Bentley’s Wine Steward, Brian Kemmerle regularly offers his insight and experience to help select the perfect wine to accompany Chef Derek Ridgway’s dishes. Here is Brian’s recommended food and wine pairing for this week!
This week’s featured pairing involves our very own Columbia River: King Salmon. The chefs roast it on a cedar plank and baste it with a sauce of Dijon mustard, honey and tarragon. The salmon is then served with a Yukon Gold potato salad finished with prosciutto and fennel.
Usually I like to pair a red wine with Salmon, especially an Oregon Pinot Noir, however the sauce the fish is paired with lends itself more to a white wine. If we were in Alsace, France I would match this up with a Grand Cru Gewürztraminer or Riesling, a local version would work just fine BTW, but since we are in Oregon I thought a barrel fermented Chardonnay would match nicely.
The wine is the 2008 Pudding River Barrel Fermented Chardonnay. Made here in Salem, Oregon with the early ripening Dijon clone of Chardonnay, this wine displays plenty of richness without excessive weight or low acidity. The wine has aromas of pineapple and tangerine with a touch of macadamia nut on the finish. The oak is very well integrated in this wine you barely notice it but you would miss it if it was gone. Cheers!
Bentley’s Grill wants to make your work week easier with our three weekly Happy Hour events: Lounge Lizard Monday, Tuesday Tinis, and Ladies Night on Wednesdays. You can also reap rewards by joining our Facebook Page and checking in on FourSquare. Drop by and meet the friendliest staff in downtown Salem and see why our Happy Hour is the best in the Mid Valley! Specials are only offered the Bentley’s Grill Lounge.
June 28: Lounge Lizard Monday 4pm-close
Relax and be a Lounge Lizard with special cocktails featuring: Belvedere, The world’s first super premium vodka. Enjoy 2 new cocktails made with our featured liquor served with complimentary promotional merchandise (while supplies last).
Lounge Lizard Monday Drink Specials for 6/28
Belvedere Skittle: Belvedere Orange Vodka, Midori Melon Liquer, with pineapple and cranberry juices. Served on the rocks.
Black Raspberry Cosmo: Belvedere Black Raspberry Vodka, DeKuyper Triple Sec, muddled limes and cranberry juice.
Pair up one of our drink specials with an appetizer from our Happy Hour menu that includes Dungeness crab cakes and a Miso Sake marinated Ahi salad and ask about Monday’s special appetizer from Chef Derek!
June 29 is Tuesday Tinis 4pm-Close
Enjoy Martinis in our lounge each Tuesday after 4pm. Bonus for Foursquare Users: the “Mayor” of Bentley’s Grill will receive a complimentary Martini just for being “Mayor”. Not using FourSquare? Sign up! It is easy and fun. This offer is only available on Tuesdays after 4pm; must be 21 with valid ID, must show proof you are the current Foursquare mayor.
6/29 Tuesday Tini Specials
Cuervo Silver Margatini: Jose Cuervo Silver Tequila, DeKuyper Triple Sec, muddled limes and sweet and sour.
*Dirty C.E.O Martini: Chopin Potato Vodka, a splash of dry vermouth and olive juice with three olives.
Paradise Martini: Smirnoff Pomegranate Vodka, pomegranate and pineapple juices.
Tuaca Sidecar: Tuaca Liquer, DeKuyper Triple Sec, muddled lemons, and a splash of sweet and sour.
Wednesday June 30 is Ladies Night 4pm-close
Four cocktail specials, 2 wine selections, 1 beer special and delicious appetizers! Bonus for Bentley’s Grill Facebook Fans! Each week, we will post a special “Ladies Night Facebook Phrase” on our Facebook Page.
The first 25 customers who repeat the “Ladies Night Facebook Phrase” during Ladies Night (4pm-close each Wednesday) will receive a complimentary promotional gift! Check the page each week and invite your friends to take advantage of this fun offer!
6/30 Ladies Night Specials
*Muddled T&T: Tanqueray Gin and tonic with fresh muddled limes. Served on the rocks.
10 Cane Rum Punch: 10 Cane Rum, Midori Melon Liquer and passion fruit juices. On the rocks.
Bentley’s Wine Steward, Brian Kemmerle regularly offers his insight and experience to help select the perfect wine to accompany Chef Derek Ridgway’s dishes. Here is Brian’s recommended food and wine pairing for this week!
This week’s favorite pairing comes again from the Small Plates portion of our menu specials. The dish; two cannelloni filled with chicken, spinach and ricotta, topped with house made marinara sauce and fontina cheese and baked in our pizza oven at 550 degrees. The pairing; despite the chicken, spinach, ricotta and fontina, all white wine oriented, it is the marinara sauce that carries this dish so that is what we will be matching.
Tomato sauces like red wines with fairly high acids, good fruit flavors and subtle tannins. I decided to go vaguely regional with the pairing. The 2008 Tre Nova Sangiovese. Sangiovese is the main grape found in the regional Chianti wines of Italy however these grapes were grown on the Washington side of the Columbia Valley. The grapes were then trucked to Carlton, Oregon and made into wine by the one and only Gino Cuneo, formerly of Cuneo Wine Cellars. Gino has a passion for Italian grapes and this wine is a rare and successful homage to its home country. Cheers!
Bentley’s Grill wants to make your work week easier with our three weekly Happy Hour events: Lounge Lizard Monday, Tuesday Tinis, and Ladies Night on Wednesdays. You can also reap rewards by joining our Facebook Page and checking in on FourSquare. Drop by and meet the friendliest staff in downtown Salem and see why our Happy Hour is the best in the Mid Valley! Specials are only offered the Bentley’s Grill Lounge.
June 21: Lounge Lizard Monday 4pm-close
Relax and be a Lounge Lizard with special cocktails featuring 10 Cane Rum. Enjoy 2 new cocktails made with our featured liquor served with complimentary promotional merchandise (while supplies last).
Lounge Lizard Monday Drink Specials for 6/21
10 Cane Daydream: 10 Cane Rum, Peach schnapps, and orange juice. On the rocks.
10 Cane Rum Punch: 10 Cane Rum, Midori Melon Liquer and passion fruit juices. On the rocks.
Pair up one of our drink specials with an appetizer from our Happy Hour menu that includes Dungeness crab cakes and a Miso Sake marinated Ahi salad and ask about Monday’s special appetizer from Chef Derek!
June 22 is Tuesday Tinis 4pm-Close
Enjoy Martinis in our lounge each Tuesday after 4pm. Bonus for Foursquare Users: the “Mayor” of Bentley’s Grill will receive a complimentary Martini just for being “Mayor”. Not using FourSquare? Sign up! It is easy and fun. This offer is only available on Tuesdays after 4pm; must be 21 with valid ID, must show proof you are the current Foursquare mayor.
6/22 Tuesday Tini Specials
*Pomegranate Margatini:Jose Cuervo Silver Tequila, triple sec, pomegranate juice and sweet and sour.
French Martini: Ciroc Vodka, Chambord and pineapple juice.
Dirty C.E.O Martini: Chopin Vodka, olive juice and extra olives.
Wednesday June 23 is Ladies Night 4pm-close
Four cocktail specials, 2 wine selections, 1 beer special and delicious appetizers! Bonus for Bentley’s Grill Facebook Fans! Each week, we will post a special “Ladies Night Facebook Phrase” on our Facebook Page.
The first 25 customers who repeat the “Ladies Night Facebook Phrase” during Ladies Night (4pm-close each Wednesday) will receive a complimentary promotional gift! Check the page each week and invite your friends to take advantage of this fun offer!
6/23 Ladies Night Specials
*Paradise Martini:Smirnoff Pomegranate Vodka, pomegranate and pineapple juices.
Muddled T&T: Tanqueray Gin and tonic with fresh muddled limes. Served on the rocks.
Berry Burst: Ciroc Red Berry vodka. DeKuyper Peach schnapps, and cranberry juice.
Tee Time: Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea Vodka, lemonade and ice tea .
In addition, we will be featuring 2 Wine selections along with one beer selection . Check our Facebook page or Twitter for updates!
* Favorite of previous week that carries over into the next.
Bentley’s Wine Steward, Brian Kemmerle regularly offers his insight and experience to help select the perfect wine to accompany Chef Derek Ridgway’s dishes. This week, Brian recommends trying something new: Sake!
This week’s featured pairing is for the Tempura Shrimp on the Small Plates section of our menu. Gulf shrimp are coated with a wasabi infused tempura batter and then fried. Cucumber salad, sweet plum sauce and hot mustard accompany the shrimp. You could of course pair this with an off-dry to fairly sweet white wine but what would be the fun in that.
How about sake? How about a local sake? You bet! We are very lucky to have a sake brewery right here in Oregon, SakeOne. They have hand crafted a line of Junmai Ginjo sake in the Japanese tradition and named them Momokawa. We offer four sake in the line for pairing with this dish, the Silver the driest, the Diamond which is off-dry, the Ruby which is slightly sweet and the Pearl which is unfiltered, so it is cloudy and very sweet. Each is served chilled, in our special 4 ounce sake cup. Cheers! -Brian Kemmerle
Bentley’s Grill wants to make your work week easier with our three weekly Happy Hour events: Lounge Lizard Monday, Tuesday Tinis, and Ladies Night on Wednesdays. You can also reap rewards by joining our Facebook Page and checking in on FourSquare. Drop by and meet the friendliest staff in downtown Salem and see why our Happy Hour is the best in the Mid Valley! Specials are only offered the Bentley’s Grill Lounge.
June 14 Lounge Lizard Monday 4pm-close
Relax and be a Lounge Lizard with special cocktails featuring Ciroc Vodka. Enjoy 2 new cocktails made with our featured liquor served with complimentary promotional merchandise (while supplies last).
Lounge Lizard Monday Drink Specials for 6/14
Coconut Mojito: Ciroc Coconut Vodka, muddled limes and fresh mint , with a splash of club soda.
Ciroc Lola:Ciroc Vodka, and Pomegranate juice, topped with a float of champagne. Shaken and served up.
Pair up one of our drink specials with an appetizer from our Happy Hour menu that includes Dungeness crab cakes and a Miso Sake marinated Ahi salad and ask about Monday’s special appetizer from Chef Derek!
June 15 is Tuesday Tinis 4pm-Close
Enjoy Martinis in our lounge each Tuesday after 4pm. Bonus for Foursquare Users: the “Mayor” of Bentley’s Grill will receive a complimentary Martini just for being “Mayor”. Not using FourSquare? Sign up! It is easy and fun. This offer is only available on Tuesdays after 4pm; must be 21 with valid ID, must show proof you are the current Foursquare mayor.
6/15 Tuesday Tini Specials
*Pomegranate Margatini: Jose Cuervo Silver Tequila, triple sec, pomegranate juice and sweet and sour.
L.A. Cosmo: Absolut Los Angeles Vodka, DeKuyper Triple Sec, muddled limes and cranberry juice.
Crown Royal Black Manhatten:Crown Royal Black Whiskey, sweet vermouth and Angostura Bitters.
Four cocktail specials, 2 wine selections, 1 beer special and delicious appetizers! Bonus for Bentley’s Grill Facebook Fans! Each week, we will post a special “Ladies Night Facebook Phrase” on our Facebook Page.
The first 25 customers who repeat the “Ladies Night Facebook Phrase” during Ladies Night (4pm-close each Wednesday) will receive a complimentary promotional gift! Check the page each week and invite your friends to take advantage of this fun offer!
6/16 Ladies Night Specials
*Paradise Martini:Smirnoff Pomegranate Vodka, pomegranate and pineapple juices.
Silver Sunrise:Jose Cuervo Silver Tequila, fresh squeezed orange juice and a splash of grenadine.
Citrus Fizz:Kettle One Citroen and lemonade, with a splash of club soda. Served on the rocks.
Juniper Breeze:Tanqueray Gin, Cranberry juice and a splash of Sierra Mist. Served on the rocks.
In addition, we will be featuring 2 Wine selections along with one beer selection . Check our Facebook page or Twitter for updates!
* Favorite of previous week that carries over into the next.
Come downtown for this Friday’s Willamette Valley Wine Walk and you may become a star!
That’s right, on this month’s wine walk, they will be shooting a segment for Explore the Northwest, a locally-produced syndicated television show with hostess Dawn Holmstrom. This will be their first Salem show!
After attending all of the other fun events downtown come by Bentley’s Grill at 10:00 for complimentary wine tastings and delicious appetizer specials.
This week’s featured pairing is with a new Sea Scallop entrée on the “Specials” menu. Six “dry” scallops are pan seared, drizzled with basil oil and served with black olive tapenade, herbed risotto and grilled asparagus. We have some delicately flavored and tender scallops with a herbal note, which would require a delicate white wine. Salty and strongly flavored tapenade, so we need something to refresh your palate. We would need a wine to cut through rich and full flavored starch like the risotto and a vegetable with a strong green flavor and some char, which requires a wine with low or no tannins and no additional green flavors. My pick is the Chehalem 2007 Stoller Vineyard Pinot Blanc. This wine shows aromas of white flowers, mostly jasmine and barely ripe nectarine. On the palate with wine shows some richness and flavors of lemon zest, licorice and white pepper with some refreshing acidity.
Bentley’s Grill wants to make your work week easier with our three weekly Happy Hour events: Lounge Lizard Monday, Tuesday Tinis, and Ladies Night on Wednesdays. You can also reap rewards by joining our Facebook Page and checking in on FourSquare. Drop by and meet the friendliest staff in downtown Salem and see why our Happy Hour is the best in the Mid Valley! Specials are only offered the Bentley’s Grill Lounge.
June 7 Lounge Lizard Monday 4pm-close
Relax and be a Lounge Lizard with special cocktails featuring Ketel One Vodka. Enjoy 2 new cocktails made with our featured liquor served with complimentary promotional merchandise (while supplies last).
Lounge Lizard Monday Drink Specials for 6/7
Citrus Sunset Martini: Ketel One Citroen, Malibu Rum, cranberry and pineapple juice.
Citrus Fizz:Ketel One Citroen and lemonade, with a splash of club soda. Served on the rocks.
Pair up one of our drink specials with an appetizer from our Happy Hour menu that includes Dungeness crab cakes and a Miso Sake marinated Ahi salad and Monday’s special appetizer from Chef Derek-
Crab Rangoon: Crab meat, cream cheese and spices folded in a crispy wonton; Served with plum dipping sauce $4
June 8 is Tuesday Tinis 4pm-Close
Enjoy Martinis in our lounge each Tuesday after 4pm. Bonus for Foursquare Users: the “Mayor” of Bentley’s Grill will receive a complimentary Martini just for being “Mayor”. Not using FourSquare? Sign up! It is easy and fun. This offer is only available on Tuesdays after 4pm; must be 21 with valid ID, must show proof you are the current Foursquare mayor.
June 8 Tuesday Tini Specials
*Pomegranate Margatini:Jose Cuervo Silver Tequila, triple sec, pomegranate juice and sweet and sour.
French Martini:Ciroc Vodka, Chambord and pineapple juice.
Gin Glimmer:Tanqueray Gin, Midori Melon Liquer, and fresh muddled limes.
Washington Apple:Crown Royal Whiskey, DeKuyper Apple Pucker and cranberry juice.
* Favorite of previous week that carries over into the next.
Wednesday June 9 is Ladies Night 4pm-close
Four cocktail specials, 2 wine selections, 1 beer special and delicious appetizers! Bonus for Bentley’s Grill Facebook Fans! Each week, we will post a special “Ladies Night Facebook Phrase” on our Facebook Page. The first 25 customers who repeat the “Ladies Night Facebook Phrase” during Ladies Night (4pm-close each Wednesday) will receive a complimentary promotional gift! Check the page each week and invite your friends to take advantage of this fun offer!
June 9 Ladies Night Specials
*Paradise Martini:Smirnoff Pomegranate Vodka, pomegranate and pineapple juices.
Watermelon Splash:Smirnoff Watermelon Vodka, cranberry juice and a splash of sierra mist. Served on the rocks.
Bloody Maria Martini:Jose Cuervo Silver Tequila, muddled lemons and our house made bloody mary mix.
Muddled T&T:Tanqueray Gin and tonic with fresh muddled limes. Served on the rocks.
In addition, we will be featuring 2 Wine selections along with one beer selection . Check our Facebook page or Twitter for updates!
Bentley’s Wine Steward, Brian Kemmerle regularly offers his insight and experience to help select the perfect wine to accompany Chef Derek Ridgway’s dishes. Here is Brian’s recommended food and wine pairing for this week!
