An evening of exceptional wine, copious wine notes and tantalising fare, unfolded at Trio Wine Grill Bar on Monday, as Harbour Wines and Spirits hosted an intimate dinner in honour of Jamaican-born wine expert Balkis Johnson, director of hospitality for Heitz Estate & Ink Grade, Napa Valley. Johnson, the recent recipient of the Global Ambassador Award at the 26th staging of the Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards, enthusiastically shared selections from her private collection while detailing her passion for winemaking.

Guests were welcomed on arrival with a glass of Ferrari Brut sparkling wine, affording a relaxed meet-and-greet before Johnson officially began the evening’s proceedings, promising a unique wine-tasting journey.

“You won’t hear a lot of technical notes about these wines, but you will hear the reason why I fell in love with this winery and why I enjoy doing the work that I do at Ink Grade,” Johnson said.

The 2020 Ink Grade Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc opened the tasting. Traditionally a current vintage, Johnson noted its impressive shelf life.

“I love this wine because it has so many of the aroma profiles that I fell in love with growing up as a child. These wines are fresh and live a very long time. The 2020 evokes notes of pineapple and citrus and also has this beautiful minerality, and that comes from the Howell Mountains we farm in,” Johnson said.

For comparison, Johnson then presented the 2021 Ink Grade Sauvignon Blanc, noting a distinct change in its aroma profile. She then delved into Ink Grade Winery’s origins, tracing back to 1851, when founder Theron Ink moved from New York to California and established his vineyard. Today, the operation proudly stands as one of Napa Valley’s largest bio-dynamic farm vineyards, meaning it has never used commercial fertiliser, tartaric acid, or sulfur, and practises minimal mechanical harvesting.

“Because we are bio-dynamic, we try to interact or manipulate the vineyard as little as possible. So we harvest by hand and do everything on foot,” Johnson said.

Transitioning from the blancs, Johnson introduced two wines from friend and winemaker Matt Taylor: The 2017 Komorebi Chardonnay and the 2018 Komorebi Pinot Noir. Johnson noted that these wines’ taste profiles would be familiar to the Jamaican palate.

“Matt makes wines that smell like sorrel and Jamaican sour orange, in terms of the ripening,” Johnson explained. “These wines tend to have a citrus component, like a blood orange feel.”

With guests now comfortably immersed in their wine journey, Trio Chef Alonzo Llewellyn introduced the evening’s menu. The soup course, a creamy roasted pumpkin soup paired with the Ink Grade Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, led to compelling discussions. Johnson delved into winemaking techniques and the impact of climate change on the industry.

The salad course followed: A pickled cucumber and beetroot salad with goat cheese and walnuts, paired with the Ferrari Brut sparkling wine.

The mains: Pistachio-crusted lamb racks with smoky apple sauce, paired with Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon; and creamy Tuscan salmon, complemented by Kaela Rosé.

As guests relished their entrées, they were enchanted by Johnson’s tale of meeting Harbour Wines and Spirits Commercial Manager Dr Debbian Spence-Minott, Trio co-principal Carlos Max Brown and winners of their Sip To Win A Trip To Napa Valley promotion, in May. A memorable tour of the Ink Estate, dinner and lively conversations and experiences that followed on that trip were, in fact, the catalyst that brought her to Jamaica.

Still touched by her Global Ambassador Award, Johnson graciously shifted the spotlight, inviting the gathering to applaud the recently staged Food Awards, stressing the profound importance of celebrating local talent and successes.

“Every time we eat at a restaurant, every time we share a picture, every time we cook a meal, we are continuing the story of what we do as Jamaicans. No one is going to celebrate Jamaica if we don’t celebrate ourselves,” Johnson said.

The evening culminated with dessert, featuring Blue Mountain Coffee Crème Brûlée with berry coulis and mango sorbet. To complement these, Johnson shared another exquisite pour from her private collection: The 2018 Heitz Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. With palates fully satiated, Spence-Minott offered a toast to Johnson, lauding her extensive knowledge, wit, and deep passion for winemaking – qualities that significantly enhanced the guests’ understanding and undoubtedly forged a lasting connection.

Blue Mountain Coffee Créme Brûlée with berry coulis (Photo: Garfield Robinson)