Went to a marvelous wine-maker dinner last night at Pesce Fresco, one of our favorite local eateries. It was a multi-course dinner (appetizers, salad, fish, “intermezzo,” main course, dessert) with a variety of wines from Inspiration Vineyards, a small Sonoma winery.
The wines were very nicely matched with the courses served. a crisp Viognier (with a variety of appetizers), a food-friendly (and spicy and remarkably tasty) Chardonnay (with a greens / vinaigrette / chevre / duck confit salad), a light burgundian Pinot Noir (very tasty and stood up to a grilled escolar with puttanesca), and a pair of light (though not spectacular) Zinfandel and Syrah wines (to go with a pair of tenderloins and, and to nurse through to a panna cotta with tuaca cream dessert).
We were lucky enough to be seated with Jon Phillips, the wine maker and owner, and we also had some nice chats with Joel, Pesce Fresco’s owner. Inspiration a very small winery, so it’s not likely you’ll find it in too many stores, but I’ll be keeping my eyes open, and if we’re out in that neck of the woods any time soon we may just drop in to say high.