Penultimate Pairing of the Year

By any measure it has been an extraordinary year for wine here at Barndiva. We hosted three sold-out collaborative wine Fêtes with the most exciting winemakers in Sonoma and Mendocino. Won our fourth inclusion in the Best of Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator. Chosen by Wine & Spirits Magazine for SF50, a recognition for having one of the most exciting wine lists in the Bay Area offering an exceptional and - this is crucial for us - accessible wine experience to our diners. It’s clear Chappy Cottrell, our Wine Director/Sommelier has accomplished a great deal since taking the reins from Alexis Iaconis last year. Shortlisted as one of most talented Wine Directors and Somms in the country by Wine Enthusiast, this young man has been instrumental in framing our passion for wines that tell a compelling story of terroir, family, history, and sustainability. He has taken Sommtable Healdsburg to the next level, indulged my passion for TraceBox, and in a year of great upheaval in Healdsburg has been a joy to work with, calm and even tempered, which is exceedingly rare in this hothouse industry. I’m handing him the blog this week to shed some insight on his wine pairings for our penultimate meal of the year. Don’t expect florid overheated pros from this guy. He is droll, focused, and committed to opening the door to a pretentious-free, entrancing wine experience for Barndiva diners.

1st Course: DUNGENESS CRAB SALAD
Oyster Leaf, Crème Fraîche, Salmon Roe

2013 Nyetimber Tillington Brut Reserve Sussex

Chalk, apple blossom, red delicious apple, lemon shortbread, and stone play on the subtle nose, and a touch of flint suggests a hint of smokiness. Nyetimber is one of the original English sparkling estates, growing and producing sparkling Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier in West Sussex, England for over 30 years.

Why This Pairing: Sparkling is a bright, light foil for crab, and the most festive way to kick off a delicious, last meal of the decade. We choose English bubbles because they are 1) superb and 2) because of our changing climate, on the rise!

3rd Course: BUTTER POACHED LOBSTER TAIL Orange Beurre Blanc, Cauliflower Haché

2012 Littorai May’s Canyon Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

Pineapple, lime, quince, yellow apple, pear, and gravel are lifted by notes of orange and lavender. Littorai is produced by Ted Lemon west of Sebastopol where the coastal fog, cooler temperatures, and longer growing season give bright acidity with intense aromatics.

Why This Pairing: Lobster and Chardonnay are a classic pairing - but instead of going with an overly buttery and oaky chard, the Littorai has just the right amount of of age to lend a natural richness from the fruit.

5th Course: ROASTED PHEASANT
Port Wine Jus, Brussels Sprouts, Braised Chestnuts, Bacon Jam

2008 Rinaldi Brunate Barolo

Plums, black cherries, leather, tar and licorice meld together, supported by firm yet beautifully integrated tannins. Made from 100% Nebbiolo, Rinaldi is based in the town of Barolo since the 1870’s. Brunate is one of the top vineyards that grow Barolo wine.

Why This Pairing: Game birds, bacon, and fall greens scream to be paired with an elegant, rustic, mineral driven, tannin provoking wine that creates harmony on the palate. Barolo is the perfect match, with Rinaldi being one of the top producers, and Le Brunate a top vineyard.

7th course: CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY BAVAROIS Passion Fruit Gelée

2017 Domaine la Dentelle Bugey-Cerdon Sparkling Rosé

Strawberries, raspberries, bramble, black rocks, wild lavender & sage. 80% Gamay, 20% Plousard. In a tiny appellation — fewer than 500 acres planted in vines — between Jura and Savoie. Methode Ancestrale is the original form of sparkling wine production where primary fermentation finishes in the bottle to capture the natural carbon dioxide.

Why This Pairing: Chocolate and red fruit are one of life’s greatest pleasures! And as we will be dancing shortly after this course, Port would weigh us down - can’t have that! The effervescent & lovely fruit in Bugey-Cerdon is an elegant way to stay light, yet satisfied, with this dessert.

2nd Course: TRUFFLE MUSHROOM SOUP
Puff Pastry Dome

2016 Joseph Swan Catie’s Corner Grenache Blanc Russian River Valley

Orange zest, Asian pear, mandarin orange marmalade, bees wax, peach pits, pomelo zest. Joseph Swan is a classic, small production producer of Burgundian and Rhone varietals based in Forestville utilizing minimal new oak and native fermentations.

Why This Pairing: Most would immediately lean towards a red wine for truffle soup, however the bees wax, orchard fruit, and baking spice of the Grenache Blanc brightens the viscosity of the soup.

4th Course: BUTTERNUT SQUASH RAVIOLI
Sage Brown Butter, Toasted Pepitas

2010 Hirsch Vineyards San Andreas Fault Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast en magnum

Dark red cherries, spices, game, licorice, savory herbs, tobacco. The Hirsch Vineyards, out on the chilly far reaches of the Sonoma Coast, has been providing fruit to some of the biggest names in California Pinot for the last 30 years, including Littorai and Williams Selyem. The San Andreas Fault Pinot is the Hirsch family's flagship Pinot Noir, and it perfectly captures the essence of the fruit grown on this estate. 2010 was particularly cold.

Why This Pairing: Butternut Squash has a lovely earthy decadence to it, while pasta is the ultimate comfort food. This contrasting pairing is lively with rocky, tart fruit.

6th Course: BRAISED SHORT RIBS
Robuchon Pomme Purée, Baby Carrots, Braised Cippolini, Jus

2009 Opus One Oakville

Black raspberry, crystallized blackberry, smoke, leather, licorice, bitter chocolate and cedar, lifted by violet and spices. Smooth, mouthfilling and decidedly dry, with a lightly dusty character to its flavors of dark fruits, minerals and game. The blend is 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, 3% Merlot and 1% Malbec. The winery was founded as a joint venture between Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Château Mouton Rothschild and Robert Mondavi to create a single Bordeaux style blend based upon Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Why This Pairing: Short Ribs are rich: demand an unctuous wine that can hold it’s own, elevate the succulence of the beef without overwhelming it. As we’re ending a decade, why not drink a wine that is world renowned and will be aging perfectly for decades to come? Honor the past, look forward to the future! Opus One is the bond of America’s potential in wine and France’s history.

there are only a few spaces left for NYE at the Barn so i if you plan to join us, Whether or not you choose to pair your NYE dinner with these remarkable vintages, give us a call to book asap: 707 431 0100.

Rest assured our awarding winning wine list, with over 94 champagnes and sparkling wines, will also be available. Wherever you decide to spend the last night of the decade, we offer our best wishes for a healthy, satisfying new year!

Serving wine, food and the community

Fête Rouge, the last of our three famously collaborative annual wine events, is now behind us. Traditionally the smallest of our Fêtes, it is usually held inside the Gallery at the tail end of November. The Pink Party gloriously launches spring, arbors spilling over with wisteria, everyone on a Rosé high. Fête Blanc, at the height of summer, attracts guests from across the state for its elegant selection of fine white wines and an almost (but this being Healdsburg not quite) Hamptons appeal. Fête Rouge proffers some of the finest red wines grown and produced in Northern California - most from family held vineyards - and attracts our most wine educated audience. But while a red wine party going into the Holidays makes perfect sense - finding the energy it takes to pull it off at the tail end of harvest has always been a challenge. Not this year. Barndiva’s decision to donate ticket sales in support of two organizations who played a huge role in keeping us safe and cared for during the Kincade fires brought out the best in everyone on Sunday - our wine and food partners, our staff, and especially the wonderful crowd who attended. Just knowing Corazón Healdsburg and Wine Country to the Rescue (supporting the fire departments of Healdsburg, Cloverdale and Geyserville) would benefit from all the fun we were having shifted the whole group dynamic. It was a golden fall afternoon that faded into a magical evening. Hard not to keep smiling.

I wrote in the blog last week that in choosing a definition of community which is intrinsically connected and reflective of a particular landscape, with a deep appreciation and respect for what it produces, we have the chance to create durable social networks that can take us through the hard times and be capable of bestowing upon us great joy. I worried what I wrote sounded hyperbolic, a bit pie in the sky knowing as I do this is a highly competitive community. Yet there it was in the garden on Sunday: 22 uniquely talented vintners finding a way to celebrate their individual achievements, together. There was a palpable feeling of relief in the air - that we had survived the fires, that the first big storm was on its way, that we were blessed to have such bounty from our food and wine sheds spread out before us to enjoy. But beyond that was the sense that when the common goal is greater than all of our singular accomplishments this is a community of abundant good will, one that has no problem paying good fortune forward. FYI: Our very existence, fortitude, and future may depend upon it.

Eric Sussman of Radio-Coteau, pouring center, among an illustrious group of primarily family owned and operated wineries that included Hirsch, Hafner, Mauritson, Small Vines, Occidental, brick & mortar, DuMOL, Ramey, Raen, Preston, Vivier, Sutro, Aperture, Rodney Strong, Paul Hobbs, Senses, Newfound, Read Holland, Pont Neuf, Failla, Notre Vue, and Merry Edwards.

For the first time, Fête Rouge felt like a proper Christmas market as five extraordinary food purveyors joined us with an abundance of tastes from their farms and kitchens. We wish to thank Pennyroyal Farm, Preston Family Farm, Jeff and Susan Mall of Volo, and the Seghesio Family of Journeyman Meat Co. for their generosity in supporting Fête Rouge, Corazón Healdsburg and Wine County to the Rescue. (And what a treat to see Ralph Tingle behind the slicer!) We are equally appreciative of Barndiva’s lead sous chef Randy Dodge for his exquisite bites - divine fried chicken sliders, crispy Hasselback potatoes, fragrant arancini and those gorgeous shooters of wild mushroom soup with their beautiful swirls of chive and basil oil.

And, as always, to our hardworking FOH staff, notably Natalie Nelsen, our wonderful events coordinator, and my creative assistant K2 and her children Teagan and Atticus for their work on the hot air balloon- now moored in the Barn for Christmas. Last, but hardly least when it comes to all things wine, a shout out to our wine director Chappy Cottrell who has, in addition to winning us greater wine awards and recognition this year, shepherded all our sell out wine events. Stay tuned.