Bench 1775 Winemaker's Dinner

The BCWAS is delighted to announce our first winemaker’s dinner of 2018! For this event, we’ll be tasting the fabulous wines from Bench 1775, located in picturesque Naramata. The name comes from the address – 1775 Naramata Road. The winery team is led by Viticulturalist/Winemaker/GM Valeria Tait, with support from Alain Sutre, the famous Bordeaux wine consultant.
 
Formerly known as Soaring Eagle, the winery was re-named in 2013. Val came on board in 2014, and their reputation has continued to grow. The winery makes so many delicious wines, including Chardonnay, Viognier, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat, Merlot, Syrah, Malbec, sparkling and dessert wines, that we had a hard time choosing what to serve with our dinner!  Make sure you include a stop there on your next Okanagan trip – you will love the wines, the view, and the food from their bistro, all of which can be enjoyed from their lovely patio.

Val Tait serves as Viticulturist, Winemaker, and General Manager at Bench 1775!

The Water St. Cafe has a special place in Vancouver history. Originally the Edwards Hotel, it was built in 1906, and has fed and sheltered people ever since. In the 1980s it was a restaurant called Brasserie de L’Horloge. Horloge is French for clock, a nod to the famous Steam Clock directly across the street. It was purchased by Dominique Sabatino in 1988, who renamed it the Water St. Cafe. After 30 years, Dominique sold last fall to Eli Brennan and Alan Tse, who are determined to keep the café’s iconic status. Your Society is lucky enough to have landed here as our home for our regular tastings, and this will be our first winemaker’s dinner. The Chef at the Water Street Cafe has crafted a menu especially for us which looks fabulous!

The dining room at Water Street Cafe is ready to host us in style!

Menu
Substitutions for allergy reasons only please.

2012 Blanc de Blancs sparkling

Smoked BC Salmon, Maple Salmon Candy
dill cream cheese, red onions, crispy capers, crostini
2016 Sauvignon Blanc

Beet Salad with Beet Purée
arugula, parmesan crisp, pistachios
2016 Glow Rosé 

Duck Two Ways: Smoked Duck Breast & Duck Confit Tart
pickled baby turnips, butternut squash purée
2014 Pinot Noir

Pork Belly
bacon jam, white bean hummus
2014 Cabernet Franc

Brioche French Toast 
2014 Bliss Icewine

Vegetarian Menu
Substitutions for allergy reasons only please.

2012 Blanc de Blancs sparkling

Vegetarian Terrine
citrus and herb oil
2016 Sauvignon Blanc

Beet Salad with Beet Purée
arugula, parmesan crisp, pistachios
2016 Glow Rosé 

Butternut Squash Ravioli
sage butter sauce
2014 Pinot Noir

Warm Mushroom Salad
53 degree egg
2014 Cabernet Franc

Brioche French Toast 
2014 Bliss Icewine

And just to sweeten the pot - we’ll be having a draw for a 5-course dinner at the Water Street Cafe with wine pairing for two! 

Date:  Tuesday, May 22, 2018
Time:  6:30 pm - please arrive earlier to be seated
Place:  Water Street Cafe (Main Dining Room), 300 Water Street, Vancouver
Price: $135 members / $150 guests via e-transfer to [email protected] (preferred) or via Paypal (below). Cheques can be mailed to: BC Wine Appreciation Society, PO Box 48912 Bentall Station, Vancouver, BC, V7X 1A8 (please let us know via e-mail when to expect your cheque).

Don't  forget: the 2018/2019 BCWAS membership year began April 1st! (Re)-join us now, and your membership is good until March of 2019.  Click here to join or renew your membership.

Please note - there are no paper tickets for our events. Once your purchase is completed you will be added to our attendees list. Please check in when you arrive.

Please make sure you have a safe way home: take transit, call a cab, or ask a friend to be a designated driver. We will have free transit tickets on hand for those who take transit home.

Please note that we are unable to provide refunds. If you purchase a ticket but cannot attend the event, please let us know with as much advance notice as possible and we’ll try to re-sell your ticket, but we cannot guarantee this.