Basically a lads night in but a bit posher, sit-down meal and fine wines followed by cigars and maybe a card game.
It's my turn to host and have lined up some good Chateuneuf-du-Pape and various super-Tuscans (Brunello di Montalcino, Nobile de Montepulciano) which my fellow Gentlemen will match with similarly full-bodied reds. I'm planning the evening menu and looking for some advice and guidance on what to cook that stands on its own but doesn't detract from the great wines. Basically limit the spices, chilli and garlic and go for earthy but not pungent flavours.
I'd tentatively thought of
Starter - grilled goats cheese salad
Main - Daube de Boeuf, boiled new potatoes
Dessert - Creme Brulee with mandarin segments and an orange ice cream
Cheeseboard
On the grounds that it's stuff that, from the Googling I've done on food and wine matching, should meet the criteria, plus is variously Southern French and more or less typical of the wine regions. But I'd welcome suggestions on anything more suitable, preferably simple and able to be prepared well in advance and served by a chef who may be a bit wobbly on his feet by the time we get around to dessert :) !!
[additional note: one of the six guests is on a gluten-free diet]