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food & wine: summer sips

The start of summer is just around the corner. It’s the perfect time to enjoy longer days and warmer nights with close friends and good food. Here’s a list of some of our favorite drink & food pairings to enjoy this summer; come celebrate the season with us!

Wine: Mathis, 2013 Sonoma Valley Grenache

Red wines are perfect for warm, outdoor summer dining. Our choice is a glass of Mathis, 2013 Sonoma Valley Grenache (paired with our patio on a warm summer evening!). This rich wine is has sweet flavors of raspberry, black cherry jam, and white pepper spice.

Grenache is one of the world’s most popular red wine grapes today. In fact, it’s so well loved that it has its own holiday, International Grenache Day, which you can celebrate this summer on September 3rd!

The Winemaker

Mathis Wine, founded by Peter Mathis, is a winery in Sonoma Valley that specializes in Grenache and Rhone Wines. Twenty-five years ago, Peter decided to stop his career in furniture making in Massachusetts and move west to Ravenswood Winery to begin his work as a winemaker. Today, Peter owns his own vineyard in Sonoma, Mathis Vineyard, and this year Mathis Wines won double gold for their 2013 Grenache.

Pairing Recommendations

Grenache pairs well with grilled meats such as beef, pork, lamb and chicken. At the girl & the fig, we recommend pairing a glass of Mathis, 2013 Grenache with our grilled pork belly sandwich or sonoma mountain beef burger.

Beer: Mad Fritz, The Dog with a Clog, Extra Special Bitter Ale

This ESB Ale is new to the girl & the fig menu just in time for summer. Brewed in St. Helena with barley from Oregon, this smooth beer has a mild bitterness. Used chardonnay barrels are used to bring out more spice aromas in this beer.

The Brewers

Nile Zacherle, the founder of Mad Fritz, has set foot into both the wine-making and brewing worlds over the past 25 years. When he was 18, Nile brewed his first batch of beer at home with his father. With a degree in Fermentation Science from UC Davis, Nile has since created several wineries and vineyards, in addition to Mad Fritz.

His wife, Whitney Fisher, grew up in a winery and spent many of her days shadowing her father’s wine-making processes. With a degree in Molecular Biology and American History from Princeton, Whitney now manages 75 acres of local vineyards as well as farming operations and general management of Mad Fritz.

Pairing Recommendations

ESB ales pair well with dishes such as fish and chips, pork, chicken, lamb, or barbecue foods. At the girl & the fig we recommend pairing a glass of The Dog with a Clog with our chicken thighs or grilled pork belly sandwich.

Cocktail: Cucumber & Mint Lemonade

This cocktail includes two of the most refreshing things for a hot summer day: mint and fresh lemonade. With Hanson’s cucumber vodka, fresh lemonade, cucumbers, and muddled mint, we think this drink is the equivalence of summertime perfection.

Pairing Recommendations

Vodka pairs well with steak tartare, cucumber salad, smoked fish, and pork tenderloin.

At the girl & the fig, we recommend pairing a Cucumber & Mint Lemonade with our grass-fed steak tartare or smoked trout salad (watercress, frisee, cucumber, lemon, horseradish & potato chips).