Even though I'm not a gamblin' man, Potawatomi Bingo Casino still offers me a taste of Vegas. But it's not the clanging slots that transport me to the desert, it's the top-class dining at Dream Dance, which conjures the fine dining that, after the croupiers and their cohorts, is what distinguishes Las Vegas.

Last night, I was initiated into the Dream Dance lovers club at a wine dinner featuring the youthful and personable David Stephan from Jean-Luc Colombo vineyards in France's Rhone Valley.

The six-course meal, prepared by Chef Jason Gorman and his kitchen crew, deftly matched the wines (a number of which are relatively rare here in Milwaukee). So much so, that Stephan commented that the food that Gorman had prepared to highlight Colombo's wines is exactly the kind of food you'd be served if you visited the winery itself.

A sweet oyster with some kick from a Meyer lemon sorbet wedded perfectly with the aromatic and fresh 2006 Côtes du Rhône Blanc La Redonne, made with 70 percent Viognier and 30 percent Roussane.

The next pour was a lovely, fruity and full-bodied 2006 Côtes du Rhône Blanc "Les Abeilles," accompanied by a seared cube of La Belle Farms foie gras, topped with a hazelnut biscuit and a sweet strawberry compote. The floral nose of this young wine paired nicely with the richness of the foie gras and the sweetness of the compote.

Many might question pairing a delicious, crunchily-seared tuna au poivre with a 100 percent Syrah wine, but serving the 2005 Crozes Hermitage "Les Fées Brunes," with its own peppery notes, showcased Gorman's intuition and his willingness to step outside the box.

Syrah also plays a major role in the 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape "Les Bartavells," which also has 30 percent Grenache and 25 percent Mourvedre. This young, herb-y red was a great compliment to a dish built around a breast and leg of quail topped with a chunk of Roquefort, a swirl of escarole and a red plum demi glace vinaigrette.

While all of the wines - and certainly all the courses - excelled, Gorman and Stephan saved the absolute best for last. Gorman's tender, cured buffalo tenderloin topped with potatoes aligot and a Bordeaux sauce was teamed with the stunning 2005 Cornas "Les Ruchet," for a culinary knockout.

This un-blended nearly black Syrah derives from vines that are more than 90 years old, growing in granite soils, and is aged for 18 months in a mix of new and old oak. The result is a complex, full-bodied wine that balances an herbiness with a dash of blackberry and a hint of vanilla. If there's a better wine to bring out the buttery sweetness of the rare, seared buffalo tenderloin, you can send it to me at the office. The brilliance of this wine combined with its rarity -- I think Stephan said about 600 bottles come to the U.S.-- make its $85 a bottle price tag seem like a bargain (even if it's normally way out of my budget).

As expected at a restaurant like Dream Dance, the service was attentive, knowledgeable but respectfully unobtrusive. Stephan's explanations of the wines was enjoyable and rounded out a perfect evening.