We just did our 2nd annual wine pairing dinner with my parents in celebration of their December birthdays. My sisters, bro-in-laws, and me plan the menu and then my parents handle the wine pairings. It’s become one of my very favorite nights of the year! I love when we’re all together…and we have a babysitter for a couple hours to help with the kids.

This year we did a Spanish Tapas theme.

The wine line up is below and my fav ended up being number 3 – Caliverda Pinto Noir. Next best was the Valley of the Moon Port. My favorite pairing was tortilla española with Gigaro Votes De Provence.

My dish went first and was an olive tapenade with salt-brined focaccia.

Next up was my favorite dish of the evening, tortilla española with a lemon & parsely mayo-based sauce, which was amazing.

Next dish: Salt Cod Croquettes – I love a croquette. The wine with this one was so interestingly good. It tasted vanilla-y in a nice way (not in a tastes-like-a-candle way).

This was followed by cucumber topped with seared fish and an olive tapenade – tasted like sushi!

Andrew made a skirt steak with two different kinds of chimichurri. I don’t love red meat, but I loved this!

In a surprise to me, I *really* liked this Port and I never like Port.

Happy Birthday to my Mom and Dad! We love celebrating them and the wonderful parents/grandparents they are!

Towards the end of the meal the babysitter headed home and the kids came out to sing happy birthday, do singing solos of Christmas songs, and play. WHAT A GREAT NIGHT! Can’t wait to do it again next year.