Wine Pairing Dinner

My group of friends here in Las Vegas do a weekly dinner/game night. A different person hosts every week, and everyone brings a dish or wine. This week was Leigh's birthday, and her birthday wish was for us to do an actual wine pairing dinner, where each course was paired with an appropriate bottle of wine. It was my turn to host, the first time at my new place, and I was thrilled at the night's theme.

The menu:
- Goat cheese Camembert and baked brie with a Pinot Noir (and a Petit Sirah while we waited for the next course)
- Grilled salmon on a bed of sautéed spinach and mushrooms with a Grenache Blanc
- Salad tossed with tomatoes, artichokes, avocados, and goat cheese topped with roasted duck with a Chateauneuf du Pape
- Cider-glazed lamb chops served on mashed potatoes with a Zin
- White chocolate cake (compliments of Sam) with an orange Muscat

I had so much fun cooking, well, helping Brad in the kitchen. The food was delicious, which was Brad's doing, and the wines went perfectly with each dish. We never got around to playing a game because we were having such good conversation, and before we knew it, it was 1am. Leigh, Brian, and Sam turned it in to a sleepover, and in the morning Sam made a soothing cinnamon bread custard.
Brad discovered that the dogs love roasted duck:
Bo was still hungry after her duck and was eyeing the lamb ribs: