
Chef David Burke recently held a special wine and dinner pairing at THE GOAT by David Burke in Union Beach. A first of many special theme nights at THE GOAT, as well as his other restaurants, the special wine and dinner pairing featured five of Daou Vineyards’ best wines paired with Burke’s menu. The chef stopped by to personally speak about the courses, which was a fun surprise for anyone hoping to meet the New Jersey native turned celeb chef turned honorary doctor turned beekeeper.
Daou is a Paso Robles, California-based winery owned by brothers Daniel and George Daou. Their family is from Lebanon, but when the Civil War broke out in 1975 they fled to France. The brothers eventually moved to California and studied engineering, establishing Daou Systems in the late 1980s which allowed hospitals to share their records. When they made enough money, they sold the company and Daniel decided to make wine. They bought the property in 2007 and released their first variety in 2013.
The first wine on the menu was a 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, one of their most popular. It was paired with bruschetta topped with goat cheese, prosciutto and fig.
The first course was soft shell crab with apple slaw and cherry sauce – with a beautiful marinated cherry on top. The batter was delicious and the crab was soft and sweet. This was accompanied by a 2021 Reserve Chardonnay, aged 15 months in a new French oak barrel. You could taste the oakiness of the wine, and for this red wine lover, it was the best wine of the night even though it’s white because of the toasty flavor.
The second course was short rib cavatelli made with butter and parmesan. The short rib basically melted in your melt. Chef Burke explained that the flavor comes from the marbilization of the fat. We agree. The wine to match was a 2020 Daou Bodyguard made with 100 percent Chardonnay grapes. The wine is named in honor of their mother who was a beacon of strength during hard times. The bottle has a beautiful art deco image of her.
The third course was three slices of NY Strip over creamed spinach, mushrooms and a demi-glace. The 2020 Daou Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is made with 76 percent Cabernet grapes so you could taste the flavor.
The fourth and final course was strawberry cheesecake topped with berry sauce. This came from Burke’s Dixie Lee Bakery, which he opened recently in Keansburg. It was paired with a Rose that had actually been released virtually during the pandemic. It is 100 percent grenache noir made in a French provencal style: in other words, it’s light, crisp and delicious when sipped after a bite of cake.
Another fun fact shared during the evening is that there is a bell on every bottle of Daou wines. The brothers hung an ancient bell at the winery once used by monks who made wine. Like the monks, they only ring it for special occasions: when the harvest begins, to celebrate the end of the harvest and on Feb. 11, their parents’ wedding anniversary.
If you missed the special wine and dinner pairing, there are more events planned at THE GOAT:
Disney Movies Trivia Night is June 8
Comedy Night with Mike Gaffney and Rob Epple is June 15, including dinner and the show
Yappy Hours begin June 21: bring your dog and sit outside during Happy Hour on select dates
Dinner in the Dark with Chef Burke – a blindfolded, sensory dinner – is June 22
The AMBHAR Tequila Dinner is on June 29
“Golden Girls” Trivia Night is July 13
Comedy Night with Buddy Fitzpatrick and Angelo Gingerelli is July 20
“Grey’s Anatomy” Trivia Night with dinner is August 10.
Every Wednesday is Bingo Night.
Check our Instagram page for more about the wine and dinner pairing.
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