Silver Trident Winery A Unique Experience – From Potato Chips to Pizzetta Pairings!
Background
Not a typical way to start a wine tasting experience for sure. To start with the two owners coming out of the hospitality and travel industry, opened their doors in Yountville in 2015. Their goal was to feature handcrafted artisan wines specifically showcasing Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and a Napa Valley red blend. They produce approximately 3,800 cases in total per year. They hired Kari Auringer as the winemaker. Kari worked for ten years under the noted Celia Welch (Scarecrow and many more). One of the primary goals of the winery was to feature richly layered wines with complexity and depth.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Bob Binder, one of the owners invited us to taste their new pizzetta offering. Kim was our host for the tasting.
A Tasting Home verses a Tasting Room
They set out to create a comfortable environment where customers felt relaxed, like being at home. Through various past connections with Ralph Lauren Home Collection, artists and galleries, essentially all the items in the “home” are available for purchase. This includes furniture, floor coverings, artwork, glasses and serving trays.
The feeling enjoyed while going through a tasting is intimate, warm and beautifully appointed living room, dining room or library. They recently moved to a new location that allows them use of the kitchen. By appointment only and no tasting bar, no rush and no standing on your feet while proceeding down the wine lineup.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
For today’s event they hosted us in the Woodlands Room, and they have two other dedicated tasting rooms in “their home”. The other two rooms are the Living Room and The Horse and Hound Room, each decorated with the appropriate theme and comfort.
Photos ©Michael Kelly
Wine Pairing with Potato Chips?
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Yes, that is correct! Different, yes. Unique, yes. Odd, yes. Did it work – yes! It started out as an “aha moment” when one of the owners was served wine and potato chips on a flight. He enjoyed the textual crunch and salt with his wine. So, before the next visit to Yountville, he asked his staff to seek out potato chips from around the world! Then when all were gathered in Yountville, six of them proceeded through wine and potato chips to develop the pairing available today. They call this event the Potato Chip Extravaganza tasting.
While I have been to hundreds of wine tasting and pairings, this was a first for me! Truth be told, I was both excited and skeptical as to how this would unfold and taste. We were greeted in the foyer with a pouring of Rosé of Pinot Noir. Then escorted to the library where it was paired with Zapp’s Cajun Crawtators potato chips. Astonishment and delight were the first impressions. The pairing seemed “other worldly” as it transcended typical common sense and reasoning, yet the symbiotic relationship was solid. A smile on our face with this first taste must blow away the working staff. We continued the afternoon through the various selection of wines and chips with dark chocolate in the end to round out a reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. This pairing is still available today.
An Added Wine Pairing of Artisan Pizzetta’s
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Recently they added artisan pizzettas, small slices of pizza done as they refer to in the Detroit style with a focaccia crust. Each is unique and created for each wine. The first pairing was mind boggling delicious and unique! The wine was their Rosé of Pinot Noir with butternut squash, feta, basil and hot honey! The aromatics were enticing and engaging. Would never have thought this could possibly taste so wonderful but it was one of the best of today’s experience. The wine with its luscious fruit of strawberry and raspberry filled the mouth. This bright lively wine with acidity paired like a “broken in” baseball mitt.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The second pizzetta pairing was with their Sauvignon Blanc named Symphony no. 9. The pizzetta was goat cheese, golden beet, red onion and shiso. The wine possessed great minerality and stone fruits. Lemon grass with softer tropical fruits provided a fullness in the mouth and balanced acidity. At a previous visit, I purchased this wine and left today buying more of it!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
We now switched over to their red wines. They offer four red wines being Pinot Noir, a Red Blend, Cabernet Sauvignon and a Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
On the left is their Pinot Noir called “Benevolent Dictator” paired with a tasty duck confit, spiced balsamic, peppercress. The wine was one of the better Pinot Noir tasted in some time. The grapes come from Dutton Ranch. Black cherry aromas on the nose begged you to take your first sip. Combining two Pinot Noir clones in equal portions, 667 and 777 provided a flavorful and impactful tasting. Using partial whole cluster fermentation, the spices and tannins danced in the mouth. Additionally using 100% French oak, with 50% being new and 50% being two-year-old. This was my favorite wine of the day and again purchased a couple of bottles!
On the right is their red blend called the 2021 “Playing with Fire” that is a blend of 65% Malbec, 25% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. A beautiful dark coloring with bold dark fruit and an embracing texture. This was paired with red wine braised beef, garlic confit and fennel pollen and one of the favorites of the day.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The last pizzetta pairing was with their Cabernet Sauvignon called “Twenty-Seven Fathoms”. With Bob in the cruise ship business this was his nod to the old world versus the new world production of Cabernet Sauvignon. During his passages of the Panama Canal (separating California production from European production of Cabernet), the canal channel is twenty-seven fathoms deep, a nice play on words with significant meaning. The wine, a 2018 was everything you would expect from a classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. On the eyes dark and mysterious. On the nose, blueberries and raspberries waft into the senses full throttle. On the palate, a touch of soft vanilla pipe tobacco with the fruits rounds out the tasting. The tannins have the right portions of “edginess” without dominating the finish. It is 100% Napa Valley fruit with 98.5% Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville and 1.5% Malbec from St Helana. Barreled in 100% French oak with 65% being new.
The pizzetta pairing was hands down the best of the day! It was Maitake mushrooms, Raclette cheese and thyme. The cheese and wine paired and contrasted excellently. It was an orchestrated Yin and Yang with complementary forces. Again, thought so highly of this wine and pizzetta pairing left purchased a bottle for the cellar. Next up is to get some of the pizzetta to bring home!!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
While we believed that was the conclusion of the tasting, Bob brought by a bottle and poured a taste of their premier wine called “Friends and Family” Cabernet Sauvignon. An extremely smooth and delightful wine. A special treat and very much appreciated.
The conclusion for the day is a high recommendation for this boutique winery and their unique food pairings without a doubt. There is nothing that could be improved in the wines, the pairings, hospitality and ambience. A winning assortment of wines and enhanced with potato chips and now with gourmet pizzetta’s.
Sláinte,
Michael
October 20, 2024 at 8:14 pm
Love Silver Trident and Bob. We were in the wine club for years. One day we were tasting at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and it was late in the day and we wanted one more tasting. Our server there suggested Silver Trident and we headed over and fell in love. Had an amazing tasting with a guy named Brian and we even bought some RL wine glasses and decanter. We got to know Kari a little bit which led us to Cornerstone. At the time, they had what I considered a “next level” food pairing and never warmed up to potato chips after that. I’ll have to try the new pairings out. We’ve sent so many people there and have gotten nothing but rave reviews back. Also, they’re right across the street from Bistro Jeanty, one of our faves. We try to book a tasting at ST followed by a great meal at BJ. Perfect day!