Who: Cannon + Belle
What: An intimate dinner featuring wine pairings by Texas winemakers
When: Ongoing monthly, check with the restaurant for the details
Where: Located in the Hilton Austin at 500 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78701
Why: Up close and personal is my kind of thing, so naturally when an opportunity comes up to dine with a winemaker, I say yes.
I’m not extremely educated with wine, I’ll be honest. It’s hard for me to detect certain tastes on the front of my tongue versus the back of my tongue. My gauge is more black and white, I either liked it or I hated it.
So I’m probably not the person to tell you how the wine *Actually* tasted. What I can tell you is about the experience, of dining at a restaurant whose focus is to present freshly prepared dishes sourcing local ingredients. Pair that local, delicious dish with a local and delicious wine and you’ve got a win-win.
That’s just what Cannon + Belle has accomplished with this new series that I was invited to test out on the inagural night. They will feature a different Texas winemaker, and will probably hold these events monthly. They’re intimate, you’ll get to sit at the table with the winemaker and ask them questions and hear their stories.
These winemakers and their wineries are creating a new fandom for Texans who are craving a little bit of Napa Valley. While I can’t say we compare tit for tat to a Napa wine, I do agree that our wine can stand on it’s own. And it tells it’s own story.
This nights dinner was paired with Duchman Wine which is located out in Driftwood and winemaker Dave Reilly shared stories of how he got into the winemaking business, and how the winery came to be.
On the menu were 6 beautifully prepared dishes by chef Yesica Arredondo and her team.
The menu with wine pairings went like this:
Course 1- Mojo Gulf Shrimp paired with a Hill Country Mojito
Course 2- Farmers Markt Spring Vegetables, Flowers + Herbs paired with a 2015 Trebbiano
Course 3- Seared Snapper paired with a 2015 Vermentino
Course 4- Venison paired with a 2014 Montepulciano
Course 5- Citrus Spiked, 72- hour Short Rib paired with a 2012 Aglianico
Course 6- Coffee Sponge paired with a 2014 Canto Felice
Every single thing we ate was prepared with so much thoughtfulness. And the wine pairings matched the flavors and added to the sentiment. The restaurant is beautiful, we had an intimate meal with lots of thoughtful conversations, and if I have the chance to go again I would absolutely return.
If you’re interested in attending, contact the restaurant directly to find out when the next event will be and to make reservations!
Be sure to also follow along with my daily adventures on Instagram @DineWithShayda. And watch my insta stories for behind the scenes scoops on what goes on at these food events!
