My wife and I traveled up to Phoenix yesterday and then over the Scottsdale later to join my daughter and her friend at the new restaurant FnB.  Overseen by the energetic and friendly owner Pavle Milec, this boutique like restaurant was opened only three months ago on Stetson Drive and is off to a roaring start.  It didn’t take long for the restaurant to fill to capacity (about 36 including some at the bar), everyone clearly enjoying the food, wine and social ambiance.  We were fortunate enough to grab a table overlooking Stetson.

FnB is unique in that it offers only Arizona wine to pair with locally grown (sometimes organic) food.  Pavle felt that the time had come to emphasize our “terrior.”  With the quality of locally produced wines on the rise, this seemed to be the time to take the plunge.  While some thought the venture to be risky, the locals have embraced the concept.  Both local and national publications have highlighted the restaurant in flattering terms, including the New York Times.  You can scan the menu by going to www.fnbrestaurant.com.

Having filmed a video of Pavle recently (should be posted in a few weeks) and now feeling as if I had known him for years, I asked him to pair some appetizers for us with an Arizona white but keep it blind.  My daughter and friend are just beginning to appreciate wine and I thought that this would be a fun exercise.  We ordered two appetizers, the crispy Rock Shrimp with jalapeno Tartar and the fried green tomatoes with green goddess dressing and feta. 

Right on schedule, Pavle delivered the wine, a white with a light yet rich lemony hue.  The nose was just lovely with notes of pear, honeysuckle, almond and a definite spine of allspice.  We all agreed that it was very well rounded and full and sported a complexity that hinted at a diverse blend.  The flavors worked with perfection with the lightly fried style of the rock shrimp and green tomatoes.  Almost simultaneously, my wife and I suggested that it might be a Doz Cabezas blend (www.doscabezaswinery.com).  We’ve  tasted Todd Bostock’s white blend in the past and this wine certainly seemed to define it.  When the cover was removed from the bottle, it was indeed the 2009 Meskeoli Cochise County White, a blend of Viognier, Roussanne, Marsanne, Riesling, Muscat and Malsavia. 

For the entrée, two of us ordered the grilled lamb tenderloin with artichokes, fingerling potatoes, sugar snap peas and olives while others ordered the bluenose bass with romanesco cauliflower, hazelnuts and citrus sauce and a roasted vegetable dish.  Pavle poured a medium deep purple red into our glasses and awaited our feedback.  We all agreed that the wine was soft and round, not as “meaty” and hefty as the color might have suggested.  There was currant, a little oak and my wife adroitly picked up a hint of mint and licorice.  While it seemed like a Cab, my brain clearly interfered, screaming that there weren’t any pure Cabs from local vintners.  You guessed it……………..I was wrong.  The wine turned out to be a 2008 Callaghan 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (www.callaghanvineyards.com).   The pairing of the lamb and Cab were simply perfect.  As for the two that had the bass and vegetable dish, they enjoyed the wine as well, but the white clearly was the preferred match.

To close the meal, we ordered the coconut crème brulee and the pecan chocolate tart.  Pavle kindly volunteered a dessert wine, a late harvest Zin, which displayed a deep berry and raisiny aroma with just a touch of sweetness, but not syrupy.  In the end, we all left happy, the restaurant still buzzing with patrons.

Tags: Callaghan Vineyards, dos cabezas, FnB, Todd Bostock