Smokehouse to Vineyard: A Little Side Action

{Smokehouse to Vineyard}

      A Little Side Action...

Most work days, I am looking for a corner at restaurant bar where I can sit and enjoy a class of wine and a snack while I put in orders from the day’s work. For the last two hours of the day, my phone is attached to my ear and my fingers are glued to the keyboard. Even though I don’t have much time socialize, I do like it when a friend or a co-worker can join me. Let’s face it. We all enjoy a friendly face at the end of the day. 

At least once a week, I try to meet up with a friend of mine who lives close to me so we can catch up on local happenings. Nine times out of ten, when I ask where she is, she’s at Dead End BBQ enjoying a glass of Chardonnay and a helping of the Macaroni and Pimento Cheese. At first I laughed, but she told me I didn’t know what I was missing.  She was so right! Honestly, I think we all have our favorite places to get barbeque. Mostly that is based on the style and quality of what we like. However, for me, the next important thing besides the barbeque is the side items. So when my friend shared with me her favorite afternoon snack, I was more than willing to try it out.

First, if you haven’t had the Macaroni and Pimento Cheese at Dead End BBQ, you need to….soon. It’s creamy, cheesy, slightly smoky… total perfection. The pimento pepper adds a mild, subtle sweet flavor that contrasts well with the slight saltiness of the cheese. Again, total perfection. It’s so perfect that Dead End decided to put it on a sandwich; thus the Mac-Attack was born!

Secondly, if you haven’t tried the Macaroni and Pimento Cheese at Dead End with their Noble Vines 446 Chardonnay, you need to… soon! 446 Chardonnay is a single vineyard Chardonnay from San Bernabe Vineyard in Monterey, California. The first “4” in 446 stands for the Clone 4 grape, the wine’s “claim to fame.” The clone was cultivated in Carneros, California by Napa’s famous winemaker, Louis Martini. This grape clone is now grown in “Block 46”, the remaining part of 446, in San Bernabe. At the peak of ripeness, the grapes are picked and sent through the winemaking process. The end result is a wine with aromas of ripe pear, pineapple and melon, with flavors of peach and coconut with hints of lemon and toasty vanilla spice. 446 is medium-bodied, with a creamy mouth feel, which compliments the Macaroni and Pimento Cheese perfectly. Other great 446 pairings include the Smoked Sausage and Cheese, the Dead End Mac-Attack and the Grilled Smoked Bologna sandwich. I personally guarantee each one!

I’m glad my friend isn’t afraid to experiment with what she likes, and I’m thankful that she’s more than willing to share. Thanks to her, Noble Vines 446 Single Vineyard Chardonnay has become one of my favorite go-to wines to enjoy by itself, or with my favorite foods. Dead End BBQ was already one of my go-to restaurants. You can never go wrong!

-Kim