You know for $25 more you can get an amazing meal at Per Se in Manhattan. Just judging by the menu, Id have to say those wines must be pretty expensive/spectacular to make it worth it.

Let's wait and see how many people show up before we declare that we are out of this recession!
Captcha: richest marjory

The coffee alone is $13. Splenda and creamer extra.

Or for half that bill you could have a dinner with wine that would blow your mind at Chez Panisse upstairs.

Clearly the main beneficiary is la famiglia Bolgheri.

I'm with Turkeybone, the food menu alone doesn't look that special. I have no idea about the wines, so I can't judge their value.

At $250 you are in Inn at Little Washington terrority, and the Inn isn't serving up New York strip steaks with mushrooms.

I like Cinghiale. They hosted the Dining@Large sunday supper a few months ago and did a wonderful job for our group. Nevertheless, I'd say their price for this dinner should be between $100 and $150, depending on the quality of the wine.

A few quick google searches suggest that these wines are not inexpensive. I think most of the cost of this wine dinner is the wine.

Oh, and as to the Per Se and Inn at Little Washington comments...do those prices include the wine? I suspect not.

Hal, the prix fixe at the Inn is $150. I'm not sure about wine pairings, but wines by the glass run at an average of $20 there. So, let's just say the pairings would cost $75. Throw in tax and tip and you are in the $250 neighborhood. (I say neighborhood, I understand with tax and tip it would be more than $250, but close enough)

Let's take away places like the Inn and Per Se. How about the Antrim? Take a look at these special wine dinners. They were $125 a couple of months ago

When I look at that menu, I'm seeing things like Escalopine of Foie Gras with Brioche French Toast and Apple, Cannelloni of Lobster and Sweetbread Gratin, and Roast Quail with Butternut Squash and Pecans on a bed of Duck Confit and Chive Potato Puree. These items were paired with wines and included tax and gratuity.

Now, for half the price, wouldn't it be worth the drive to Taneytown?

My per se meal included a "complimentary" bottle of champagne. How about table 21 at volt? With pairings it doesnt break $200.

Now, for half the price, wouldn't it be worth the drive to Taneytown?

Not for me, as I wouldn't want to have to drive back home from Taneytown after drinking a bunch of wine.

I also have no experience with the quality of the food at Antrim. I have a lot of positive experience with the food at Cinghiale.

I also haven't seen a comparison of the wine at Antrim (with the accompanying cost) to the wine at Cinghiale. I've never had a bad wine at Cinghiale.

RoCK, I acquiesce to your demand of taking me to Antrim 1844.

We took my in-laws to Antrim many years ago to celebrate a major anniversary. I really don't remember the food (this was a chef or two ago, I believe). What I remember is that it was a terribly hot evening and we were seated in the smokehouse, which had no air conditioning. We the time we left i felt as if we were the ones who were smoked! It would be a great cozy spot in winter, but it was not ideal in July.

I've been to a wine dinner (the Pugliese one last year, I think) at Cinghiale that wasn't anywhere near that expensive. I'm guessing this one is expensive because of the wines being served.

For some people, from corporate execs to financial gurus, there never was a recession. Shelling out $500 for dinner for two was (and is) chump change. For far too many others, though, even the early bird special and a coupla' cokes at the diner would still put a crimp in the family budget.

Captcha is mind reading again: at shamful

I don't even drink wine. I drink Pepsi.

You telling me that wine is better than Pepsi? Huh, no way wine is better than Pepsi

Clearly this dinner isn't priced for most of us, but it is correctly priced. The in-store retail value of one bottle of each of the wines being poured is around $800. With 3 oz tasting pours the per person retail would be near $100. Keep in mind many restaurants can charge upwards of 300% mark-up. Cinghiale charges $455 alone for the 2001 Messorio (a better vintage than the 02 but similarly priced to the 06 being offered). Add a five course tasting menu, tax and tip and I believe the price is fair.

I won't be attending. fair or not it's too much for me. I find it's best to visit Cinghale on Tuesdays (especially since they recently increased all their wine prices) when the bottles are half-price or on Sunday when the fixed price menu with unlimited antipasti is a good deal.

This event is clearly intended for winos with deep pockets. As Hal Laurent said earlier, there are other lesser priced wine dinners available at Cinghale at different times of the year.

I think the Achaval Ferrrer wine dinner at Pazo later in the month at $145 is a better deal even if Forman will be in the kitchen.

"Or for half that bill you could have a dinner with wine that would blow your mind at Chez Panisse upstairs."

Perhaps, but then you have to factor in the cost of a flight to the West Coast (the food is good though, I'll grant you that).

Maybe I'm wrong about this, but in my experience the wine for these wine dinners is usually provided by either the winery or the distributor. That doesn't mean that I expect Cinghiale to just give it away, but even so... $250 per person seems a bit high.

I wish them luck with this, but I would be very surprised if they have a packed house.

So maybe the two couples in Baltimore who weren't affected by the recession -- maybe they take the MARC train into DC from nearby new condos, maybe a sports star -- will attend. So, that's like 6 couples attending with reasonable prices.

They'd rather serve 4 than 12. Maybe they can just get into the private chef business and not deal with us poor recession burdened Baltimore residents at all. Maybe one of the Ravens with a house or apartment in town will take them "out of the game".

I agree that just like product placement in a movie or tv show, the vineyard has surely given them free product or even paid them or some other contractual consideration (first rights of purchase, dibs on certain wines, etc.).

Also, I don't see super premium items on the actual food side -- there is a glut on the lobster wholesale market now, so that doesn't count.

Okay kids, let's say it all together now: "Balloon mortgage payment". Or "Private school tuition".

I'm only going if Tony Foreman personally flosses my teeth after dinner.

Here's the thing. The evening is not crafted as a special New Years Eve bash or special event off site. The ambiance, quite frankly, is a little shall we say cas for that kind of tab?

I would see a little more sense if it were held at the Walters or at Ladew Gardens. Plus, Mr. Mathematician has it right. This is product placement. Pass the savings to the consumer or the value: a rarer menu.

Make this a special occasion, not just dinner with wine. Or at least benefit a charity.

I don't see a wine listed for the cheese course or the dessert. Just an oversight? No sparkling wine to begin? Don't these wines seem young for a high priced tasting? Foreman should hire me as a consultant. The cheese should be where you pull out the 20 year old Amarone and serve a Vin Santo with dessert.

If you want to showcase the wine then the food needs to very simple. I have found a roast chicken is a good foil for complex wines. The simple foods listed should provide a good background for the wines.

To Elite Elephant Lover

My guess is that the wineamker doesn't make an Amarone, Vin Santo or Prosecco. This is a winemaker dinner; all the wines for the meal are from the same producer.

As already mentioned, in all likelihood Cinghiale is not using anything from their own cellar, the wines are provided to them by the winery (and likely free of charge).

I'm sure the chef has tried to pair dishes that he thinks will go with the wine, but ulimately that's secondary. This is a money making opportunity for Cinghiale, and an opportunity for local exposure by the winery.

The price for this event more or less represents what the restaurant figures would be an appropriate charge if the restaurant actually had to obtain the wines from the wholesaler/distributor. At least that's my understanding as to how these things work.

Food/wine consumption can be a very pleasurable experience. However, the delicacy and intricacy of the wine can be 'lost' when paired with food and drunk concomitantly. Conversely, ordinary and mediocre wine can taste perfectly fine when drunk with the right food. Not that I wouldn't enjoy such an event as this one, but for that kind of money I have to wonder about the value factor.

To Elite Elephant Lover

My guess is that the wineamker doesn't make an Amarone, Vin Santo or Prosecco. This is a winemaker dinner; all the wines for the meal are from the same producer.

As already mentioned, in all likelihood Cinghiale is not using anything from their own cellar, the wines are provided to them by the winery (and likely free of charge).

I'm sure the chef has tried to pair dishes that he thinks will go with the wine, but ulimately that's secondary. This is a money making opportunity for Cinghiale, and an opportunity for local exposure by the winery.

The price for this event more or less represents what the restaurant figures would be an appropriate charge if the restaurant actually had to obtain the wines from the wholesaler/distributor. At least that's my understanding as to how these things work.

Well if I was Tony Foreman I would pull some of my own wine just so I didn't look cheap.

Or like a puppet of the winery.