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<\/a><\/figure>\nOn a picturesque Summer evening, wine enthusiasts gathered at Silver Mountain Vineyards in Los Gatos for an enchanting experience. The Midsummer Night’s Dinner unfolded amidst the breathtaking backdrop of the Santa Cruz Mountains<\/a> where guests indulged in fine wines, savored delectable cuisine, and reveled in the company of fellow wine aficionados. <\/p>\n The festivities commenced with a delightful reception on the vineyard’s terrace where wines from the following wineries were poured:<\/p>\n As guests mingled, they indulged in bites prepared by Chef Ross Hanson of Oak and Rye<\/a>. The restaurant brought their portable wood-fired pizza oven to the winery and crafted delectable pizzas. In addition, a selection of Summer-inspired small bites delighted guests, including refreshing melon gazpacho and shrimp and avocado salad elegantly presented on endive leaves.<\/p>\n While on the terrace, guests also had the opportunity to participate in a silent auction and there was a diverse selection of items up for bid. The combination of the scenic setting, the thrill of the auction, and the company of like-minded individuals made for an unforgettable start to the evening.<\/p>\n Soon, the time came for guests to make their way to the tables, creating an ambiance that encouraged connections and lively conversations. <\/p>\n The commencement of dinner was marked by welcome speeches delivered by esteemed winemakers from the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, including Jim Cargill, the Winemaker and COO of House Family Vineyards, and Jerold O’Brien, the Founder and Winemaker of Silver Mountain Vineyards.<\/p>\n Transitioning from the speeches of the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA winemakers, the evening unfolded into a culinary journey that perfectly complemented the exceptional wines. Chef Hanson curated a seasonal menu that celebrated the region’s bountiful produce and local flavors. The menu included the following:<\/p>\n 1st course: Roasted Summer Squash with sesame aioli, ch\u00e8vre, and walnut pesto.<\/strong><\/p>\n Tender and caramelized summer squash and zucchini took center stage. It was complemented by the creamy richness of sesame aioli, the tangy creaminess of ch\u00e8vre, and the earthy crunch of walnut pesto. It was a delightful symphony of savory and nutty notes.<\/p>\n 2nd course: Sourdough Panzanella with arugula, cherry tomatoes, stracciatella, red onions, and basil.<\/strong><\/p>\n This refreshing salad pleased my palate. It was a harmonious medley of crisp, tangy, and herbaceous elements. <\/p>\n 3rd course: Wood fired skirt steak with charred corn puree, Blue Lake green beans, red pepper, and preserved Meyer lemon relish.<\/strong><\/p>\n The tender and juicy skirt steak was grilled to perfection. Overall this dish was a delightful balance of smoky, sweet, tangy, and citrusy notes that left my taste buds craving for more.<\/p>\n Dessert: Spumoni Parfait with chocolate gelato, vanilla custard, poached cherries, and pistachio.<\/strong><\/p>\n Layers of rich chocolate gelato and creamy vanilla custard were interspersed with succulent poached cherries and topped with a sprinkling of crunchy pistachios. It was a heavenly dessert that combined velvety, decadent, fruity, and nutty elements for a truly unforgettable treat.<\/p>\n The Midsummer Night’s Dinner at Silver Mountain Vineyards in Los Gatos combined the best of nature, gastronomy, viticulture, and good company against the backdrop of the Santa Cruz Mountains. It was a wonderful event and I hope to attend more of Wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains’ Taste of Terroir Dinner Series events in the near future!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Vintners of the Santa Cruz Mountains and wine enthusiasts gather at picturesque wineries for intimate dinner events where award-winning Santa Cruz wines are poured.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":22125,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[380,82,542,390],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rachelsstylishlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22122"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rachelsstylishlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rachelsstylishlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rachelsstylishlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rachelsstylishlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22122"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.rachelsstylishlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22122\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22161,"href":"https:\/\/www.rachelsstylishlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22122\/revisions\/22161"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rachelsstylishlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22125"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rachelsstylishlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22122"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rachelsstylishlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22122"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rachelsstylishlife.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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