If you haven’t visited Sparrow & Wolf or tasted wines from Desperada, then you’re missing out. Let me share a wonderful night of food and wine.
First the Backstories
Sparrow & Wolf
Chef Brian Howard allegedly wanted Sparrow & Wolf to feel like your neighborhood hangout—great eats, good people, and a chilled-out atmosphere for locals. The menu changes with both seasons and availability, so you never know what new dish you’ll find.
Chef Howard, by the way, was a 2024 James Beard Semifinalist! Although it’s located in Chinatown, it could easily fit into the Arts District with its vibe. Sparrow & Wolf is big in the Vegas food scene and gets plenty of shout-outs online, not only from the local press, but nationally as well. So much for having a locals vibe!
They do special dinners, tasting menus, and sometimes will bring in guest chefs. Try the Chef’s Tasting Menu and let them take you on a flavor adventure. Join the mailing list!
Desparada
Desparada is the brainchild of Vailia From, a winemaker with a knack for doing things her own way.
She arrived in Paso Robles in the early 2000s, when the region was still figuring itself out—full of energy and possibility. That vibe really clicked with Vailia, so in 2009, she launched Desparada. She started solo, determined to keep things independent.
The name “Desparada” is a playful twist on the Spanish word “desperada.” It’s all about being a bit of an outsider—someone who doesn’t follow the crowd.
My first visit to Desparada was also the first time I visited Tin City, a charming industrial area located in Paso Robles, which is home to small wineries, breweries, and food establishments. Tin City reminds me of the Lompoc Ghetto. I loved the vibe and saw giant terra-cotta tanks for the first time. And, I fell in love with the wines.
And now, Scarab has joined the Desparada portfolio, but more on that later.
The Dinner
Because “real Life” happened on a distressingly regular basis over the course of the last few weeks, I wasn’t even aware that there was a special wine dinner scheduled. I received a phone call from the winery, and they encouraged me (as a Las Vegas Wine Club Member) to attend. Well, you don’t have to twist my arm!
As an aside, the Desparada dinner was part of Sparrow & Wolf’s Winemaker Series, an occasional presentation of fine wines and Chef Howard’s culinary creations.
Snacks
The first course, called “Snacks,” was Off. The. Chain. Well, all of the food was. But I digress.
All of the dishes were small plates of amazing foods. Dry Aged Bluefin Tuna with Foie Gras and Compressed Plum; Chilled French Kiss Oyster with Cold-Pressed Strawberry, Rhubarb, and Lemon; and Ossetra Caviar Puff Crunch Cup with Yuzu, Cultured Cream, and topped with a Garlic Flower.
High-end. Delicious.
The dishes were paired with three vintages of Chardonnay-based méthode traditionnelle Scarab House Dosage sparkling wines. The 2019 Scarab grapes were sourced from McBride Vineyards, and the 2020 and 2021 Scarab grapes were sourced from Bien Nacido.
All of the wines were bone dry, with a bracing acidity, and even some minerality. My favorite was the 2019, largely because it has some extra time to age, with the mouthfeel and textured complexity being key to its character. To be honest, it may also have been the vineyard difference.
The 2019 is sold out, and the 2020 and 2021 are both current releases, while the most recent vintages are sleeping until release.
Setting the Table
There was so much deliciousness here!
Marinated Heirloom Tomatoes with Poached Shrimp and XO; Peruvian Steelhead Trout Crudo (which always amazes me in its similarity to salmon), with Mango, Ikura, and Ninja Radish; Issan Sausage on Gem Lettuce, Perilla Leaf, and Green Nam Pla.
This course was paired with the 2022 Bien Nacido Chardonnay and the 2024 Desparada Presqui’le Sauvignon Blanc.
Both wines paired beautifully with the course, and although I didn’t do detailed tasting notes (or *any* to be honest), both wines were standouts. I can say that although I love nearly all styles of Chardonnay (except those that are too sweet), the Sauvignon Blanc was the winner for me. Both were delicious, but the Presqu’ile was particularly present. Wonderful acidity, and absolutely perfect with the largely seafood course.
As an aside, Vailia admits to being something of a Sauvignon Blanc addict. She makes upwards of a dozen different styles, and they can call to any SB lover. Fragment is my favorite Desperada Sauvignon Blanc (stainless and acacia wood, unfiltered and heavenly), and I’m looking longingly at MY LAST BOTTLE. For what it’s worth, I tend to prefer French (Bordeaux and Loire), Chilean, and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc over most anything from California, which I find to be largely overoaked and over manipulated, so the fact that my favorite is from the Golden State says something about the quality of the wine.
Dinner is Served
Corn Agnolotti, Shaved Porchetta, with Charred Poblano, and Salsa Verde; Ember Roasted Lamb, Braised White Beans with Lamb’s Tongue and Smoked Onion; Dry-Aged Roasted Duck with Wild Berry, Dried Olive, and Peppercorn.
Dinner was paired with the 2021 Ultima Tulie Jesperson Syrah and Desparada V6 Dressmaker Cabernet Sauvignon.
By the way. The Ultima Tutle brand is owned by Cameron Stoffle, who, along with Vailia, collaborates on the Scarab label of sparkling wines.
As an aside, I really like Ultima Tulie wine labels. They have the beautiful, watercolor-and-ink look that makes the Desparada labels so appealing.
Both wines paired perfectly with the food offering. Ordinarily, when I have duck I prefer Pinot Noir. Okay. I prefer Pinot with everything, but that’s besides the point. In this case, however, the wild berry sauce lifted the pairing with Syrah on a whole new level. Absolutely stellar!
Both wines had the richness and complexity you’d expect from Central Coast reds.
The Dressmaker Cabernet is an interesting take on the Solera style of wines, which is most famously exemplified by Sherry. In other words, Dressmaker doesn’t have a year vintage, just a version. The current release is V7, and we had V6 at the dinner. Vailia indicated that V8 would be the last iteration, and the entire series would be available (via library purchase) to interested enthusiasts.
Dessert
The little bowl of creamy goodness contained layers of Confit Peach, Strawberry, White Chocolate, Tonka Bean, and Almond.
It was paired with two sparkling wines, both from Scarab. 2020 Scarab Grand Marnier Dosage, and 2021 Scarab Grand Marnier Dosage.
Rather than give a full explanation of what “Dosage” means, take a look at this excellent article from Wine Enthusiast, which is quite detailed and easy to understand.
The Dosage (doe-sahj. very French) that Scarab uses is Grand Marnier, which does not sweeten the bubbles, but adds a different character than what would ordinarily be sucrose or other sweetener. The Grand Marnier adds texture (but not sweetness) to the wine. Complexity is always a good thing.
I don’t have to tell you that by this time, my palate was enjoying everything, including this wonderfully nuanced wine. I would have liked to compare it to the first bubbly we were served, but I was full and happy by then!
And More!
The tasting took place in a small side room. There were only 12 of us, and it added to the intimate nature of the dinner. Cameron and Vailia shared information about the history of their wines while Cameron and Nick (S&W’s sneakered, man-bunned, and tatted Somm who’s the best) did the pouring honors.
I’m sorry to say that I didn’t get a photo of every dish, as I was too focused on just eating and drinking. Somehow, I missed decent photos of the Dry-aged Bluefin, the Peruvian Steelhead, and the Lamb. I’ll do better next time!
@SparrowAndWolf
@ChefBrianHoward
@ScarabWine
@DesparadaWine
@UltimaTulieWines
