By Jolee Pink
Drive up a long bumpy dirt road in the middle of the Valle de Guadalupe to be rewarded by the stunning, modern Decantos Winery built into t...
150 cases produced, Brian enjoyed the lovely perfumed nose and described it as "soft as rainwater in the mouth" and called it "a refined, superior wine."
Raicilla is still produced on small family ranches using handcrafted artisanal practices. Many brand names are the family names that produce the spirit as they take pride in their labor-intensive creation.
On to our third course and two wonderful fish dishes—Wild Alaskan Salmon plated with a citrus rice and spicy eggplant and paired with Chamisal Vineyards Pinot Noir from Edna Valley and a perfectly prepared Seared Alaskan Halibut served with horseradish sunchoke puree and a cherry tomato relish accompanied by Domaine Dupeuble Gamay from Beaujolais. Oh, but we were just getting to the main course!
The restaurant overlooks Monterey Bay and features a spacious dining room and cozy bar. My server told me I needed to try the prime rib eggrolls and am I glad she did! Oh so tasty with shaved prime rib, caramelized onions and a three cheese blend.
Per Brandon “ever since I can remember I've wanted to be a chef and to make people smile by cooking for them. There was never another option for me." Raised on a farm in Marrero just outside of New Orleans, Brandon doesn’t remember the family going to the store much as they raised their own chickens and beef and used whatever was growing outside in the fields for their table.
We chose to walk in the footsteps on the Impressionists aboard Panache, marrying art with our wine tastings. Excursions on our tour included Auvers-sur-Oise, the last home and final resting place of Vincent Van Gogh, Giverny, the home of Claude Monet’s house and garden, and several Impressionism museums.
What I wasn't expecting was another item from the starters, soups and salads menu, fried cauliflower & lemon vinaigrette. I smiled politely when they served it as I'm not a big fan of cauliflower. This, however, was sublime. The vinaigrette was one of the best I have ever tasted and it was tossed with toasted cashews and currants.
