Wine Dinner at The Katharine

          The Katherine Brasserie & Bar (Kimpton Cardinal Hotel, 401 North Main Street, Winston-Salem 27101, (336) 761-0203, katharinebrasserie.com) hosted a wine dinner on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Winemaker Michele diAprix presented several of her own wines along with a few others made by her friends and/or mentors in Bordeaux, France. She is American. An American woman making wine in Bordeaux- that’s really unusual!

          Executive Chef Danny Tippetts created dishes to pair with each wine.

          We started with Maz Caz Blanc, a minerally white blend of Roussanne (51%) and Grenache Blanc (49%).

         Chef served an amuse with this, a lightly chilled oyster with apple-ginger mignonette and cucumber water granita, seasoned with tarragon. My wife cannot eat oysters, but she slurped that mignonette with relish! (And I enjoyed a second oyster.)

        Round “Une” was Maz Caz Rose’. This is a blend of Grenache (60%) and Syrah (40%), producing hints of raspberry. 

        Hamachi Aguachile was the food pairing. Hamachi is a mildly flavored white fish, in this case marinated in lime juice, yuzu scented oil, and Calabrian chili, with avocado and fine diced cucumber, plus an orange wedge- a Japanese inspired preparation. 

        Course “Deux” featured Pierre Angulaire Blanc, a classic French Sauvignon Blanc, with mild grassy undertones plus green apple and pear notes. 

        Fried Chevre (goat cheese) was enhanced with pickled strawberry, balsamic gastrique, pea tendrils, and two wedges of crisp toast.

        Michele diAprix made all three of these wines. We not only liked them, we thought they were especially noteworthy for high food friendliness, and a strong value at $17/bottle.

        For our “Trois” course, we enjoyed Chateau des Fougeres, a red from the Graves region, Cabernet Sauvignon (60%) and Merlot (40%), vintage 2015. The Merlot softens the tannins of the Cabernet. We noted light leather fragrances on the nose.

        Chef paired this with Confit Cornish Game Hen, cannellini beans, crisp bacon, carrots and carrot tops. 

        Domaine Simon Blanchard Village, another red blend of Merlot (85%) and Cabernet Franc (15%), vintage 2020, and Domaine Simon Blanchard au Champ de la Fentre, 100% Merlot, vintage 2019, led Round “Quarte.” Both are from Saint-Emilion. 

        These are bigger, more robust wines that paired beautifully with New Zealand Lamb Loin, roasted beet puree, Swiss chard, radish slices, and blackberries. 

       Course “Cinq” was based on Pentimento, a blend of Merlot (75%) and Cabernet Franc (25%) from Bordeaux, vintage 2018. 

        A tender, lean, moist cylinder of Elk Tenderloin joined Peruvian potatoes, Comte’ fondue, and mellow leeks on the plate, a mellifluous match for the wine.

        Dessert was Japanese Cheesecake with berry compote, dark chocolate, and freeze-dried blueberries.

          These wines are not widely distributed. They will be available for a limited time at Zeto (corner of 335 Battleground Avenue and West Lindsay St, Greensboro 27401, (336) 574-2850, zetowines.com).

        And The Katharine continues to sustain its level in the most elite echelon of Triad restaurants.