Tasting Notes with Johan Denizot, Executive Chef of Belmond El Encanto

Summertime calls for outdoor picnics, lighter fare, and crisp regional wines. I love a classic Maine Lobster Roll this time of the year; it pairs best with wine from our Santa Ynez neighbor, Sunstone Vineyards, and another Central Coast favorite of ours, DAOU Vineyards in Paso Robles.

Belmond El Encanto’s Maine Lobster Roll is dressed with lemon mayo, romaine, tomatoes, and scallions on a warm soft roll. These bright flavors are brought forward in a bottle of Sunstone’s Belmond Sauvignon Blanc, Charming Vista and a full-bodied DAOU Cabernet. We launched a partnership with Sunstone Winery for this bottle as we appreciate the organic growing that is inherent within the Santa Ynez vineyard. The impeccable structure and acidity of the Charming Vista Sauvignon Blanc pairs perfectly with the lobster roll. The DAOU Cabernet can be seen as an unlikely pair with a seafood-forward dish, but the wine’s rich and voluptuous aromas of chocolate, plum, and black fruit flavors balance out the buttery lobster and compliment the spices nicely. The winery also does an excellent job of showcasing the Central Coast’s rare soil that makes for the perfect Cabernet Sauvignon.

Chef Johan Denizot’s Summer Lobster Roll

INGREDIENTS: Serves 4

8 oz cooked lobster meat

Celery leaf, rinsed and patted dry

1 tomato

2 scallions

2 celery stalks

2 slices of thinly sliced red onion

4 soft brioche hot dog roll

Lemon aioli

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.   Boil lobster in large pot for 10 to 12 minutes

2.   Remove lobster from pot and let it cool down

3.   Crack the lobster shell and remove meat, including claws

4.   Cut lobster meat into ½ inch pieces

5.   Make lemon aioli by combining 1/4 cup of mayonnaise, 1 tbsp. of lemon juice, lemon zest, sliced scallions ½ tsp. sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

6.   Mix lobster meat with lemon aioli

7.   Assemble brioche buns on a large platter, add a few celery leaves along the outer edges, sliced tomato, and lobster aioli mixture. Garnish with chopped celery and a few slices of thinly sliced red onion.