Pulehu Wine Dinner Next Week

By Vanessa Wolf

Bo Silliman of SLO Down Wines. Courtesy photo.

Pulehu, an Italian Grill will be hosting a wine dinner featuring Orin Swift and SLO Down Wines next Thursday, Aug. 8 at 6 p.m.

Located in the Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas, the Pulehu dinner will allow attendees to sample some of California’s and Europe’s most talked about new wines.

David Swift Phinney founded Orin Swift Cellars in 1998.

With two tons of zinfandel, he spent the next decade making wine for himself and others. All the while, he grew the company into a multinational brand that now includes 300 acres of vineyards in the southwest of France.

Winemakers Brandon Allen and Bo Silliman (unclear if that’s his real name. Keep reading and you’ll see why we’re plagued with doubt) of SLO Down wines took an unusual – or unusually honest – journey into oenology.

“We began more as college scavengers than wine makers. Freshman year we made our first barrel from a winery’s leftovers. The next year we almost saw a winery dump out wine. Almost. The following year we learned that big wine yards have pretty, pretty, pretty low security at night. Each year our wine got a little better, and by now it is even drinkable.”

Pulehu’s Executive Sous Chef Wes Holder has paired with Tom Traveso of Orin Swift and Brandon and Bo of SLO Down Wines, to present a unique pairing menu.

The evening will start off with Orin Swift’s Veladora Sauvignon Blanc alongside summer Bing cherries, Surfing Goat Dairy chevre, and prosciutto di Parma.

Orin Swift’s Veladora. Courtesy photo.

This will be followed by compressed local watermelon, spicy ahi poke, watercress pesto, sea asparagus panzanella and curry oil; which will be paired with the creatively named Broken Dreams Chardonnay from SLO Down.

Orin Swift’s Locations I (“I” for Italy) will be featured alongside Pulehu sourdough flatbread, coppa, baby spinach, artichokes, burrata and white sauce.

Reinforcing the senses of humor held by the SLO Down guys, the artfully named Sexual Chocolate Zinfandel Syrah comes next. It is paired with a red wine-poached Neighborhood Farm egg, black pepper creamy polenta, Hamakua mushroom and bordelaise sauce.

Lastly, the Orin Swift Locations F (for France) will round things up alongside Yukon Gold gnocchi, house-made bacon, tomato jam and a chard baby romaine puree.

All this decadence will run you $85 per person plus tax and an 18% gratuity.

There is limited seating so reservations are required. Call 808-667-3254 to make yours.

We welcome your feedback. Please let us know if you hear of any new restaurants opening or reopening, total menu overhauls, or simply know of a hidden treasure you want to share. Have a restaurant you want reviewed (or re-reviewed)? Drop us a line – Vanessa(@mauinow.com)