One of our favorite restaurants is Hillstone in Dallas. The Hillstone Restaurant Group was founded in 1976 by current owner, CEO and Texan George Biel. The Hillstone Restaurant Group has a number of restaurants under various names in multiple cities across the US. The Hillstone name is derived from hillside vineyard in Napa Valley that produces Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.

We eat at Hillstone with some regularity and have never had a bad meal.  The menu is diverse and every item is prepared to the highest of standards. Furthermore, Hillstone has an excellent wine list designed to pair well with the menu.

Whitehaven Marlborough 2013 Sauvignon Blanc: My wine selection for the evening is Whitehaven Marlborough 2013 Sauvignon Blanc. On the nose this wine is an orchard of fruit: grapefruit, peaches, melons and pears. The bouquet is simply delightful!  On the palate the fruit forward flavors continue of grapefruit, peaches, melons and pears are joined with Herbs de Provence and soft underbrush. This is a crisp, clean wine with a firm acidity resulting in excellent food pairings. I paired the Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc first with Hillstone’s famous grilled artichokes. These artichokes have a rich smoky flavor and are served with creamy garlic aioli. The acidity and cleanness of the wine paired beautifully with this delicious dish. The second dish I paired with the Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc is one of my favorites and often the craving that draws me to Hillstone: Housemade Veggie Burger. Trust me I am a burger girl; beef burgers are one of my all time favorite foods. However, I do like a good veggie burger; not as a substitute to a beef burger but as an independent delight. Hillstone’s Housemade Veggie Burger is quite famous! I am not sure what comprises this veggie burger (after all it is a secret) but I can detect what I believe to be bulgur wheat, beets and other delicious blend of secret ingredients. The one thing I know for sure is Hillstone sears a sweet soy glaze on the top of the burger that is mind blowing. The veggie burger is topped with Monterey Jack cheese, pickles, tomatoes, chopped onions, lettuce and mustard. The Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc is a perfect pairing with this veggie burger. In fact, a waiter at Hillstone first introduced me to this pairing a while back and I have loved it ever since. The veggie burger has a slight sweetness due to the chopped beets and soy glaze that is an excellent accompaniment to the slight sweetness of the wine that is well balanced with the acidity. Furthermore, this wine would pair well with spaghetti squash primavera, grilled salmon, crab cakes and chicken piccata. I recommend you buy Whitehaven Marlborough 2013 Sauvignon Blanc!

Whitehaven Marlborough 2013 Sauvignon Blanc is machine harvested in the evenings and pressed immediately. The clear juice of the grapes is fermented entirely in stainless steel at very low temperatures with selected yeast strains to insure the varietal flavors. This wine contains 13% alcohol. The Whitehaven 2013 Sauvignon Blanc is ideal to drink now or cellar properly up to five years. This wine is well distributed in the US and can be found at Total Wine for $15; to find at a retailer near you please click here.

Whitehaven’s winemaking philosophy is “Quality Without Compromise.” Whitehaven’s winemaking team is lead by Sam Smail; who uses new world techniques coupled with old world craftsmanship to create a portfolio of wines that offer exceptional quality, intensity and consistency. To learn more about Whitehaven’s portfolio of wines and to order direct from the winery visit their website.

My Song Selection: The song I have chosen to pair with Whitehaven’s Sauvignon Blanc is All I Wanna Do by Sheryl Crow. The reason I selected this song is it reminds me of summer and fun and letting go of stress to just relax. Whitehaven’s Sauvignon Blanc feels the same way.  The taste, aroma and flavor begs to be enjoyed with good food and good friends and fun!

Get your own bottle of Whitehaven Marlborough 2013 Sauvignon Blanc and let me know what song you would pair with it. Cheers!