Love learning about food and wine pairings? Then you may want to become the newest member of the Tasters Guild International — a US nationwide society of foodies/wine-lovers who gather together with their local chapters to geek out on all things culinary.
While wine tasting at this year’s SF Pinot Days, I was lucky enough to meet John Engstrom and Jim Lipman of California’s only living Tasters Guild chapter, the Diablo Tasters Guild located in the San Francisco East Bay Area. They were kind enough to invite me to one of their monthly get-togethers where they sync a local restaurant’s venue and cuisine with a California winery. This month the Guild featured food with an Italian flare from Buon Appetito in Fremont alongside some Spanish-inspired wine from Bodegas Paso Robles.
Photos with Captions Below. See the Full Review at GirlsonFood.net
For those who have never attended a food and wine pairing event, it can be a bit overwhelming. Especially when the hosting winery provides not one, but two glasses per course. It can be a lot to take in — both physically and mentally — luckily we had the expert guidance of Heather Gray, General Manager of Bodegas Paso Robles.
Before each course, Heather would stand and talk a little bit about each wine and how and why she felt they would pair well with the accompanying meal. Of course the fun part is taste-testing ourselves and discussing our own experiences and preferences.
Course 1: Carpaccio di Salmone Affumicato (Thinly sliced smoked salmon, topped with fresh Arugula, red onions and capers)
Course 2: Penne al Pomodoro Naturale (Tube pasta with light marinara sauce, fresh chopped tomatoes, basil & garlic).
Course 3: Risotto con Agnello e Funghi (Italian Arborio rice with roasted lamb, mushrooms, grilled fennel, red wine and Parmesan cheese)
Course 4: Formaggi Misto (Assorted cheeses featuring Parmesan, Ricotta salata, and Manchego)
Course 5: Souffle al Cioccolato (Chocolate soufflé with crème)
Hungry for More?
Of course this was a study of one dinner and one winery . There’s so much more to learn in the world of food and wine pairing — that must be why the Diablo Tasters taste every month. And with the intimate setting and knowledgable hosts, guests are guaranteed to learn something at every sitting.
For more information about Diablos Tasters Guild, including how to get on the guest list or how to start your own local chapter, contact either Jim or John on the Diablo Tasters Guild website.
Of course it wouldn’t be Stacy on Wine without a silly Stacy selfie…
Bodegas Paso Robles General Manager Heather Gray and Stacy Briscoe (…after drinking wine…)
BriscoeBites officially accepts samples as well as conducts on-site interviews. Want to have your wine event, wine, winery or tasting room featured? Please visit the Sample Policy page and then Contact Me directly. Cheers!
