Wine's version of liquid gold

[Mike Buckley]

My friend Kathleen, who drank wine with me in a dumpster, plans to travel from her home in South Carolina to visit me for my birthday in December. I have already invited guests for a 9-course dinner of which Kathleen's crème brûlée will be the dessert. She insisted that I pair her dessert with Sauternes, which is a dessert wine region in France.

I don't know anything about dessert wines, so I have to rely on reputation and ratings. This wine is from one of the best vintages in decades and is rated 94-96 by four critics. It is #5 on Wine Spectator's Top 100 list of 2012.

Setup
The background is translucent white acrylic. The tabletop is clear glass. A medium continuous-light lamp fitted with yellow and salmon gels was shining from behind the background toward the subject and camera. The first capture was made using that setup to photograph everything except the label. The label was lit in a second capture by a medium continuous-light lamp above the camera and with four white reflectors positioned on the left and right sides at 45-degree angles. The two captures were merged.

[TonyW]

That is a very fine picture as usual with the label and its printing showing up very well especially.

The colour of the background worries me a little though. I would know much less than you about dessert wines but I think of a Sauterne as being a paler colour. This looks a little artificial but then after a nine course dinner who would care. Will you let us in on the secret of the menu? I just noticed you said it is for December. You do plan well ahead!

[Donald]

Just searched for some comments. This is a typical example:
"This is a bird of a different feather, with an exotic, vibrant aroma of toasted coconut, followed by an almond cream note that gives way to the core of green fig, papaya, Cavaillon melon and honey. There's stunning richness and mouthfeel, with the power to be one of the longer-lived wines of the vintage. Very impressive."

I wish I was joining you!

[bnnrcn]

What about cropping the image from the top grey band above the label Mike ? The composition looks a bit complicated to me but it's just me ..

I have to tell you that the story sounds very mouth watering and it is overpowering the image

[wilgk]

A wonderful event to look forward to, enjoy!

[Shadowman]

Nicely done.

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, everyone!

Tony: What color is anything? If you go to the theater or concert hall and a scene has red and purple lights being cast on everything, the skin tones of the people are not how we would normally see them. Yet the people are presented to us that way for whatever reason the director had in mind. The same is true for this wine when I shine a very bright light through it, much less when I place a yellow and salmon gel over the light. We would rarely see wine under those circumstances, yet the image shows the color of the wine when it's presented in this very specific manner. I chose that presentation because my mind's eye called for a stark, bold image of rich gold and black tones suggested by the label and the mood they convey.

As for knowing less than me about dessert wines, it's difficult to imagine anyone knows less than me about their color and taste.

Donald: Sadly, I'll never be able to taste any of the specific flavors suggested in the review you found. Though I always know whether I like the overall taste, body and texture of a wine, I rarely taste any individual flavors.

[Mike Buckley]

Tony asked about the 9-course menu:

Hors d'oeuvres: Shrimp, grapes and caramelized shallots paired with sauvignon blanc
1. Oyster shooter paired with a blended rkatsiteli
2. Smoked salmon and a remoulade on a baked chip paired with sauvignon blanc
3. Sugar snap pea salad paired with sauvignon blanc
4. Prosciutto and grilled plum sandwiched in between slices of sea scallop with a yogurt topping paired with a blended rkatsiteli
5. Timbale (sort of an egg-based souflee) paired with Meursault (a high-end chardonnay)
6. Lobster with orange-sesame sauce paired with Meursault
7. Carrots with a glaze of butter and pinot noir paired with pinot noir
8. Shrimp with a sauce of tomatoes, red bell peppers and artichokes served over basmati rice paired with pinot noir
9. Crème brûlée paired with Sauternes

[pnodrog]

Tony asked about the 9-course menu:

Hors d'oeuvres: Shrimp, grapes and caramelized shallots paired with sauvignon blanc
1. Oyster shooter paired with a blended rkatsiteli
2. Smoked salmon and a remoulade on a baked chip paired with sauvignon blanc
3. Sugar snap pea salad paired with sauvignon blanc
4. Prosciutto and grilled plum sandwiched in between slices of sea scallop with a yogurt topping paired with a blended rkatsiteli
5. Timbale (sort of an egg-based souflee) paired with Meursault (a high-end chardonnay)
6. Lobster with orange-sesame sauce paired with Meursault
7. Carrots with a glaze of butter and pinot noir paired with pinot noir
8. Shrimp with a sauce of tomatoes, red bell peppers and artichokes served over basmati rice paired with pinot noir
9. Crème brûlée paired with Sauternes

I do not like Shrimp, Oyster or Lobster but I am a bit envious of the rest.

P.S. As well as you have photographed it I am generally not that fond of desert wines either. The sauvignon blank and pinot noir are far more appealing.

[Mike Buckley]

I do not like Shrimp, Oyster or Lobster

When I invite people over for dinner for the first time, I always ask what should be excluded from the menu because of religion, health or taste.

[Kaye Leggett]

I love the colour and how you have captured this image - very clever.

Your menu looks pretty good too - try a Piquepoul with your oysters, it's an unusual wine but goes well with Oysters - or we thought so when we were in the South of France last year over looking the oysterbeds.

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, Kaye!

try a Piquepoul with your oysters, it's an unusual wine but goes well with Oysters

I agree that Piquepoul will go well with many oyster dishes and your note reminds me that it is too long since I have enjoyed wine made from that grape. It's one of the best values in wine because, like sauvignon blanc, the inexpensive versions can be really good.

However, if my memory of the flavor and body is accurate (perhaps not), I don't think it will work with an oyster shooter, at least not the recipe I dreamed up. The oyster is in a small glass of table cream and butter seasoned with Old Bay seasoning and smoked paprika. The serving is enjoyed bottoms up! I'll be sure to get a bottle to refresh my memory pertaining to all of that.

[Kaye Leggett]

I'll be sure to get a bottle to refresh my memory pertaining to all of that.

....any excuse

[Brownbear]

Wonderful image, as always... Commenting and late, but just so you know that I also adore the colours!