People : Dan Kosta

As were the foie gras sauce, beurre rouge with grains of paradise (one of the aromatics in fine gin, by the way), celeriac, salsify and pumpkin seed pesto. Just another night, to absent Phil Collins from a trite irony, in paradise.

But this was no homage to obscure ingredients. It was, instead, a steady, studied service, matching food with wine, in this case Kosta Browne wine, from Sonoma. Blue Water Executive Chef Frank Pabst gave winery principal Dan Kosta everything he could have wanted, and a touch more. But we will get to that later.

Kosta Browne began with a half-barrel of pinot noir fruit, acquired based on the team's sterling reputation working at the iconic John Ash and Co. Restaurant in Santa Rosa. They matriculated from success to success, and won so many awards it is best to look on their website, if you wish to know more. The real point is that a confluence of fortuitous influences took place; very good wine that happened to be pinot noir, the most glamourized grape on the planet, made in a distinct, Old World way although with recognizably New World fruit, made this winery all the rage.

Dan Kosta is a gregarious, forthright fellow, whose good fortune in the wine business is not lost on him. "We started out thinking we could make a few barrels of really tasty wine, if things went well. We never really thought of it as becoming some kind of cult thing." And perhaps the word, "cult" (four letters, after all) is too strong. Napa's cabernets have the market cornered on that, but still, the kind of exotic, fulsome, fully expressed pinot noir Kosta Browne produces is in batches too small to slake the collective thirst. "British Columbia is in fact our first export market", says Dan.  "We just can't make enough to normally get motivated to sell outside California." Fortunately, they were motivated enough to take on a B.C. agency (Cru Wines) based on the prowess of wine directors like Andrea Vescovi at Blue Water, but ultimately, based upon an understanding that the consumers here in B.C. were appreciative of what they are doing.

 So, the dinner, with sturgeon, rabbit ravioli, roasted duck breast, and, that surprise we alluded to earlier, a sensational Alpindon cheese and black truffle soufflé, showcased these wines to perfection. There were Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast (somewhat more restrictive terroir), along with single vineyard offerings from Keefer Ranch and Gap's Crown Vineyard. Because Chef Pabst tends to work from the wines to the plate, trying to incorporate elements he and the team discover in the wine onto the plate, it was a successful evening. As Dan Kosta said, later on in the evening, "You guys don't do this kind of thing too often do you?" The answer is yes, although not often with Kosta Browne. So come on back, Dan, anytime.