We started the evening mingling with the charming CEO, winemaker and head of sales who had joined us all the way from France. Oh, and the champagne Brut. This was my favorite of all the bubbles poured all night. It is aged for three years in a 100 year old chalk cave and made from over 320 different crus. It had the perfect balance of acidity and fruit to begin a great evening. The charm of the Collet champagne is it's 90 year tradition of building relationships with local viticulturists to build and cultivate the first society of champagne producers. You can truly taste the craftsmanship in each sip.
We began our meal with oysters and a very lovely sip of the Collet Brut Grand Art. The champagne was a heady cacophony of bubbles, rich fruit and balanced sweetness. No wonder, since it is aged for five years and has a whopping 17 grand crus in the recipe. The Kumamoto oyster was beautiful to look at. It was topped with a vodka creme fraiche, local caviar and chervil.
Our next dish was a nice wash of the palette. Compressed watermelon salad with heirloom tomatoes, marcona almonds, micro arugula and feta vinaigrette made a pleasant segue into the heavier portion of the evening. It was paired with the Collet rose, a delicate glass of pink happiness that was just sweet enough to complement the fruit.
Our third course was probably my favorite. The chef prepared diver sea scallops with a dusting of vanilla, red grapefruit and heart of palm in a coconut orange saffron sabayon. Be still my heart. This was paired with my now favorite champagne, the Collet Brut.
The evening only improved with a toasted pistachio crusted venison chop in in a black cherry jus with cauliflower fondue and rainbow chard. This was impressive because it not only tasted great but proves that champagne does go with everything. In Wine Pairing 101 you learn to put heavy game (like venison) with smoky flavors (like toasted pistachios) with a chewier red wine (like a syrah or zinfandel), not a sparkling glass of bubbles. Au contraire, mon frere*. We enjoyed this with the lovely Collet Vintage 2002, and I couldn't have imagined a better pairing for the dish.
Our final course, as if we had room in our bellies for any such thing, was a take on bananas foster. It was made with a pecan tuile and a bourbon anglaise alongside caramelized bananas. The bananas had caramelized sugar on top, rather than the bananas turning their own natural sugar into caramel when placed onto some heat. However, the anglaise sauce was very satisfying with the tuile. We also enjoyed the not-at-all-too-sweet Collet demi-sec champagne with this course. I normally think dessert wines are over the top, but this one was more than drinkable. It was downright enjoyable.
Overall, I adore the Sandpearl and have had many wonderful experiences at their spa, restaurant and hotel. I think it is hands-down the nicest venue in town to experience luxury and casual elegance, which is the hallmark of Tampa Bay's charm. I was delighted to experience the brand of Collet Champagne and will be enjoying their hand-crafted bubbles in the days to come. Go on out and find a few bottles, and laissez les bons temps roulez*.........................
*My apologies to all readers who are native speakers of French and/or Francophiles. I studied Italian and Spanish, so this is the best I've got.
