Savoring Spring: A Dinner to Remember at Bricoleur Vineyards

Spring arrived at Bricoleur Vineyards earlier than usual, but we're not complaining. The vineyards are beginning to become lush and green, the fruit trees are flowering, and we're loving it. On Saturday, April 4th, we invited guests to celebrate the season with a multi-course dinner that honored the estate's garden, cellar, and the beautiful produce that emerges this time of year. 

A Sparkling Welcome

Guests arrived to glasses of our Isla Rose Brut Rosé, its fine bubbles and bright acidity setting the tone for an evening built around intimate connection. Passed appetizers circled the patio — a silky Pea & Preserved Lemon Bisque touched with fresh verbena, the briny elegance of Dungeness Crab & Passionfruit Gelée, and a Torchon of Foie Gras with Spiced Estate Honey that had immediate requests for more. It was the kind of opening that makes everyone slow down.

First Course: 2024 Viognier & Guinea Hen 

The first seated course arrived alongside pours of our 2024 Kick Ranch Viognier, a wine that feels like spring itself with aromas of stone fruit and spring florals. Executive Chef Todd Knoll composed a Lemongrass & Sake Lees Marinated Guinea Hen served over a bed of garden arugula and mizuna, topped with a lemongrass consommé. This dish truly showcased our estate-to-plate philosophy: the greens came just steps from the kitchen, and their peppery brightness cut beautifully through the richness of the marinated hen.

Second Course: 2023 Special Selection Chardonnay & Ravioli

There are few things more emblematic of the season than fresh fava beans, and the 2023 Special Selection Chardonnay found its ideal match in a plate of Senior Sous Chef River Robinson's Fava & Ricotta Ravioli: pillowy, delicate, and finished with garden arugula and a silky Meyer lemon emulsion. This dinner marked the official launch of the 2023 Special Selection Chardonnay: Winemakers Bob Cabral and Tom Pierson worked to produce a Chardonnay with enough texture to stand beside the richness of the ricotta while its citrus edge kept every bite feeling light and alive.

Third Course: 2023 G.S.M. & Lamb

The 2023 Kick Ranch GSM — a Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre blend from one of our most beloved blocks — anchored the evening's main course. Pool Creek Onion Lamb arrived with new potato fondant, garden carrots, and spring onion: a plate that spoke directly to the land. Chef Todd's vision was clear here: nothing extraneous, everything in service of the lamb, the season, and the wine. The GSM's dark fruit and earthy depth made for a pairing where both the food and the wine seem to become more themselves.

Dessert: A Sweet Send-Off

The evening closed with a dessert that felt like a love letter to the estate. Our 2024 "The Last Note" Late Harvest — honey-rich and fragrant — met an Estate Olive Oil & Lemon Cake adorned with rhubarb, strawberries, candied mandarinquat, and white chocolate crèmeux. Every element on the plate came together to echo the wine's sweetness without overshadowing it. It was the kind of dessert that lingers, both in flavor, and in memory.

A Note of Gratitude

Evenings like this don't happen without an extraordinary team. Our deepest thanks to Executive Chef Todd Knoll, Senior Sous Chef River Robinson, the Bricoleur Vineyards Cullinary Team, and Garden Manager Mikey De Paolo for a menu that was as thoughtful as it was delicious. And to Winemakers Bob Cabral and Tom Pierson for the wines that made every course complete. Thank you to Katie Katz Photography for these gorgeous images, Bloom Event Co. for stunning spring florals, and Encore Event Rentals for such a fun table set-up!

Spring is here. We hope to see you at the table again soon.