CUISINE
cabernet will likely embrace Norton: a varietal whose pedigree can be
traced to a Virginia seedling - a favorite of Thomas Jefferson.
As the New Year begins, restaurant chefs often kick off the season
with wine dinners, reaching out to winemakers for limited edition
wines and vintages to create multi-course feasts.
Follow your favorite eateries and keep an eye out for pop-up wine
dinners - those off-the-menu evenings designed as unforgettable
culinary treats pairing hearty, seasonal, stick-to-your ribs gourmet
fare with a vintner’s best picks such as Balaban’s monthly five-course
winemaker dinners.
Staged in an inviting Tuscan-inspired dining and party room,
Balaban’s culinary team, led by Phillip Stemmler, oversees the winter
menus spotlighting two of sunny California wineries: Joseph Phelps
Vineyard and Siduri. Wines rule the menu, meaning wines are selected
first, before the food.
“We develop the menu after choosing the wines – not the other
way around,” said Balaban owner, Brian Underwood. “It’s a unique
approach that customers love.”
To venture beyond the dining room, hit the road and find a winery
where you can warm yourself by the fireside, while raising a glass.
Hermann, the quaint little German town in the heart of Missouri’s
Rhineland, has drawn visitors since the mid-1800s to savor and sip its
wines, especially during the winter months at the Hermannhof Winery
complex, which also operates the Tin Mill Brewery and new Black Shire
Distillery - two options for those who seek something other than wine
to fill the glass.
Hermannhof’s tasting room is open daily with its arched stone wine
cellar open for special events such as the Hermann Chocolate Wine
Trail (Feb. 17 and 18). Check out the adjacent sausage and cheese shop
and fill a basket with locally produced delicacies. Better yet, take that
basket and cuddle up in front of the fireplace in one of the 19th century
restored wine cottages. Each affords superb accommodations with
breathtaking views of the Missouri River that are well worth toasting.
Driving an hour south into Ste. Genevieve County, one soon learns
cold weather doesn’t slow the good times at Chaumette Vineyards &
Winery. Just ask Chaumette owner and president, Hank Johnson.
“Winter is a great time to visit the winery. It’s unbelievably peaceful
after the leaves fall. During the colder months, you can see even more
of the beautiful rolling hills that Missouri Wine Country has to offer,”
he said.
(WINE, continued on page 75)
Balaban’s wine room sits
adjacent to its Tuscan-inspired
party room, the location of its
winter wine dinners
SAVVY I SOPHISTICATED I SASSY
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