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So, I’ll admit it. The prospect of pairing fine food with my wine was nothing short of stifling for a wine country neophyte like myself. But I let the heat and my newness to town sway me from my natural born tendencies. I allowed myself to be wooed into making a turbo Beatle climb up the precarious sloping mountain streets of Sage Canyon Road as I made my way to Kuleto’s St. Helena Estate. My purpose: sidling up next to a multi-goblet & platter extravaganza of wine and food delights, otherwise called "wine and food pairing" in these parts. I have no idea what in the hell is and isn’t apropos to start with, so screw the formalities. It’s worth mentioning, before I get too far ahead of myself, that their 2004 estate Cab can be slurped on a “no food required” basis, in the best possible sense. But that said, I don’t want to diminish the savory goodness that resident Chef Janelle Weaver whipped up in the kitchen, nor do I want to do a disservice to all of the other wines (equally sippin and slurp worthy). This old kitty, despite her set-in-her-ways wine tasting spots, was sucked under the spell of a sweet little 2006 berry-licious Zin, and while I love zin, it typically never rules my wine roost, until today. And that’s the great thing about a wineward way of life in The Valley, you’re never too old, or young to realize that the person that you thought you knew, can turn out to be nothing short of a “stranger” when it comes to discovering your new food an
d wineself. There is way too much to call out in one posting, so I will touch on a few of my personal favs, the stuff that most wouldn’t bother to comment on, but hell, someone should, so why not me? I start with my hates, typically one of my all time favorite personal pet food peeves is none other than the deviled egg. Maybe it has something to do with those not-faint-enough memories of awkward thanksgiving days filled with nail biting college football and too-long-of-a-holiday weekend with my family, but I digress. On this fine day, I was shocked to find that in the land of deviled eggs, fresh hatched, does make a difference, as does a sumptuous blend of cream fraiche and a healthy sliver of smoked king salmon, which all but squashed my no-egg yolk tendencies. Then, trying to keep with my light and loose wine/food pairing order, I matched it with their chardonnay, again not my first choice always one to hail to the red wine gods, but I was bit by this wine bug. Food brought this butter baby to a state of fruity pineapple smash, and coming from a self-proclaimed no-chard zone, it continued to cement my sentiments that you’re never too old to learn something new about yourself. I can’t be certain, but a gal or two may have clucked on demand in an effort to get her some more of that stuff. And while we are discussing feathered farm friends, I can’t fail to mention that a duck confit taco with home grown apricot-chard preserves caused me to temporarily lift my no-duck moratorium (sorry childhood duck friends Charlie and Charlotte!). Light, sprightly, but packing a savory punch. And I don't want to forget the chutney, a fruity bouncing delight, I'm not sure what she puts in that stuff, but it sings and could easily be slathered over just about anything. As far as the rest of the food, veg-heads beware, you might want to pitch your vegan selves back to Los Angeles, or wherever you happen to hail from, because if not, you will miss some of the wizardry that Chef Weaver has to offer. On to more meat! Hanger steak hooking up with “baba ganoush”? Yes, you heard me right. And while I pride myself on being a virgin steak hound (no accoutrements required – aside from wine) this little ditty was a pleaser. Who would’ve thunk to pair eggplant, onion and a bit of baba with your beef? Random bit of info, when rosemary is in the house, rub it down! Why? Because, we said so. It smells good and reminds you why food is meant to be savored and sniffed. Especially when Ms. Rose Mary is dropped atop your lamb & plum 
sausage w/Anson Mills polenta cake and then complemented with a fruity, smooth,spicy, flavorful Zin (sorry, it was my surprise find of the session), you too would think about grabbing a hanky to wipe away some fine food and wine tears, from your sockets. But hold the hankie because there were a few more finds. I don’t know about you, but I like my steak (hanger) and syrah (2006) racy, young, and succulent. If you’re bobbin your noggin to this beat, check this shite out, cause it'll fit your fancy. And sad to say, the day did have to come to an end. But lucky for me that equated to sitting perched in a wood rocking chair, amidst a bounty of grapes, with a wine world beneath me, smooth truffle chocolate in one hand and the 2004 estate cab stuffed in the other. Since my move to these parts, I’ve yet to feel closer to heaven than now. Slurpin never looked, tasted, or felt so fine. Learn more about upcoming wine & food pairings. Wacky WineSense rating: 5 Grapes (all the way around).
So, I’ll admit it. The prospect of pairing fine food with my wine was nothing short of stifling for a wine country neophyte like myself. But I let the heat and my newness to town sway me from my natural born tendencies. I allowed myself to be wooed into making a turbo Beatle climb up the precarious sloping mountain streets of Sage Canyon Road as I made my way to Kuleto’s St. Helena Estate. My purpose: sidling up next to a multi-goblet & platter extravaganza of wine and food delights, otherwise called "wine and food pairing" in these parts. I have no idea what in the hell is and isn’t apropos to start with, so screw the formalities. It’s worth mentioning, before I get too far ahead of myself, that their 2004 estate Cab can be slurped on a “no food required” basis, in the best possible sense. But that said, I don’t want to diminish the savory goodness that resident Chef Janelle Weaver whipped up in the kitchen, nor do I want to do a disservice to all of the other wines (equally sippin and slurp worthy). This old kitty, despite her set-in-her-ways wine tasting spots, was sucked under the spell of a sweet little 2006 berry-licious Zin, and while I love zin, it typically never rules my wine roost, until today. And that’s the great thing about a wineward way of life in The Valley, you’re never too old, or young to realize that the person that you thought you knew, can turn out to be nothing short of a “stranger” when it comes to discovering your new food an
d wineself. There is way too much to call out in one posting, so I will touch on a few of my personal favs, the stuff that most wouldn’t bother to comment on, but hell, someone should, so why not me? I start with my hates, typically one of my all time favorite personal pet food peeves is none other than the deviled egg. Maybe it has something to do with those not-faint-enough memories of awkward thanksgiving days filled with nail biting college football and too-long-of-a-holiday weekend with my family, but I digress. On this fine day, I was shocked to find that in the land of deviled eggs, fresh hatched, does make a difference, as does a sumptuous blend of cream fraiche and a healthy sliver of smoked king salmon, which all but squashed my no-egg yolk tendencies. Then, trying to keep with my light and loose wine/food pairing order, I matched it with their chardonnay, again not my first choice always one to hail to the red wine gods, but I was bit by this wine bug. Food brought this butter baby to a state of fruity pineapple smash, and coming from a self-proclaimed no-chard zone, it continued to cement my sentiments that you’re never too old to learn something new about yourself. I can’t be certain, but a gal or two may have clucked on demand in an effort to get her some more of that stuff. And while we are discussing feathered farm friends, I can’t fail to mention that a duck confit taco with home grown apricot-chard preserves caused me to temporarily lift my no-duck moratorium (sorry childhood duck friends Charlie and Charlotte!). Light, sprightly, but packing a savory punch. And I don't want to forget the chutney, a fruity bouncing delight, I'm not sure what she puts in that stuff, but it sings and could easily be slathered over just about anything. As far as the rest of the food, veg-heads beware, you might want to pitch your vegan selves back to Los Angeles, or wherever you happen to hail from, because if not, you will miss some of the wizardry that Chef Weaver has to offer. On to more meat! Hanger steak hooking up with “baba ganoush”? Yes, you heard me right. And while I pride myself on being a virgin steak hound (no accoutrements required – aside from wine) this little ditty was a pleaser. Who would’ve thunk to pair eggplant, onion and a bit of baba with your beef? Random bit of info, when rosemary is in the house, rub it down! Why? Because, we said so. It smells good and reminds you why food is meant to be savored and sniffed. Especially when Ms. Rose Mary is dropped atop your lamb & plum 
sausage w/Anson Mills polenta cake and then complemented with a fruity, smooth,spicy, flavorful Zin (sorry, it was my surprise find of the session), you too would think about grabbing a hanky to wipe away some fine food and wine tears, from your sockets. But hold the hankie because there were a few more finds. I don’t know about you, but I like my steak (hanger) and syrah (2006) racy, young, and succulent. If you’re bobbin your noggin to this beat, check this shite out, cause it'll fit your fancy. And sad to say, the day did have to come to an end. But lucky for me that equated to sitting perched in a wood rocking chair, amidst a bounty of grapes, with a wine world beneath me, smooth truffle chocolate in one hand and the 2004 estate cab stuffed in the other. Since my move to these parts, I’ve yet to feel closer to heaven than now. Slurpin never looked, tasted, or felt so fine. Learn more about upcoming wine & food pairings. Wacky WineSense rating: 5 Grapes (all the way around).
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