DAOU's Dinner at Legacy Kitchen's Steak + Chop
On a chilly December night, DAOU Vineyards opened their flagship and finest wines for a paired dinner at Legacy Kitchen's Steak + Chop restaurant on the Westbank. The several-course meal was attended by those curious to try DAOU for the very first time and those who have visited the California winery before and can't get enough of the brand.
As the first course was being set before us, we were told the tale of DAOU. The brand was started by brothers George and Daniel, who acquired a love of French wine when their family settled in the south of France after fleeing violence in Lebanon. The brothers eventually attended college in California and founded a successful hospital information software. The sale of that company allowed Daniel to pursue his passion of creating a full-fledged winery in Paso Robles. George followed the dream alongside his brother, and DAOU Vineyards came to be.
The first bottle on the menu was DAOU's Rose in the most gorgeous bottle. The Grenache grapes are harvested at night to capture all of the aromatics inside. The chef believed that this would be the best possible pairing for a sweet, yet filling first course of Strawberry Bruschetta. The plump strawberries played upon the creamy ricotta and sharp balsamic and basil. This course was quickly followed by the Crispy Calamari and DAOU's Sauvignon Blanc. Admittedly, I'm wary of most fried calamari as it can be hard to attain a truly crispy fry without making the calamari very rubbery, but Chef Kendall Ricks achieved what I thought was impossible. The plate was heaped with just wilted spinach tossed in a lovely, tangy vinaigrette. The small calamari bits were, in fact, perfectly fried with a delicate, airy panko crust that nearly melted on the tongue. I liken it to Munchos potato chips (which I recommend trying at least once). This will probably be the best fried calamari I'll ever have. The herbal, verdant, airy, citrusy dish brought out the light, acidic, and mineral tones of the Sauvignon Blanc.
I felt that I would be drawn to DAOU's Pessimist. The red blend has a very different label featuring a painting of a cowboy sitting underneath a lonely tree in the moonlight. It is immediately robust and possessing. The rapturous wine sparred with Diane Mac, the next course. This intriguing three-cheese bechamel mac-and-cheese topped with the most tender steak tips coated in brandy-Dijon sauce was inspired by Chef Rick's time at the Zurich Classic when he realized that these separate foods would pair well together. While the drink and the food were incredibly aromatic and flavorful alone, they created an intoxicating taste together. The beef was not done yet. A helping of Roasted Prime Rib soon arrived atop a few crisp bacon-wrapped asparagus spears. What could possibly take on this tender, rare, and so-juicy meat? Only DAOU's Cabernet Sauvignon. Spicy and exciting, the high-elevation grapes and 10- months of aging in French oak barrels leaded to more tannins that bring out the deep savories in the prime rib.
Soul of a Lion closed off the DAOU collection, and it was clearly a special bottle. Named for the family patriarch who got his young sons to safety and instilled in them a love of wine, this mostly Cabernet Sauvignon blend's grapes are hand-harvested, chosen carefully to ensure only the best grapes go into it. The wine undergoes two years of fermentation, and it is aged in specially-made French oak barrels. I described the taste as deep but creamy. Others said that it was like a fruit pie. That sense of baked goods and rich fruit was embodied by the dessert of Flourless Chocolate Cake, a decadent berry coulis with a dollop of whipped cream that sat atop, you won't believe this, a pool of brie cheese! This was so beyond any dessert I've had.
I don't know if I'll ever be able to mimic these dishes that I so enjoyed, but at least I know that I can get a bottle of DAOU Wine when I attempt to make Chef Rick's crispy calamari or chocolate cake with brie. Keep up with Legacy Kitchen's Steak + Chop to see when they'll have their next paired dinner. It's an event that gets more inventive every time.
