Morton's Uncorked: Champagne & Sparkling

Once a month, on select Monday evenings, the Back Bay location of Morton’s holds a special wine event, Uncorked. Each Uncorked event has a specific wine theme, and you receive samples of several wines plus hors d'oeuvres. Each event costs $30, which includes tax and tip.

I was invited to attend the August Uncorked event: Champagne & Sparkling Wines Around the World. I was also told that the wines would be paired with chocolates. It certainly sounded good to me. Martignetti Wines and Lindt Chocolates assisted at this event.

The tasting was held in a private room, with approximately six circular tables, and you could sit wherever you wished. There were over thirty people in attendance, some who had been to previous Uncorked events. It was a nice setting for a tasting, and it was fun to meet new people sitting at the table I selected.

The five wines we tasted included:
Segura Viudas Brut Riserva
Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noir
Adami Prosecco "Garbel 13"
Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc
Cockburn 10 Year Old Tawny

I first noted that the wines actually did not include any Champagne. I was later informed that they had planned to have a Champagne but it was not available in time for the tasting. I did like the fact that had some different sparkling wines, including a Cava, Prosecco and two California sparkling wines made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. My favorite of the evening was the Prosecco, with delightful fruit flavors of melon and orange and a creamy mouthfeel.

The woman from Martignetti who presented the wines did a poor job, though I was later told that it was her first presentation and she was likely nervous. She failed to explain much about the wines, failing to explain the differences between all of the wines. She never described the different grapes that were used to make the Cava and Prosecco. She did not explain that a Blanc de Noir is made from Pinot Noir. The other guests at my table all were disappointed with the presentation.

Each of the wines was paired with a different chocolate, from Swiss milk chocolate to a dark chocolate infused with orange. These pairings generally acted very well with the different sparkling wines. For example, the Swiss milk chocolate seemed ever creamier with the Cava. Though red wines are often considered most appropriate for chocolate, sparkling wine is another good choice. The woman from Lindt presenting the chocolate did a very good job, explaining to each table about the chocolates and why she felt the pairing would work well.

During the evening, we also received several plates of hors d'oeuvres, including prime burger sliders, filet mignon sandwiches, chicken goujonettes (crispy fried chicken strips), crab cakes, and scallops. These little appetizers were delicious and plentiful, and a nice addition to the tasting.

Overall, there were some good aspects to the event but the poor wine presenter detracted from the evening. I was informed that the regular wine presenter is much better, and the guests who had attended previous Uncorked events also confirmed the presenters had been much better. These events do have potential and with a better presenter would definitely be something I would recommend.

Their next scheduled event is Monday, September 21, from 6pm-6:30pm, and the theme is Napa Reds. For more information or to make a reservation, please contact Katie Butler at 617-266-5108 or katie_butler@mortons.com.

Morton’s
699 Boylston Street
Boston, MA
Phone: 617-266-5858