(photo: Wine & Chocolate Pairing with Caitlin Riedl.)
There’s always something to crow about at Red Rooster Winery. Whether it’s award-winning wine, food pairing, art gazing, a seminar, or dining in the Pecking Room there’s always something happening at this beautiful Naramata winery. Looking for delicious local foods and a special place to dine? Drop into the Pecking Room Patio and Grill for outstanding local offerings created by Chef Darin Paterson of Bogners in Penticton. Open daily from 12-5 through to October 12th, you’ll find the best of farm to table cuisine. And speaking of food and Chef Darin – absolutely do not miss the Wine & Chocolate pairing in the Coop. Only $5 to tour three beautiful wines paired with to-die-for chocolate made by Chef Darin himself.
The first pairing is the citrus infused white chocolate with the Reserve Gewürztraminer, $21.99. On it’s own this lovely wine is off dry, with citrus and pink grapefruit notes – paired, it becomes ambrosia as it picks up the citrus notes in the white chocolate.
Next up is the dried cherry dark chocolate. Can this get any better? Oh yes, pair it with the newly released 2012 Reserve Malbec, $26.99, grown entirely on the Red Rooster property. Just out for fall, this deep brambleberry, ripe wine with spice, coffee and cocoa is perfection paired with the bitter notes of the dark chocolate to smooth out the tannins. It simply begs for more.
Last little bit of perfection – pair dark chocolate truffle with the Reserve Riesling Icewine $69.90. Oh my! This is the first Icewine produced at Red Rooster in 10 years, harvested on New Year’s Eve. Although an 8 or 9 on the sweetness scale, the acidity of the Riesling balances the sweetness nicely. Add the smooth decadence of the truffle and it all just melts in your mouth. Sip, taste, melt, repeat.
Information about the Wine & Chocolate tastings and other events are posted on the website at www.redroosterwinery.com or get social and get in touch on Twitter or Facebook! You can join their email list to get up to date information on all the fun ways you can interact with Red Rooster.
The new fall releases are out and not to be missed on your next visit to this lovely winery.
~ Terry Meyer-Stone