Sierra Foothill Wines Featured on Menu of Outstanding Sacramento Restaurant: The Kitchen

Those fortunate enough to snare a reservation for the fantastic Kitchen Restaurant in Sacramento had an even better reason to dine there in March... two good Sierra Foothill wines were selected for pairing with two of the courses on their exquisite menu.  Each month The Kitchen prepares one set menu with a suggested wine pairing flight. 

The multi-course dinner is a true performance, with all dishes prepared and assembled in the spotless open-kitchen format of this 55-seat restaurant.  Chef Noah Zonca and Executive Chef Randall Selland create wonderful recipes that are a pleasure as both cuisine and works of art.

The first Sierra Foothill wine on the pairing flight list for March is the 2009 Skinner Grenache Blanc, Stoney Creek Vineyard, Fair Play AVA.   It was paired with “Act III – Second Plate”, a warm salad of Sanger lamb sausage with good egg, artichoke, blood orange, frisee and brioche. 

Tasting notes on the menu say: "We've picked a unique and memorable wine for your second course pairing this month. Since the (salad) dish has rich, bright, and crisp elements, we feel this wine has just the right versatility, body and character to make for a great pairing."

In a discussion with The Kitchen’s Chief Wine Steward, Doug Nitchman, he said, "I do a tasting every week, and when the winemaker from Skinner Vineyards, Chris Pittenger, brought in his 2007 Grenache Blanc, I fell in love with it.  When that happens, I always hope that the chef will develop a recipe that will pair ... but as in every good restaurant, the food leads.  So when I heard about the salad with artichoke and wine, I thought:  "Yes! Perfect for the Skinner Grenache Blanc. It seems I discovered this wine at about the same time everyone else did, and now it's sold out.  So we feel lucky to have it," Doug said.

The 2005 Renwood Vintage Port, Sierra Foothills, was paired with “Act VII- Dessert Is Served.”  This gourmet dessert delight included a bittersweet chocolate tart, sweet lime custard, candied pecan ice cream, and strawberry cream.  Tasting notes on the Renwood Winery port on the menu:  “We don’t do a lot of Ports, but we couldn’t resist this beautiful example, which pairs so well with the bittersweet chocolate and lime flavors. “  Doug Nitchman’s further notes are that the 2005 Port was made from the traditional Portuguese varietals Alvarahao, Bastardo, Souzao, Tinta Cao, Tinta Roriz and Touriga.

The Kitchen Restaurant is located at 2225 Hurley Way in Sacramento, CA.  For more information,  take a look at their website,  http://thekitchenrestaurant.com/  which has a video of the dining experience.  Warning: reservations fill up a few weeks in advance!  It is worth the wait!