Dinner In Sonoma…

When a restaurant hosts a wine dinner, it usually involves one winery with its owner or head winemaker doing the hosting and pouring duties. But Chef Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen is going a different route on Sunday Nov. 10^th, Sunday Supper with Food and Wine magazine’s Executive Wine Editor Ray Isle doing the hosting and pouring some of Sonoma’s most unique wines. It looks like a fine affair with the dinner kicking off with a Hamachi Tartare paired with Cobb, Abigail’s Vineyard 2021 Riesling. Seared Dayboat Scallop is paired with Littorai B.A Thieriot Vineyard 2022 Chardonnay.  Next course is Liberty Duck Breast paired with Hirsch ‘San Andreas Fault’ Estate 2016 Pinot Noir. And the final dinner course being a Grilled Painted Hills Prime Striploin paired with Pax Sonoma Hillsides 2022 Syrah. In a word, yum!!

Dry Creek’s Wine Director and General Manager, Jon Macklem will also be on hand to help with the pouring and tasting and the Insider recently got Jon to do the NSI quiz in anticipation of the dinner. Cheers and enjoy.

What was last night’s dinner? A burger and fries here at the restaurant, did the trick, but the night before had an excellent roast chicken with the girlfriend at home.

Favorite music? Independent, alt/rock.

Favorite drink? Do I have to say wine? But for my second choice, a gin martini with a lime twist.

What makes a great restaurant wine list? You’ve got to have some diversity, combined with price points that can accommodate everyone, with some unique style points that people can appreciate.

What do you love most about living and working in Sonoma? Oh, it’s just so incredible to pour wines here. if I can say it in one word, it’s diversity. In a 60 mile radius, you’ve got fantastic dry, full cabs, beautiful, full chards, sublime pinots. Whatever you want, we can pour it in Sonoma.

What makes a great sommelier? Listen and listen some more. Find out what your table likes in terms of price points and what they’re ordering food wise, then make some suggestions. 

Any brush with celebrity? Mick Jagger came into a place I worked in Denver and gave a long, Nooo, at the place we reserved for him, so we moved hm to where he was happy. I’m a big movie buff, so it was a kick when Joel Cohen and his wife Francis McDormand came in for lunch and then came back for dinner at the same place in Denver.

Any wine, restaurant or trip on your bucket list? A toss up between Champagne, France and Piedmont, Italy with a lean towards Piedmont. Either one would make me ecstatic.

Final thoughts? Just really looking forward to hosting the dinner with Ray and keep in mind that you get a signed copy of his book, World In A Wine Glass if you buy a ticket.