Denver off the Wagon

I’m going to be honest here.  I don’t remember much of this night.  Part of that because it was several weeks back.  The other part? There was a lot of wine.  A lot of pig, too.  But also a lot of Colorado wine.  The pictures and the food porn/orgasm menu had to be posted, too.  Speaking of porn, don’t mind the piggy’s mounting (now you can’t stop thinking about it, can you?).

Colorado vineyards have a vigilant ally: Jacob Harkins of Colorado Wino.  We’ve kept a careful eye on him and his work with Club Wino, one way to make Colorado wine (and food) approachable to the piqued interests of oenophiles, both novice and expert.  They had a Thanksgiving dinner that Denver off the Wagon sought out and we continued to keep him on our radar.  The event in January, though, was one hell of a way to kick off 2012.  With enchanting words like “pork,” “bacon,” and other naughty, naughty things.  Combining Colorado wine in a Colorado butcher shop?  You had me at “pig.”

An intimate setting of 20, we sat down to a gorgeous glass of 2010 Sutcliffe Vineyards Rosé and gawked at the menu and the evening journey ahead:

First Course:

Head cheese and paté
Pairing: 2010 Sutcliffe Vineyards Rosé

Second Course:

Blood sausage with turnip purée
Pairing: Turquoise Mesa Colorado Crimson Rhone blend

Main:

Pork kidney with wild mushroom polenta
Pairing: Bonacquisti Wine Co. Vinny No Neck Sangiovese blend (in a JUG)

Finish:

Apple and bacon ice cream in a maple cone from Little Man Ice Cream
Pairing: 2008 Grande River Vineyards Late Harvest Viognier

Yep. So, basically the best meal for a pork eater.  Honestly, the man with the plan explains the courses better.  But just looking at the pictures from that evening makes me want to do it all over again.  You can do just that with the next Club Wino event, “Back to the Butchershop with a friend” where David Bumgardner of Williams & Graham works on game meats at Pig & Block (click here to buy tickets).  Cheers!

About Jess Hunter

Jess is a lady and a scholar. If she's not mulling over the various names of famous mustaches and their respective bitter cocktails, she's nibbling on American Craft Singles and Cantillon. Connect with her by email at jesshunter@denveroffthewagon.com.

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