November 2009
Menu and Wine Pairing Flight


Leave Your Cares Behind and Come Visit Us This Month at The Kitchen.

Seats Available This Thursday!
Three Sunday Suppers Scheduled.

Our Wine Pairing Flights are designed by our Sommelier Doug Nitchman and feature 5 glasses (a full 5 oz. pour) of the perfect wine to savor with each course. The Flight is available as a comprehensive pairing, by the bottle for larger groups, and individually by the glass if you are feeling non-committal. Our flights are a great way to take the guesswork out of your evening and to try 5 distinctive and beautiful new wines. Enjoy!

Call Bobbie for Details and Reservations: 916.568.7171

Reservations: 916.568.7171




The Kitchen October 2009
Menu and Wine Pairing

- First Course -

Heirloom Squash and Pumpkin Soup
with Smoked Ham Shanks, Toasted Chiles,
Pepitas and Creamed Burrata

2006 Domaine Carneros Pinot Noir, Carneros
$16.00/glass - $60.00/bottle

Domaine Carneros opened in 1989 as the California branch of the powerhouse Champagne producer Taittinger. After experimenting with a bottling of Pinot Noir still wine in 1992, serious efforts with this varietal began the following year. Now, with the 2006 vintage, Domaine Carneros has surely gotten it right. An elegant and European styled bouquet of pine needles, mint and earth is followed up by a soft and refreshingly light bodied wine with flavors of strawberry, raspberry and cherry fruit balanced with notes of cedar, smoke, earth and nicely integrated tannins. Expect great things from this wine, especially when matched up with the fall flavors of Randall’s much-loved Heirloom Squash and Pumpkin Soup.



- Second Course -

Warmed Dungeness Crab
and Meyer Lemon-Curry Potato Salad
with Crème Fraiche, Endive, Fresh Turmeric
Arugula and Speck

to be paired with

2008 Elena Walch Pinot Bianco, Alto Adige, Italy
$12.00/glass - $36.00/bottle

Our second course of Warmed Dungeness Crab and Potato Salad, with its curry and lemon flavors, cries out for a Pinot Bianco. This crisp, medium bodied Italian varietal is versatile and very drinkable with or without food, but we think it has the body to compliment the creamy flavors and textures of the dish while also having a lovely backbone of acidity that cleans up your palate. On the nose here we have tropical fruit, stone fruit, and citrus zest while the palate sings with tangy citrus fruit, citrus blossoms, minerals, and big juicy lime flavors all wrapped up in a finish that shows a touch of honey and cinnamon stick spice. An original and delicious wine for an original and delicious dish.



- Sushi - Sashimi - Crudo -



- Third Course -

New Zealand Salmon
and Seared Butter Poached Sea Scallops
Lobster-Veal Broth, Cauliflower-Salsify Purée
and Bone Marrow Cream

to be paired with

2008 Bodegas Shaya Verdejo "Old Vines" Rueda, Spain
$12.00/glass - $36.00/bottle

Verdejo is one of the best white wine varietals of Spain and makes a wine that is wonderfully aromatic and usually a bit soft and elegant. Stephen Tanzer awarded this particular Verdejo 89 points, praising it as possessing an “intensely perfumed bouquet of Kaffir lime, lemon pith, mint and ginger, along with a subtle peppery undertone. Bracing and sharply focused, offering pure citrus and green apple flavors complemented by succulent herbs and spices. Finishes dry and precise, with the lime and ginger notes repeating.” He also declared it one of the most impressive wines he has ever tasted from the region of Rueda. Our tasting crew found it nicely layered with gravel notes, ripe lemon, peaches, nectarine and lots of luscious lime. It takes a special wine to pair with this unique and complex dish, and this is the one.



- Fourth Course -

Domestic Lamb Chop and Beef Tenderloin
with Walnut Gnocchi, Black Olives, Tarragon, Mint,
Goat Cheese and Roasted Duck Jus

to be paired with

2006 Wolf Family Cabernet Sauvignon, “Phaedrus,” Napa Valley
$18.00 glass / $65.00 bottle

This is one of our all-time favorite wines. Famed Napa Valley winemaker Karen Culler has been crafting the wines at the tiny Wolf Family estate since 1997. As a complement to the long-lived Cabs and blends, they have created a second label, Phaedrus, which focuses on more approachable, younger-drinking wines. This blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Malbec, 13% Cab Franc and 9% Petit Verdot is a great follow-up to the 93-point 2005. This dense and chewy, full-bodied wine is a full ruby-red in color, with deep, brooding aromas of cassis and chocolate-y oak. Aromas of blackberry and cassis and rich dark berry flavors along with espresso, cocoa, and a lush, velvety texture make it well suited for immediate enjoyment. We can’t wait for you to try this gorgeous wine.



- Dessert Course -

Chocolate-Apple Bread Pudding,
Fresh Pecans, Caramel Crisps and
Maple-Caramel-Vanilla Ice Cream

to be paired with

2006 Chateau Grillon, Sauternes, France
$15.00 glass/ $60.00 bottle

This elegant and liltingly sweet Sauternes is the perfect wine for our Chocolate-Apple Bread Pudding, and is such a great selection to savor at the end of the evening. It will warm you right up! We found a classic nose of honey and apricot with supple flavors of honey, ripe lemon, and flower petals with a gravelly finish. It’s a beautiful golden color and has a lovely, long finish. Underlying citrus and tropical fruit flavors and great balance just add to the overall excellent impression this wine makes on your senses and in your memory. Cheers!



- Come Join Us -

We so look forward to seeing you and sharing these wines with you in November.

All the best! Gina, Doug, Noah and The Crew

- November Dinner Menu -

Presented by Chefs Nancy Zimmer, Randall Selland
and Chef de Cuisine Noah Zonca

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Heirloom Squash and Pumpkin Soup
with Smoked Ham Shanks, Toasted Chiles,
Pepitas and Creamed Burrata

~~~

Warmed Dungeness Crab
and Meyer Lemon-Curry Potato Salad
with Crème Fraiche, Endive, Fresh Turmeric
Arugula and Speck

~~~

Sushi ~ Sashimi ~ Crudo

~~~

New Zealand Salmon
and Seared Butter Poached Sea Scallops
Lobster-Veal Broth, Cauliflower-Salsify Purée
and Bone Marrow Cream

~~~

Domestic Lamb Chop and Beef Tenderloin
with Walnut Gnocchi, Black Olives, Tarragon, Mint,
Goat Cheese and Roasted Duck Jus

~~~

Chocolate-Apple Bread Pudding,
Fresh Pecans, Caramel Crisps and
Maple-Caramel-Vanilla Ice Cream

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Seats will fill up quickly, so please make reservations soon.
Please contact The Kitchen at 916.568.7171


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