Napa’s Ancien Wines Featured at Makena Dinner

A Madagascar Grilled Prawn from a previous Makena wine dinner. Photo by Vanessa Wolf

By Vanessa Wolf

On Monday, March 10, Napa Valley’s Ancien Wines will be featured at Makena Beach & Golf Resort’s March Winery of the Month dinner.

Established in 1992, Ancien produces exclusively Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris wines.

Held in the resort’s Molokini Bar & Grille, Ancien founder and winemaker Ken Bernards will be on hand to discuss the pairings and share his unique approach to wine making. With a degree in chemistry and the outlook that wine making is an art form, the resort states that Bernards is “widely acknowledged as one of California’s visionary winemakers.”

The dinner features five courses designed by Molokini Bar & Grille’s Chef De Cuisine Kurt Lesmerises and paired with special wine selections from Ancien.

The menu starts with an amuse bouche of a Hamachi Tower featuring pickled radish, garden cucumber, fresh shiso, chili cream and yuzu sauce and paired with the Carneros “Sangiacomo Vineyard” Pinot Gris 2012.

Courtesy image

Next, enjoy Sonoma “Red Dog Vineyard” Pinot Noir 2008 with New Style Ahi Sashimi made with fresh island tuna, local avocado, jalapeño, fresh lime and garden herbs.

Cedar Wrapped North Pacific Salmon infused with blood orange and prepared with local lemon, parsley and dill is accompanied by wheat berries, steamed white asparagus and spring rhubarb gastrique. The dish is paired with Carneros Chardonnay 2012.

You’re about halfway there and it’s Whole Roasted Veal Strip Loan time.

Attendees can anticipate Wisconsin milk-fed veal, “lightly seasoned and roasted to perfection” and accompanied by Kumu Farm’s wax beans, Kabocha squash puree, and bitter cherries and served with a glass of Carneros Pinot Noir 2011.

Makena Beach’s Steak Au Poivre from an earlier wine dinner. Photo by Vanessa Wolf

The final savory course finds Roast Muscovy Duck Breast served with a macadamia nut-crusted Molokai sweet potato croquette and butter-braised baby bok choy and washed down with Russian River “Jouissance” Pinot Noir 2012.

To wrap it up, enjoy a port wine sabayon over fresh Kula strawberries.

The dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. and tickets are $100 per person. Make your reservations by calling 808-875-5888.