Benziger Wine Dinner

Experience an elegant evening of innovative cuisine paired with fine wines from Benziger Winery at the Aquarium of the Pacific. Against the stunning backdrop of our three-story underwater kelp forest, enjoy the creations of Premier Chef Ken Steward with wines presented by Clayton Smith. Sonoma’s Benziger Winery focuses on sustainable, green practices, including biodynamic and organic farming and water conservation. COST $90 per person/$80 per member Tickets available online at the link above. Members, please call to purchase your discounted tickets. Ages 21+ only. MENU Grilled Escarole Plank with Tobiko - Seasoned, grilled escarole bedded on a garlic-rubbed grilled baguette plank with melon and lemongrass crème fraiche, and topped with tobiko (flying fish roe) on bruleed grapefruit paired with Sauvignon Blanc 2013 North Coast Sustainable Salmon Cake - Roasted salmon gingerly tossed with sautéed onion, red bell pepper, celery, and garlic citrus aioli, coated in panko, and pan-seared served over a Dijon cream sauce reduced with Benziger Chardonnay and garnished with macerated apples, pears, and dried apricot paired with Chardonnay 2013 Sonoma County Potato Gnocchi with Mushroom Ragu - Potato gnocchi lightly tossed in Benziger Pinot Noir mushroom ragu on fried pancetta with shaved parmesan reggiano paired with Pinot Noir 2013 Sonoma Coast Pork Belly Luxardo Cherry Skewer - Tender and rich pork belly rubbed with cracked black pepper, clove, and allspice, roasted and flash- fried, and garnished with a luxardo maraschino cherry on a blueberry white balsamic gastrique paired with Merlot 2013 Sonoma County Filet Mignon Roulade - Filet mignon layered with piquillo peppers, manchego cheese, arugula, and chopped olives, rolled then seared, and roasted on a bed of roasted-beet mashed potato touched with a rosemary Benziger Cabernet Sauvignon reduction Presenting— The Tribute—Bordeaux Blend 2012 Sonoma Valley Chocolate Flourless Cake- Bittersweet flourless chocolate cake lightly dusted with confectioners’ sugar, accompanied by dark chocolate laced with cayenne pepper, and garnished with Chantilly cream, blackberries, and fresh mint paired with Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 Sonoma County ABOUT BENZIGER WINERY Benziger focuses on three things: family, great wine, and healthy vineyards. For more than thirty years, they have farmed on their ranch on Sonoma Mountain and searched Sonoma County for the most distinctive and expressive vineyards. They focus on vineyards that use certified biodynamic, organic, and sustainable farming methods. On their home ranch, they incorporate biodiversity into the vineyard with huge insectary gardens, sheep, cows, chickens, and lots of bird and owl boxes. Inviting nature back into the farm allows them to rely on natural predator/prey relationships instead of chemical pesticides to keep the vineyard healthy and vibrant. They are also committed to water conservation. Their ponds and wetland areas recycle a million gallons of water from winemaking each year, something especially important as California continues to battle a multi-year drought. Whether they are building habitats for birds and bugs or putting out sheep to graze cover crops, all of their farming practices come back to highlighting the distinctive character of the vineyard in the final wine.