There is no more enticing culinary combination than wine and chocolate. At Priest Ranch’s tasting room in Yountville, the Taste the Terroir Experience offers just that, but with a twist: the opportunity to “eat dirt” with chocolates that emulate the dirt grapes grow in.
The concept of “terroir” is that wine takes on particular flavor characteristics from the vineyard’s soil. To demonstrate this in an entertaining and delicious way, CEO Judd Wallenbrock came up with the idea of offering a wine-tasting experience that pairs Priest Ranch estate-grown wines with handcrafted chocolate that simulates the dirt clumps in a vineyard. Judd commented, “The diversity of soils in Napa Valley is unlike any in the world, and this complex variety makes our wines taste so unique. What better way to tell that story than chocolate? Making each piece look like distinct types of “dirt” is a much more fun and tasty way to tell the story!”
Priest Ranch DTC Manager Alex Gomez helped design the “eat dirt” experience. Working with renowned Yountville chocolatier Chris Kollar of Kollar Chocolates, they developed chocolates that match and enhance the flavors in the wine. Each chocolate has a soil-inspired name and sits in an edible clump of dirt on the plate. For example, “Loam & Lemon,” served with Priest Ranch Block 71 Sauvignon Blanc, is a Meyer lemon white chocolate with bee pollen, raw sugar, and Oreo cookie crumb dirt, while “Clay & Cocoa,” paired with Priest Ranch Block 136 Cabernet Sauvignon is a sumptuous pomegranate and pink peppercorn dark chocolate ganache covered with cocoa nibs in a pile of chocolate crumbs.
The Taste the Terroir Experience is led by a Priest Ranch Wine Specialist who guides small groups of guests through tasting four wines and chocolates while explaining the types of dirt in the vineyard and its impact on the wine. The tasting experience is interactive, approximately 90 minutes long, and can be enjoyed on the patio or by the cozy fireplace in the tasting room.
Guests who love these unique chocolates and want to recreate the experience at home can purchase a box of terroir treats. Each sixteen-piece box contains four of each type of chocolate. It includes “Sweet & Silty,” raspberry milk chocolate with matcha and cocoa powder dirt, “Decadent Ash,” dark chocolate cherry with cocoa powder dirt, and the chocolates described above.
The Priest Ranch Tasting Room is located in the heart of Yountville and is open Monday through Sunday, 10:00am-6:00pm, except holidays. If savory foods have more appeal, try the Bacon and Wine or Artisan (cheese, charcuterie) experiences. To reserve an experience at Priest Ranch, visit www.priestranchwines.com.
