Saturday, February 9th Winter Dinner with Simpatica Dining Hall

 

One of the exciting parts of my job is being able to use the space we have at the winery for different kinds of events. The tasting room is always in motion, and I try to keep the floor-sets and displays interesting and ever changing. Setting up for the dinner was a welcome change of pace. Zack and I spent the afternoon clearing space and building tables which we dressed to give a sense of warmth in a winter setting.

It was great being able to host all the guests who attended the dinner in such an intimate environment. Bringing together some of our Vineyard Club members with whom I have had the pleasure of getting to know in the past year, and some new friends who I am looking forward to seeing more often at the winery, was as much fun for me as seeing the food being prepared in the kitchen.

Despite being at the winery full time, I still enjoy hearing Thomas and Ron talk about how the wines are made, and what they personally like about each bottle. Jason Owens and David Kreifels, pictured above with winemaker Thomas Houseman, two of the Chef/Owners from Simpatica Dining Hall, also spent a little time before dinner talking about how they came up with their dishes, and the techniques they used to put everything together.

The food that Jason, David, and their assistant Xander created was incredible. While the Simpatica crew worked in the kitchen putting dishes together, Zack, Sarah, and I prepared the wines, checking each bottle for correct service temperature. It was also fun finding the right rhythm for serving each course, and clearing the previous setting.

By the end of the night, everyone had feasted, and enjoyed the wines we offered. A few sneak previews were poured as well, like the 2005 Winemaker’s Selection Pinot Noir, which is showing beautifully already, and will be a happy addition to my tasting menu when it is released in the coming months. I am especially pleased to have had the opportunity to work with the crew from Simpatica Dining Hall. Their food was outstanding, they were organized, and very fun to have working in our kitchen.

Thank you to all of the guests who attended, and again, special thanks to Simpatica Dining Hall for and incredible dinner. This was a great way to kick off our 2008 calendar of events. Here’s to the next one- Hope to see you there.

Ksandek Podbielski