The Rocking Goode Wine Social, hosted by Murphy Goode Wines at The Vintage on Magazine Street, was a special affair as The Vintage does not usually host such extravagant multi-course meals. Winemaker Dave Ready, Jr. was ready to introduce his spectacular lineup of vintages with highly entertaining anecdotes about his own life, which includes a lot of Grateful Dead concerts (175 featuring Jerry Garcia). Five courses of eatable and drinkable delights thrilled the crowd that filled every seat. The meal started with Jerry's Acid and Rockin' Burrata. The former dish was an interesting bite of scallop kinilaw and Siberian caviar atop a taro chip paired with Murphy Goode's Sauvignon Blanc. I can't resist a good burrata, and this rockin' one was a more Arabic take on a typical Italian dish with pomegranate seeds and mint instead of basil. This was paired with the Pinot Noir that complemented the heirloom tomato bits that added acidity.
The twin entrees held so much flavor that I took some home just to be able to experience it again. The Truckin' Dan Dan Noodles (named for the time when the Grateful Dead were arrested at their hotel on Bourbon Street) was just incredible. Spicy Szechuan ground pork in a rich peanut sauce upon a big helping of noodles were paired with The Liars Dice Zinfandel, a varietal that could hold its own against the aggressive heat of the noodles without countering the flavor. The Maple Bourbon Pork Belly was a milder, yet highly flavorful dish that was more like breakfast with sweet, tender pork belly and a little quail egg on top. The Red Blend helped the come down from the high of the noodles, too, and segued us into the final dish.
Two Whipping Post Sweet Beignets sat side-by-side, beckoning us to choose between the beignet topped with apple quince or the one topped with creme brule. There was no winner as both were equally lovely paired with the Rosé that had sweet, fruity notes and left us with a beautiful lingering palate.
