Dining
Luminaria Wine Dinners
Following a successful midsummer opening, Luminaria Restaurant, located at the Inn and Spa at Loretto, has scheduled the third in a series of special winemaker dinners. The winemaker dinner in November will feature popular California winery - Elyse from Napa Valley, which will be paired with Chef Brian Cooper's exciting menu selections.
The dinner will be served in Luminaria's warm and inviting dining room, accented with the glow of a kiva fireplace and an abundance of votives and luminaries. Chef Cooper uses local, farm-fresh organic foods to create simple yet innovative American fare accented with bold Southwestern flavors.
Elyse Winery - Saturday, November 8, 2008
Ray Coursen, winemaker and owner of Elyse Winery will be pouring wines to enhance a five-course meal created by Chef Cooper. Situated in Napa Valley, Elyse Winery produces Zinfandels, Syrah, cabernets, Nero Mistro and C'est si Bon that capture the unique character of the valley.
In 1987, Ray and his wife Nancy started Elyse Wines with 286 cases of Zinfandel from the Morisoli Vineyard, which is still one of our primary fruit sources. For a decade they were nomads, buying grapes and crushing at various custom crush facilities, and then in 1997, they purchased a small winery on Hoffman Lane.
Ron's passion for wine and winemaking comes from his love of juicy, rich, voluptuous wines. Ray likes a little oak, but does not want it to be overpowering..."I want to taste the fruit. I love wines that pair well with food. A meal without wine is eating; a meal with wine is dining - it's a conversation, an event. It's what wine is about". Ray Coursen
Menu for the Evening
first
crispy quail, warm spinach salad, pomegranate vinaigrette
L'Ingénue
second
lobster bisque, crab fritters
C'ést Si Bon
third
serrano ham wrapped veal, chanterelle-rock shrimp risotto
Morisoli Zinfandel
fourth
ancho rubbed venison smoked cheddar grits, fresh figs
Tietjen Cabernet
dessert
roaring 40's gougiere, coco ice cream, pear-walnut salad
Petite Sirah Port
Details
Reservations can be made by calling Luminaria at 505-984-7915. All reservations are to be made with a credit card to hold each seat. One seating only. Space is limited, so reserve your seat early.
Reception begins at 6:00pm
Dinner begins at 7:00pm