Main
Pan-roast loin of Rhug Estate Sikha venison with morel farcie , cavolo nero , chanterelles , celeriac and black truffle puree , damson and sauce poivrade . This was served with the 2018 vintage of Antinori ’ s flagship wine …. the wonderful ‘ Tignanello ’. The food was another plate of contrasting , harmonious , flavours , cooked to perfection . The wine was a blend of 80 % Sangiovese and 20 % Cabernet Sauvignon / Cabernet Franc . A wonderful nose of black fruit with hints of vanilla , cherries , spice and possibly a hint of chocolate . All in all a beautiful , complex , fresh wine with silky smooth tannins . Amazing , complex , food and wine paired beautifully together .
Cheese
Cashel blue served with chicory , quince , Peter Jones trufflescented local honey and homemade fig and red onion chutney . This was served with ‘ Muffato della Sala ’ 2019 . Again an array of flavours on the plate in front of you ; perfectly matched with a lovely sumptuous wine from Umbria . This wine was a blend of a number of white grapes ( Sauvignon Blanc , Grechetto , Traminer , Semillon and Riesling ). The grapes were affected by botrytis cinera ( the Noble Rot ) which concentred the sugars in the grapes to give a wonderfully intense , sweet but fresh wine . This was elegant with ripe fruit ( think peaches and citrus fruit ).
Coffee
Served with petit fours and ‘ Moscato d ’ Asti Prunotto ’ 2022 from Piedmont . Again , if you ’ ve never had Moscato d ’ Asti it can be a wonderfully refreshing glass of lightly sparkling wine . Made 100 % from the Moscato Bianco Di Canelli grape ( muscat ) this was straw yellow in the glass . Intense aromas of blossom and fruit . Fresh , elegant and , at 5 % alcohol , a beautiful way to end the evening .
Conclusion
Fantastic food , fantastic wine and a showcase of a very welcome relationship between The Art School restaurant and the Antinori wine stable . If you go and dine at The Art School , pick out Antinori ’ s wines from their superb wine list .
I guess , these days , we often think of the Michelin Guide when we think of fine food and the restaurants where we can find it . Of course this all started in Clermont-Ferrand in central France in 1889 , when brothers Andre and Edouard Michelin founded a tyre company ( at a time when there were fewer than 3,000 cars in the country ). Then , in order to help motorists with their trips , in encouraging more cars onto the road and , therefore , presumably with an eye on selling more tyres , the two brothers produced a small guide filled with handy information for travellers , such as maps , information on how to change a tyre , where to fill up with petrol and providing a listing of places to eat or take shelter for the night . It is remarkable how things turn out in life ! With the foresight of the Michelin brothers we , today , have a guide that not only has made driving an experience for many , but also a guide as to where we can find an unforgettable dining experience .
One of the dining experiences , which we can find in the today ' s Michelin Guide , is The Art School . The entry reads : “ Bright red chairs contrast with crisp white tablecloths at this elegant restaurant which is flooded with light . The experienced local chef carefully prepares a bewildering array of ambitious modern dishes full of colour and contrasts ; choose a dessert containing honey from the local hives ”. Mix this experience with a showcase of some of the best wines , from one of the world ’ s best wine producers , and you do have something truly special .
The special dinner , to which I was gratefully invited , was very special . Yet it wasn ’ t , and it isn ’ t , a one off . Periodically The Art School hosts these great winemakers ’ dinners . Search them out and go , because they are truly exceptional experiences that you won ’ t find anywhere else in the area that we live in . All you have to do is to go to The Art School ’ s website for the details about forthcoming events ! wirrallife . com 29