Caneel’s Möet and Chandon Dinner Fills Guests with Holiday Spirit

 

Guest gathered in the dining room of Estate Turtle Bay for dinner.

The third annual Möet and Chandon Holiday Champagne dinner at Caneel Bay Resort on Sunday evening, December 16, was the perfect way to enjoy the spirit of the season.

The festive crowd gathered on the Turtle Bay Estate House veranda for jeroboams of Möet and Chandon’s Brut Imperial and butlered hors d’oeuvrs including tuna tartar with pickled mushrooms and ponzu, blue cheese tarts with fig compote and baby shrimp tempura with a spicy avocado relish.

After retiring to the dining room, guests enjoyed a first course of Hudson Valley foie gras touchon with apricot mousse and hearts of palm slaw with a port balsamic reduction.

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Caneel Bay wine steward Eric Toles, right, helps staff serves Moet & Chandon to guests.

 

Flutes of sweet Möet and Chandon Nectar Imperial were the perfect accompaniment to the rich foie gras and tangy balsamic reduction.

A pan seared red snapper was the star of the second course. The perfectly prepared fish was served with a tomato gratin and eggplant foam. Revelers enjoyed flutes of Möet and Chandon’s light White Star which paired exceptionally well with the flaky local fish.

Seafood remained front and center for the third course of butter poached lobster with vanilla roasted squash bouillabaisse emulsion and orange essence.

A light and slightly fruity Möet and Chandon Rose was the perfect complement to the lush lobster and tangy orange in the third course.

A tangine spiced lamb loin, served with truffle jus and truffle salad, wrapped up the dinner portion of the evening. The only wine offering of the night, an Afincado Terrazas de Los Andes Cabernet Sauvignon, accompanied the game course. The robust red wine stood up to the lamb and accented the spices and truffles.

Although the seated dinner was over, the fun was not even close to being finished. Guests returned to the veranda for traditional holiday cookies and petit fours.

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Donald Schnell pours Inga Hiilivirta a glass of Dom Perignon 1999.

 

Möet Hennessy’s Latin America and Caribbean marketing director Gilles Veluzat entertained the crowd by sabering bottles of Dom Perignon 1999 which were enjoyed by all.

Paul Auriol, the new regional representative for Möet Hennessy, joined the fun and sabered a few bottles. St. John ceramic artist Donald Schnell even got into the spirit and sabered a bottle himself.

The evening was thoroughly enjoyed by all and guests were already looking forward to next year’s Möet and Chandon champagne holiday dinner at Caneel’s Turtle Bay Estate House.