Prior to this we never knew how amazing a brandy and dinner pairing could be
Last week Germain-Robin, a California Brandy brand, hosted an intimate dinner at The Copper Room within the Wythe Hotel. The night was centered around showcasing the craft, innovation, and exquisite flavors behind Germain-Robin. And to do this, Germain-Robin hosted a beautiful dinner where guests were able to pair each plate with a variety of Germain-Robin brandy. And leading each guest through the pairing was David Warter, the Vice President of Winemaking and Distillation at E&J Gallo. Before the dinner began, Warter walked guests through the history of Germain-Robin. It started with the founder Hubert Germain-Robin, whose family had been making Cognac for many years. At a certain point, Hubert decided to explore the northern California region and experiment with the grapes there to make a new type of brandy. It is worth noting that there are many strict rules on how to make this spirit, which include the types of grapes being used as well as the region that production is done. However, Hubert decided to throw those rules out the window, finding them reductive at best, and carve out a new brandy which led to the inception of the Germain-Robin Brandy brand.
And, as each dish was served, Warter masterfully explained the different notes with each expression of Germain-Robin as well as some of the nuances that go into making each individual expression.
The first dish that was served was a beet salad paired with pistachio, Asian pair, and radish. The Germain-Robin expressions that were selected as a pairing were the Germain-Robin Single Barrel Viognier as well as the classic Germain-Robin Brandy. The single barrel was a very lovely pairing where the notes of peaches and aromatic spices married perfectly with the sweetness of the beets and Asian pear combo. The classic Germain-Robin offered a different flavor profile with hints of vanilla and baking spices, but helped balance the sweetness of nuttiness of the salad. Both expressions being a bit different ultimately led to an ingenious spirit pairing.
The next course was a succulent pork chop paired with tartiflette and sauced with a earthy and savory mushroom ragu. The pork chop was cooked beautifully and had so much moisture when cut open. The addition of the mushroom ragu added an umami bomb to the dish which exploded in your mouth with each bite. The tartiflette, which is a type of French potato dish, absorbed a lot of the juice from the pork and the ragu and led to a perfect harmony of flavors between all three components. This dish was paired with the Germain-Robin XO as well as the Germain-Robin Pinot Noir. The pinot noir expression was definitely something of a traditional pairing with a pork chop. The notes coming from this include a bit of stone fruit and spiced but then bolden up with strong notes of cherry and dried herbs. Both the cherry notes and the herbs help accentuate the savoriness from the pork and add more dimension to the flavors. The XO expression also has notes of fruits, particularly peach and apricot and boasts a wonderful richness to it. These flavors also pair extremely well with a protein like pork and was one of our favorite pairings of the evening.
The final course was dessert in which a Tarte Au Citron with toasted meringue was served. There was a beautiful brightness from the filling and the pastry dough was perfectly crisp while still maintaining that wonderful moisture. And with hints of vanilla within the pastry dough, this was the perfect dessert to end the night with. The Germain-Robin pairing for this was the Germain-Robin Riesling. This expression has wonderful notes of apricot, honey, and a butterscotch richness that leads into a vanilla finish. This expression is a perfect pairing for a dessert with wonderful notes of sweetness. Compared to what a traditional Riesling is like, this expression doesn’t have a lot of the typical minerality in a Riesling wine which helps create that rich and smooth feel as you take each sip.
As the night came to an end, each guest had a newfound appreciation for brandy and this dinner helped us discover the endless possibilities with brandy. Prior to this night, we never considered brandy being a spirit that you can pair a meal with. And coming from this dinner, brandy is not just a spirit to be sipped on after a meal, but can be enjoyed during the meal as well. Trying these variety of Germain-Robin expressions has solidified that fact that Hubert was a genius with a vision that led to one of the best brandy’s being made. If you haven’t tried a sip of Germain-Robin, we can attest that each expression is delicious.