I had the great pleasure Saturday evening of being surrounded by the scent of truffles. About forty lucky guests enjoyed the multi-course tasting menu prepared by Chef Erik Brown and his talented kitchen staff at Amuse Restaurant here in Ashland, while I had the simple task of providing a few wines and strolling the dining room to breathe in the heady aromas which rose from the various dishes.

To start, as always, an “amuse bouche”:

Here is Erik, shaving a black truffle over the second course, a celeriac soup served with my 2008 William Augustus Cabernet Franc.

We had started planning about two months ago, with a tasting of multiple vintages of Velocity, my new Cabernet franc, two vintages of viognier-marsanne, and even my long sold-out rosé, of which I had just one case left in my personal cellar.

Erik and Ben put together magnificent pairings throughout the meal, from the belgian endive radiccio salad with duck confit and truffle vinaigrette, to the celeriac soup and the wild boar risotto.

Dessert was an astounding truffle crème bruleé tart whose flavors lingered on the palate for nearly an hour after I had the good luck to drop in and have a nibble before the dinner started.

I have heard of the scent of truffles being intoxicating, but had never before experienced first-hand the near blissful state this modest little fungus could produce.

Erik gave me three truffles to take home – like gold! – and tonight I’ll try my hand at a risotto, though sadly without the wild boar. Or the culinary wizardry – but I will try to do them justice.