Now that Fall is officially here, I’m scaling back on the warm weather rosés and reaching more for indulgent reds and crisp hard apple cider. Much to my delight, I experienced both during the delicious food & wine experience at Dutton Estate Winery.
Hosted in a private room adjacent to the tasting room overlooking the gardens, myself and a group of family and friends celebrating my September birthday were treated to a delicious menu and even better wines.
We started with sipping Dutton Estate’s 2017 Kylie’s Cuvée Sauvignon Blanc, which was light, crisp and fruity – absolutely perfect for the lingering warmth of summer. This was one of my personal favorites from the tasting – so much so that I bought a bottle to take home! I also loved the story behind the wine – it is named after the middle child of the Dutton family, who is dipping her toes into winemaking herself and we had the pleasure of meeting during our visit.
The wine & food parings are seasonal, so the courses we enjoyed were:
- Roasted Carrot and Chickpea Hummus, paired with 2016 Warren’s Collection Chardonnay
- Roasted Grapes with Fresh Ricotta on Toasted Crostini, paired with 2016 Dutton Palms Vineyard Chardonnay
- Mushroom Risotto, paired with 2016 Thomas Road Vineyard Pinot Noir
- Finnochiona Salumi and Soppressata Salumi wrapped with Gouda Cheese, paired with 2014 My Father’s Vineyard Syrah
- Apple Oatmeal Cookie, paired with Gravenstein and Golden Delicious Blend Hard Apple Cider
All of the courses were absolutely delicious, and my two favorites were the mushroom risotto with the 2016 Thomas Road Pinot Noir and the apple oatmeal cookie with their hard apple cider (one of the best ciders I’ve ever had!).
The staff, food and, of course, wine was all phenomenal. We loved learning about the different wines and the Dutton family’s legacy in Sonoma County – including their sustainable vineyards & farms that provide grapes to many other local purveyors!
I absolutely recommend the Dutton Estate Winery food & wine experience – and I will definitely be returning for their next seasonal menu! The experience is $25 per person, and you can learn more + book your visit on Dutton Estate’s website here.
Take a look at photos from my visit below!
Disclaimer: Dutton Estate Winery was kind enough to host me for a complimentary food & wine tasting. All opinions, writing, and photography are my own.
