Top Wine & Food Pairing Wineries in Northern California

CHEFS AND OTHER WINE PROFESSIONALS REVEAL THEIR FAVORITE PAIRINGS

Locating wineries that offer wine and food pairings, especially in their tasting rooms, is not easy. But when you light on such an establishment, you are in for a treat. My first such discovery was when I was casually wine tasting with a friend a few years ago and stumbled on J Winery. What a guilty pleasure to not just nibble on a cracker, but to indulge in a complex, artistically arranged and delicious bite followed by a perfect sip.

As I did in the article, Top Wine/Food Pairing Restaurants in the Napa Valley, I will start with each winery professional’s favorite pairing, followed by his or her methodology. A guide appears at the end of the article listing several wineries that provide food and wine pairing programs in northern California.

J WINERY - Tempura prawns with spicy citrus-ginger aioli paired with J Vintage Brut

The Executive Chef: Mark Caldwell
“The above pairing really has it all. The effervescence and acidity of the J Vintage Brut cleanses the palate of the oiliness and creaminess of the prawn and aioli. The lime juice and zest accents the citrus notes in the Vintage Brut. The ginger highlights the finish of the Vintage Brut. The bit of heat from the red Fresno chile encourages you to take another sip of the cool Vintage Brut.” Because I limited Chef Caldwell to one example, he chose the prawns/brut match, but really likes to experiment with a variety of pairings.

Due to the high level of cooperation and communication among the professionals at J Winery, developing pairings proves to be a pleasurable process. Winemaker George Busick sends pre-releases of new vintages, which inspire Caldwell to craft his menus. When the wines will be released, as well as what foods will be in season help direct his choices. “The menus I design are meant to create a delicious play of flavors and textures to complement J’s line of still and sparkling wines. I'll then create a few plates for the winemakers and J’s visitor center wine specialists to try so that I can get feedback from them.”

Between being exposed to his father, who catered for the family’s church, and helping his mother prepare meals for his nine other siblings, Chef Caldwell could not help but absorb cooking knowledge throughout his childhood. But whether to love or hate it? Caldwell chose to love it and enrolled, then graduated from San Francisco’s Culinary Academy in 2001. There, the wine and food pairing class proved most inspirational to him as he witnessed the magical effect wine had on food and vice versa. Upon graduation, he was garde manager for Chateau Souverain in Geyserville until 2003. Since joining J in 2004, Chef Caldwell has elevated its food and wine pairing program to a higher, more sophisticated level.

Having practiced food and wine matching for over seven years, Chef Caldwell enthusiastically describes J Winery’s pairing programs. J was the first in Sonoma County to pioneer such fare when its visitor center opened in 1999. Because of the program’s popularity, management developed three food and wine pairing experiences:

• Tasting Room Flight – four wines paired with four sumptuous hors d’oeuvres, commencing with J’s signature sparkling wine; $25/person, daily 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; reservations not required
• Reserve Tasting Salon Flight (the Bubble Room) – two selections of sit-down flights, which may change with the seasons; $55/person, Fri-Mon 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; reservations strongly recommended:
  • Indulgence Flight: four sparkling wines accompanied by a selection of Tsar Nicoulai caviars or four Russian River pinot noirs with braised short ribs and artisanal cheeses
  • Russian River Spring Flight: one sparkling, one chardonnay and two pinot noirs matched with scrumptious appetizers
  • Essence Tasting: seven-course wine and food pairing, vineyard tour, wine education and refined hospitality; $200/person, Thursdays only from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; reservations must be made two weeks in advance; eight maximum guests per week.
• Terrace Tasting Flight (warmer months) – sparkling wines and Russian River varietals paired with an epicurean presentation of cheeses, pâtés, and cured meats from local farms including Pugs Leap Farm, Jasper Hill Farm, and Cowgirl Creamery; $35/person, Thu-Mon 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; reservations not required.