hedonism. The good news is they just charge your credit card and you don't have to sign or see the bill ... which is a good thing!

[Eric Ifune]

Roy, I know it was your anniverary so taking notes was probably not high up on your to do list; but I hope you still post a note on the Terrantez.
Sounds like a fine finish to a great day!

[Melanie R.]

Rib eyes for anniversary dinner--sounds like your wife is a lady after my own heart. What was your impression of the food at the Herbfarm? Being a "foodie," I would like to go someday, but I think I may have to wait for something like a 10th anniversary. (Only a couple more years to go).