When you live in California, home to some of the finest vineyards in the world, it can be hard not to become a bit of a wine snob. And so I’ll confess that when I was invited to a dinner for Dark Horse Wine, a label that’s sold at Trader Joe’s for about eight bucks, I hesitated before responding yes. But I was interested in the venue, Birch restaurant in Hollywood; the chef Brendan Collins, who had previously cooked at Waterloo & City in Culver City, and I always want to support women winemakers. Dark Horse’s Beth Liston has been blending grapes for nearly a decade.
I’m very glad I went. The dinner celebrated the national rollout of Dark Horse, which is part of the vast E. & J. Gallo portfolio. Beth led us through a tasting of the label’s six varietals, two whites and four reds. She noted that even though Dark Horse is a mass brand, she uses premium winemaking techniques. The chardonnay, for example, undergoes alcoholic fermentation with hand-selected yeast and then a secondary malolactic fermentation that produces a lovely soft and smooth mouth feel. The favorite wine of the evening was the Big Red Blend, a bold mix of Tempranillo, Malbec, Syrah and Merlot.
Brendan’s elevated seasonal fare paired beautifully with the wines. The standouts included the second course, lobster thermidor with creamed spinach and mustard served with the buttery chardonnay and the dessert course—fresh figs, almonds and chocolate sorbet complemented by the Dark Horse Big Red Blend.
Dark Horse is a discovery, a great food-friendly collection of wines to serve at a dinner party, whether your own or for an event.
A few days after the lovely dinner, we received an email with a cocktail recipe using the Big Red. This is a very refreshing way to enjoy the dark berry and black currant notes of the wine on a California evening.
Dark Horse Wine: In the Red
- 2 oz. Dark Horse Red Blend
- .75 oz. lime cordial
- 2 oz. tonic water
- Directions: Build in a glass starting with Dark Horse Big Red Blend. Add ice and a lime wedge and enjoy.
