We love good wines and we love good food. While we’re not as bad as some, we’re definitely pickier than most.
We’ve been called wine snobs. Plus, anyone who follows us and our blog knows we seek out good food. And we don’t just go anywhere more than once, only to those places that we like, a lot.
So when you can get great local wine from 1723 Vineyards teaming at an event with a great local restaurant like Twelves Grill & Cafe, that’s a grand slam.
The Location
Twelves is located in West Grove, PA. The building was formerly a bank, but it has now been converted to an unassuming upscale restaurant that features sophisticated experience, at reasonable prices. Knute and Bernadette Mellon have clearly and successfully transitioned the restaurant after taking ownership. The food has always been good
They’ve also partnered up with Shane of Blondes and Brunettes in a micro-brew fashion, offering of course blonde beer and porters. Rumor has it they are working on an IPA!
The Wine
We’ve blogged about 1723 Vineyards before. Gabriel Rubilar does a fabulous job together with owners Ben and Sarah Cody to create incredible wines. Gabriel started at Bodega Trivento Winery in Mendoza and has continued to excel since then. Keep your eyes out for a nice blend coming soon from 1723.
Those of us who live in the area think it’s ridiculous we have such good wine practically in our backyard. Even the guests we talked to (who had never tried 1723’s wine) mentioned they were surprised the wine was so good. They hadn’t expected that and were pleased with the complexity of all the wines.
The Pairings (what you clicked on the post for)
As people arrived, they checked in with staff to verify their attendance. Once everyone was checked in and seated, the first course was introduced. Gabriel and Knute introduced themselves and explained the first pairing.
 First Course
Charcuterie Plates of cheese, cured meats, olives, Swarmbustin’ Honey, etc. paired with 1723 Merlot 2017 made up the first course. There was quite a selection and a lot to take in. It was fun trying a little bit of everything with the Merlot. What a great way to start the evening!
Second Course
The second course was Wild Mushroom Tagliatelle, paired with the 1723 Vidal Blanc 2018. Smooth flavor with the course tasting better with the wine and the wine tasting better with the food.
Third Course
For the main and third course, we were treated to roasted tenderloin, along with butternut squash puree and green beans (haricots verts). The tenderloin was cooked to perfection. This course was unusually paired with the 1723 Rosé 2018. And it worked. As this Rosé is produced using only Cabernet Franc grapes (100%), this was a refreshing change to the norm, and quite an eye opener.
Fourth Course
The final course was the dessert course. It looked like ice cream, but it was so much more. It had a delightful frozen pudding texture, and highly flavorful. Being decorated with an Amaretto crumble made the flavors even more intense.
The Staff
Let’s not forget to recognize the fantastic staff!
Andy, the head chef, and Alex, the sous chef were preparing our food for this particular evening. Kudos to them for some really intricate creations.
Mary, Rose, Ashley were our servers. We’ve had Mary numerous times while dining at Twelves and she’s very attentive. All three did a fabulous job of taking care of whatever the group needed.
Wrap Up
This is definitely an event you should put on your schedule the next time they have one!