Wine, Food, Golf & Fun
St. Francis Wine And Food Pairing By Mike L. McColgan, Resident since 1990
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n our quest to dine at all 3000 San Francisco restaurants (800 and counting) and to visit all 600 Napa Wineries (350 and counting), my wife Linda and I recently traveled to St. Francis Winery near enchanting downtown Sonoma. From our home in Danville, it is about a 90 minute drive. . Having been to many fine dining experiences all over the world, we would highly recommend this unique experience. The wines are fantastic and wine club members enjoy access to exclusive parties and wine club discounts. In addition, on your tenth anniversary of being a wine club member, you receive a vine in their vineyard with your name on it. The St. Francis wine and food pairing has been voted number one in America by Open Table Diners in 2013 and 2015. We were not disappointed as Chef Bryan Jones prepared a wine and food pairing that can be described as “Simply The Best.” They offer this exceptional foodie experience Thursday thru Monday at 11, 1 and 3. Reservations are required and the cost is 68 dollars for non wine club members. It is less if you are a member. The pairing is limited to 16 people and the fun begins with the ringing of the large church bell on top of the winery that resonates throughout the vineyard. A knowledgeable wine host leads you into a beautiful and spacious room overlooking the scenic and serene property. You are seated at an elegantly appointed circular table with the menu, tasting notes and wines that will be paired for this unique experience. The menu changes every six weeks and chef Bryan’s passion for excellence is perfectly presented in each of his creations. Our favorite tasting was the King Salmon topped with bacon jam. When paired with the Chardonnay the flavors exploded in your mouth. The menu and wines for our tasting consisted of the following:
Compressed Persimmon & Grilled Asian Pear Red Endive and Wild Arugula | Pomegranate | Toasted Hazelnuts Honey Goat Cheese | Cardamom-Moscatel Vinaigrette 2015 Wine Wine, Estate Cuvée Blanc, Sonoma Valley Pan Seared King Salmon Blistered Sweet 100s | Corn Pudding | Bacon Marmalade 2014 Chardonnay, Wild Oak Vineyard, Sonoma Valley Roasted Tomato Braised Pork Collar Ricotta Gnocchi | Long Cooked Romano Beans | Pine Nut Relish 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Lagomarsino Vineyard, Russian River Valley Applewood Smoked Duck Breast Rogan Josh Spiced Beluga Lentils | Honey-Ginger Eggplant Pickled Antohi Peppers 2013 Artisan Collection Zinfandel, Sonoma County Chocolate Pudding Cake Chocolate Florentine Cookie | Blu del Moncenisio Candied Pecans 2014 Port, Sonoma County We especially enjoyed the 95 point rated Cabernet Sauvignon and the 750ml size of port that was smooth and loaded with power at 21.5% alcohol. We took home a bottle of each. For further information and to make a reservation, go to: http://www.stfranciswinery.com/ culinary/wine-food-pairing/ BLACKHAWK LIVING 25
