Dear Feastlings,
Zinfandel can be a disputable pleasure, Napa Zinfandel in particular. The levels of ripeness the Napa Valley achieves can make for some jelly-jar wines, brimming with alcohol and wanting of balance. For this reason, I personally approach Zinfandel with a healthy dose of wariness and usually some internet searching if I don’t get to taste the wine before I spend on it.
Some twenty-five years ago, though, when I was the chef at the Dish, we poured Storybook Mountain Vineyards Zinfandel. And while twenty-five years ago I didn’t know a tenth of what I now know about wine, I knew that I was fond of it. Storybook Mountain has been in and out of Arizona many times over the years since then, as relationships with distributors waxed and waned, when four or five years ago, it bobbed to the surface of the sea of wine we taste here, and my eyebrows jumped up. It was not only as good as I remembered, it had an elegance and umami character that I’d have been hard-pressed to articulate or even identify twenty-five years ago. I was enchanted. We brought it in. We sold it with glee and pride. We sold through all we had and we went to re-order it, only to discover that it was, again, no longer coming into Arizona. And then, a couple of weeks ago, when our friends Luke and Megan of the Natural Wine Company returned from their California Odyssey, they told us the story of wandering by Storybook Mountain, and happening upon Jerry Seps, owner/winemaker who happened to be there because he, like us at Feast, was a bit short-staffed, and suddenly, the door was opened again. Not just opened, but kicked open. Jerry himself will be here in Tucson on Thursday, September 1, to celebrate and promote the return of the wines. And when I say here in Tucson, I mean here at Feast. We’re honored to have him, this man who produces Zinfandels with a grace and elegance that elevate the varietal beyond what we customarily taste, so much so that we’re having a dinner that night, one that under most circumstances we wouldn’t have: A wine dinner featuring Zinfandel, all Zinfandel, and nothing but Zinfandel. Our reservation software won’t separate the dinner from our regular reservations, so the way to save yourself a seat or two at the dinner is to call us here at Feast: (520) 326-9363. The menu, since it’s likely going to help you decide whether you’d like to join us for this event, is here:
Storybook Mountain Vineyards dinner at Feast
with owner/winemaker Jerry Seps
Thursday, September 1, 2022
Chicory-and-onion-rubbed confit of duck thigh, served with a polenta cake, fresh sage and chicken reduction.
2016 Storybook Mountain Vineyards “Mayacamas Range” Estate Zinfandel, Napa
Koji-cured pork tenderloin with potato-green bean pancake, roasted garlic cream and arugula pesto.
2018 Storybook Mountain Vineyards “Eastern Exposures” Estate Zinfandel, Napa
White pepper-crusted short rib of beef with P’tit Basque cheese, black beans and tamarind-veal reduction.
2019 Storybook Mountain Vineyards “Bottled Poetry” Estate Zinfandel, Napa
A little something sweet for dessert
$100 plus tax and gratuity
We’ve got about forty seats to offer, though some are already spoken for, so think about it briefly and strike while the iron is hot. We hope to see you there.