One of the Best Dinners Ever at The Allison Inn Oregon

My birthday got even better when we checked into The Allison Inn and Spa in Newberg.  The hotel is beautiful and the rooms large and comfortable with fireplace and deck.  The chef was preparing us a special 8 course tasting menu with wine pairings. We can rarely do a tasting menu because of our pescatarian taste but they were willing to accommodate any dietary restrictions.  Hungry and eager we headed down to the dining room. 

A beautiful corner table was waiting for us and we were handed a glass of Louis Roederer champagne as soon as we sat down.  An amuse bouche of manila clam chowder matched up beautifully.  

Ron Acierto was choosing our wines and Jeff Nichla was presenting and explaining our food. Turns out we were in excellent hands.  A Winter Citrus Salad followed, with spinach, chevre from Briar Rose Creamery, candied walnuts and Meyer lemon vinaigrette.  Ron chose an Archery Summit, Pinot Noir Rose.  

Next up was a Grilled Sardine with Mussels in a tomato broth paired with a Dobbes Family Estate, Grenache Blanc.  This was my favourite match for the evening, probably because I'm not a sardine fan so I was taken by surprise with how delicious it was.  

David's favourite dish was next; Gnocchi with crab, pernod and crème fraiche, served with Alloro Vineyards Chardonnay.  Amazing!  

Ron set up the wines for the next 2 courses by laying out 4 glasses to go with 4 vintages of Pinot Noir; Aramanta Cellars, Ribbon Ridge 2007, Macindoe Vineyards, Eola-Amity 2008, Torri Morr, Dundee Hills 2009 and Walter Scott, La Combe Verte 2010.  He told us a bit about each vintage and then we were served a Petrale Sole with cauliflower puree, apples, marcona almonds and mustard emulsion.  I never would have thought of mustard with sole and Pinot Noir but it worked very well indeed.  The final savoury course to go with the Pinots was a Steelhead salmon with hens of the woods mushrooms, sunchoke puree and port-cranberry reduction.  

We had a break to finish the Pinots before once again Ron lined up 3 glasses for the Owen Roe, Late Harvest Semillon, Trisaetum, Riesling and Francis Tannahill, Roussanne-Marsanne-Viognier blend to match the Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee, Rasberry Sorbet-Citrus Tuille and Meyer Lemon Meringue Tart.  I could only manage the tiniest taste of each but they were delicious.  My only comment was that a trio of desserts is wrong without chocolate.  

A cheese course finished the evening with a selection of Oregon cheeses paired with a Royal Tokaji from Hungary, a Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Port and Clear Creek Distillery, Eau de Vie de Pomme. 

We'd eaten 8 courses paired with 14 wines and learned a lot about Oregon wine and food.  It was a fantastic meal and my only complaint about the chocolate was rectified with a small plate served at the very end.  

If you are considering an Oregon wine trip treat yourself to a night and meal at The Allison Inn and Spa.  You won’t be sorry.

Big Thank You to Ron and Jeff for such a special evening.