GOLDEN STATE OF MIND
The Downs offers California-themed wine-pairing dinner
The Crown Room at The Downs Racetrack & Casino is California dreamin’ for its coming wine-pairing dinner. The fine-dining restaurant has teamed up with Chacewater Winery & Olive Mill to offer a four-course wine dinner on April 21. The greet, which includes a free cocktail hour with hors d’oeuvres, begins at 5:30 p.m. Seating for the dinner is at 7 p.m. sharp. The dinner is $49 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations can be made through opentable.com. Space is limited, so reserve your spot early.
The menu is California-themed and inspired by the Napa Valley and northern and central California, according to Michael Christensen, certified executive chef and The Downs’ food and beverage director. Chacewater is based in California and is distributed in New Mexico by JAG Distribution.
“We tasted some of the wine with our rep to get an idea with our chef (Brock Rivera),” Christensen said on creating the menu. “We had a brainstorming meeting on what we could do with what. All the wines are organic. We really want to play on that, and they are gluten-free.”
Chacewater is owned by the Manuel family, which has been committed to organically farming wine grapes since 1990. Chacewater selects the highest quality of grapes from single vineyards, including its own, and focuses on small-lot production. Many of the wines produced do not exceed a few hundred cases, according to information provided by JAG Distribution.
The menu begins with an apple frisée salad, butter-poached prawn with a pancetta crisp and Meyer lemon vinaigrette. Chacewater Chardonnay Wedge Block 2013 will be paired with the opener. Next in line is the second course, of red chilerubbed pork tenderloin and sage polenta with cherry balsamic. It will be complemented by Chacewater Zinfandel 2013.
The third course consists of braised beef short ribs, pappardelle, forest floor mushrooms with Gorgonzola cream. It will be paired with Chacewater Cabernet Sauvignon 2012. The finale is chocolate pistachio soufflé with candied watermelon rind. It will be accompanied by Chacewater Syrah Rosé 2014.
These unique dinners have been a big draw to The Crown Room and usually sell out. Christensen said that because of their popularity, there are plans to host special dinners each month at The Crown Room. Next month, The Crown Room will team up with JAG again. There are plans to do a dinner followed by a cigar and Moscow mule tasting. The cigars will be provided by Monte’s Cigar Shop in Albuquerque, according to Christensen.
“We noticed when we do these dinners, we sell out very fast,” Christensen said. “We want to do them once a month and get more people in to see what The Crown Room is. We want it to be a choice to come here rather than (other finedining restaurants).”
For more information on The Crown Room, visit facebook.com/ TheCrownRoomAtTheDowns. For information on Chacewater, visit chacewaterwine.com.