J.Wilkes winemaker dinner
Aloha e Buon Giorno,
 
Executive Chef Rodney Uyehara has again created a unique and delicious, six-course wine-paired menu on which he collaborated and will present together with J.Wilkes winemaker Wes Hagen.
 
Limited to sixty guests, this one-night-only wine pairing, six-course dinner will feature delicacies such as a Polpi Amuse-bouche, a tasty braised grilled octopus salad with Tobiko Caviar and Olokai sea asparagus, paired with Ferrari Rose which has a delicate harmony between the elegance of Chardonnay and the structure of Pinot Nero. The refined bouquet of berries in this wine will set the palette up perfectly for the culinary delights to follow.

The antipasta is a house-made Scaloppine al Burro Bianco, a succulent jumbo pan-seared scallop nestled on a bed of lightly-sauteed kale with heirloom tomatoes, drizzled with Asian Pear Italian Beurre Blanc sauce and paired with a 2017 J.Wilkes Pinot Blanc. This delicious white wine has round, ripe stone fruit on the attack, layered with stony minerals in the mid-palate and finishing with refreshing structure and mouth-watering acidity.Viaggio Restaurant General Manager, Gregg Fraser said, “We are excited to welcome and partner with J.Wilkes Wines for this next in our series of six-course, summer wine-pairing dinners which bring together delicious Italian-inspired cuisine with the distinct flavors of California’s Central Coast region Santa Maria Valley wines.”
Cioppino Frutti di Mare paired with 2017 J.Wilkes Chardonnay marks the halfway point of this sumptuous dinner. The seafood medley of Kauai prawns, calamari, lobster, clams and fresh fish are slow-simmered in Chef Rodney’s Signature saffron, tomato broth pairs perfectly with the Chardonnay’s hints of Granny Smith apple, wet chalk, savory French oak and browned butter.

Red wine lovers get ready for this next course which pairs Italian Sausage and Canellini Bean Cassoulet, Chef Rodney’s special pork and bean stew, served au gratin, andJ.Wilkes 2017 Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir. Watch out as red and blueberry fruit seemingly leap from the glass of this bright aromatic wine.

The menu now moves on to a classic, but too rarely seen, succulent Veal Marsala served with mushrooms and Marsala wine sauce. It’s now time to bring out the big guns and this tender veal is paired with 2017 Wilkes Cabernet Sauvigon with integrated flavors of ripe blackberry, dark-roasted coffee and chocolate, integrated with fine tannins and a long, fruit-filled finish.
 
The Gran Finale of this sumptuous dinner is none other than the historic wine of Ferrari Trento, Ferrari Brut Champagne accompanied by Dark Chocolate and Orange Wafer Cookies.
 
Ebullient J.Wilkes winemaker, Wes Hagen said, “ You really know that life is treating you kindly when you get to come to Hawaii and pair the great wines of Central California with the exquisite flavors inspired by Italian cuisine” He added, “ I wish to thank Gregg, Chef Uyehara and all the Viaggio Restaurant team for their hospitality and this opportunity to showcase our J.Wikes wines.”
 
Click here for tickets or call for reservations (808)-592-8881
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