Dinner At La Gare French Restaurant/john Balletto and Balletto Wines

Recently I met up with John Balletto and we decided to visit our great friend Chef Roger At La Gare. We enjoyed afew wines and chef paired all wines with dishes from his menu.It was a beautiful fall night,with a chill in the air but we were surrounded by the warmth of the heat lamps on La Gare's amazing patio. we have three great new features to share from that evening.first we will explore the Balletto website and learn more about our four feature wines. Founder and owner John Balletto started the business after the untimely death of his father in 1977. At the age of 17, when the family needed him the most, he put their needs before his own and relinquished several college athletic scholarship offers so he could stay home and help his mother, Hazel, run the small five-acre farm. The Balletto family was determined to make the business a success, and throughout the 1980s and 1990s they purchased parcels of land to gradually increase vegetable production. One of those properties is where the Balletto Vineyards winery stands today. By 1994, the Balletto family had grown the business into the largest vegetable farm in Northern California, growing more than 70 different vegetables on 700-plus acres. More than two million cases of mixed vegetables moved through the premises per year during its peak. Tonight we will start with the great Pinot Gris From Balletto Vineyards and winery. Texture and persistence define this top-tier Pinot Gris. It's focused with crisp acidity and yet still maintains a powerful weight and presence throughout. Simply delightful. Aromatically, the wine opens with citrus and delicate slate aromas followed with darker, savory elements. The mouthfeel is a contrast of zingy lime, perfect viscosity and subtle tannins that add texture and extend the wine through an incredible and lengthy finish with both texture and flavor. This has become a favorite of mine and will pair with many great starters from Chef R