Dinner with Friends and Wine

Recently, we had our globetrotting, wine-loving friends over for dinner. You have to catch them when they are a little stationary here in CT. Last year, they gave us a bottle of 2013 Bellefont-Belcier that they acquired from their trip to St. Emilion and we held it in our possession until we could have it with them with dinner. Chateau Bellefont-Belcier is a right bank Bordeaux, the wine is made of a blend of 77% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon.
The appropriate pairing for this Bordeaux is a nice steak and my husband really knows how to make steak! That was the simple decision but we also wanted to begin dinner with our 2019 Chardonnay and we decided on pairing the Chardonnay with a seafood vol a vent. The vol a vent was stuffed with shrimp and scallops.
Our main course was a smoked cowboy steak, fondant potatoes and a simple salad. For wine pairing, we had their 2013 Bellefont-Belcier and a 1997 Dunn Howell Mountain that my husband pulled out of his cellar with the idea of comparing a California wine with a French wine. It turned out that our friends are Dunn aficionados! They have been purchasing Dunn and have a vertical of the wines including a magnum of 1987, the year that they were married.

For dessert, we pulled out our 2021 botrysized late harvest Chenin Blanc of which we made eight 375 ml bottles. We paired the Chenin Blanc with three cheeses, manchengo, St. Andre and Cambozola. On the size we had honey, fig jam, fresh figs and grapes. (Unfortunately, I didn't take a photo of the cheese platter). We learned that all the cheeses are a great fit with the late harvest Chenin Blanc.
The evening passed all to quickly, with great friends, great conversation, wine and food. That was a recipe for an evening we will remember!