Ice Wine Dinner at Lightfoot and Wolfville 2019

Ice Wine Dinner at Lightfoot and Wolfville 2019
By Scott Campbell

What a night! Mike and Jocelyn Lightfoot pulled out all the stops for this incredible evening of fine wine and dining in celebration of the 2019 Ice Wine Festival. And as if this evening wasn’t brilliant enough with a host of familiar faces from the Nova Scotia wine industry, we also had the privilege of dining with the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, The Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc, ONS, QC.

Lightfoot and Wolfville chef Geoff Hopgood joined forces with Mallard Cottage chef and owner Todd Perrin to bring us a spectacular meal for this mid-winter extravaganza. Also on hand was well-known local sommelier Kim Cyr, helping pair the delicious Lightfoot and Wolfville wines with the evening’s offerings.

First up was a plate full of succulent grilled cod cheeks. The cheeks were set upon a piping hot bed of shredded cabbage skillfully flavoured with fennel and orange and decorated with tangy pickled carrot. This first course was perfectly paired with a 2013 Blanc de Blanc Extra Brut Late Disgorged sparkling wine. The effervescence of this bright wine was perfect with the meaty cod cheeks.

Next up was a delicious cotechino sausage with scallop, dill, and cabbage. The rich blend of meat and spices alongside the scallop created a flavour combination that offered a rare intensity. When this was paired with the 2016 Terroir Series Riesling, I believe I heard angels.

Our third course was a beautifully prepared seared duck breast with blood cake, beluga lentils, red wine braised shallots and roasted tomato. It can sometimes be tricky to prepare duck breast just right but this plate was done expertly and served up with a delicious combination of accompaniments. The tender duck worked perfectly with the light airiness of the 2016 Ancienne Pinot Noir. Our Valley is sometimes criticized for its red wines but I think this fantastic creation of Lightfoot and Wolfville should quickly dispel those negative notions.

Finishing off the evening was fantastic Granny Smith tart served under an Icewine sabayon. This was masterfully paired with the 2016 Terroir Series Vidal Icewine. This sweet treat combination was the perfect wrap up to an incredible dining experience with our friends at Lightfoot and Wolfville and a jewel in the crown of the Ice Wine Festival for 2019. Cheers.

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