I love to eat. Food is a sensual experience that can inspire the imagination and nourish the soul. I was raised with a large Italian family that would all gather for enormous feasts that were host to hilarious conversations and heated arguments. It was the ritual of the gathering that fills my fondest childhood memories. It is grandma's traditional and not so traditional dishes as the centerpiece for everything that I enjoy today about my work. I am the wine director for the Redbud Cafe and Wine Bar, a small restaurant nestled in the almost suburban sprawl of Cameron Park in El Dorado County. I found myself here after eight years of staking plates in numerous types of eateries, including cafes, delicatessens, and fine dinning establishments.
As I grew up in food it was the stories of a dish I found most compelling. Chef's would mention components to a dish that I was unfamiliar with, so I'd look it up in any and all references I could find. I was always reading about the native culture that the ingredient or cooking method came from. Once I knew the ethnic origins and mythology that stemmed from an ancient peoples' adopting an ingredient and using it as nourishment, I was eager to share with those with guests. It was that extra morsel of information that captivated people as they took their first bites. Standing table side watching people eat I could see the recognition of not only how good the dish was, but why it was so good, and why the chef had to make it just that way. I gained a following of people who loved to learn and experience nuances of a dish and its preparation. To these new friends, no longer was a plate just sustenance. I watched gobblers slow their pace and savor new flavors.
Food and wine have a relationship as common as chocolate syrup and vanilla ice cream. Only wine is complicated by stylistic difference between regions and producers on a global scale. You could argue the difference between Hershey's and Ghirardelli chocolate syrup on your ice cream, but ultimately it's the same delicious outcome. With wine, for example the differences between a German Riesling and a French Riesling, are so apparent that they should not work with the same dish - even though it's the same grape. These difference in wine are my preoccupation as wine director, and pairing them with the chef's inspirations. It has been said that if it grows together, it goes together. This refers to what the Europeans have been doing out of habit for centuries.
The produce that grows in their backyards pairs perfectly with the wines produced by their neighbors. Roman pizza and Tuscan Sangiovese is a classic example of regional cuisine that complements even in an American venue. No better combination can be found than in regional cuisine, which is exactly what we at the Redbud Cafe and Wine Bar are seeking to accomplish. From the farmers in the Sacramento Delta to the ranchers in our neighboring Shingle Springs, we are surrounded with fresh organic and sustainable food sources. It's only natural that we find a fortifying relationship with our surrounding wineries.
The area is vast and complex, starting at about 1,200 feet elevation and soaring in the mountainous regions as high as 3,600 feet. Sierra foothill regions can differ greatly from vineyard to vineyard, yet with a unifying theme of concentrated and powerful fruit. The foothills span 160 miles from point to point, yet it's between El Dorado Amador Counties that represent one of the strongest concentrations of wine production in this inland area. Due to its elevation I have heard references comparing the Sierra foothills to Piedmont Italy. This could explain why Italian varietals like Barbera and Zinfandel grow so well and are commonplace in many of the surrounding vineyards. In my studies I have acknowledged other European correlations in the foothills. The 100 degree summers coupled with cool breezes at night from the Delta are reminiscent of the Rhone valley in France. Grapes like Syrah, Mourvedre, and Grenache grow well and illustrate the foothills' place as a wine region on the world stage.
The Redbud Cafe wine list incorporates some of the most established wineries in the area like Lava Cap, Sierra Vista, and Terre Rouge. Among our other offerings are Bechard, Cedarville, and C.G. Di Arie. This list will grow as I explore surrounding regions.
Joe De John
Wine Director
Redbud Cafe
As I grew up in food it was the stories of a dish I found most compelling. Chef's would mention components to a dish that I was unfamiliar with, so I'd look it up in any and all references I could find. I was always reading about the native culture that the ingredient or cooking method came from. Once I knew the ethnic origins and mythology that stemmed from an ancient peoples' adopting an ingredient and using it as nourishment, I was eager to share with those with guests. It was that extra morsel of information that captivated people as they took their first bites. Standing table side watching people eat I could see the recognition of not only how good the dish was, but why it was so good, and why the chef had to make it just that way. I gained a following of people who loved to learn and experience nuances of a dish and its preparation. To these new friends, no longer was a plate just sustenance. I watched gobblers slow their pace and savor new flavors.
Food and wine have a relationship as common as chocolate syrup and vanilla ice cream. Only wine is complicated by stylistic difference between regions and producers on a global scale. You could argue the difference between Hershey's and Ghirardelli chocolate syrup on your ice cream, but ultimately it's the same delicious outcome. With wine, for example the differences between a German Riesling and a French Riesling, are so apparent that they should not work with the same dish - even though it's the same grape. These difference in wine are my preoccupation as wine director, and pairing them with the chef's inspirations. It has been said that if it grows together, it goes together. This refers to what the Europeans have been doing out of habit for centuries.
The produce that grows in their backyards pairs perfectly with the wines produced by their neighbors. Roman pizza and Tuscan Sangiovese is a classic example of regional cuisine that complements even in an American venue. No better combination can be found than in regional cuisine, which is exactly what we at the Redbud Cafe and Wine Bar are seeking to accomplish. From the farmers in the Sacramento Delta to the ranchers in our neighboring Shingle Springs, we are surrounded with fresh organic and sustainable food sources. It's only natural that we find a fortifying relationship with our surrounding wineries.
The area is vast and complex, starting at about 1,200 feet elevation and soaring in the mountainous regions as high as 3,600 feet. Sierra foothill regions can differ greatly from vineyard to vineyard, yet with a unifying theme of concentrated and powerful fruit. The foothills span 160 miles from point to point, yet it's between El Dorado Amador Counties that represent one of the strongest concentrations of wine production in this inland area. Due to its elevation I have heard references comparing the Sierra foothills to Piedmont Italy. This could explain why Italian varietals like Barbera and Zinfandel grow so well and are commonplace in many of the surrounding vineyards. In my studies I have acknowledged other European correlations in the foothills. The 100 degree summers coupled with cool breezes at night from the Delta are reminiscent of the Rhone valley in France. Grapes like Syrah, Mourvedre, and Grenache grow well and illustrate the foothills' place as a wine region on the world stage.
The Redbud Cafe wine list incorporates some of the most established wineries in the area like Lava Cap, Sierra Vista, and Terre Rouge. Among our other offerings are Bechard, Cedarville, and C.G. Di Arie. This list will grow as I explore surrounding regions.
Joe De John
Wine Director
Redbud Cafe