Seasons 52 is known for its seasonally-inspired menus based on what’s available from local sources. Wine is no exception. Available for only a limited time, Seasons 52 in Seaport Village is offering Harvest Wine from Mauritson Vineyards. Harvest Wine is a Sauvignon Blanc that’s been half-fermented, leaving a very sweet, drinkable wine that’s reminiscent of a white sangria or what I like to call, a “wine juice” with a little bit of effervescence. The alcohol content is low (5%) so it’s great to have for a meetup with friends before heading on a night out or an after-work pick-me-up.
I brought along my friend, Sarah, to taste this wine. Sarah is a beer fanatic but is also very academic and knowledgable about wines. As for me, I just drink it and let you know if I like it or not. At first sip, we were both surprised at its sweetness. Sarah went on to talk about the aroma compounds and esters while I just sipped the wine, in fascination of her knowledge. All those terms went over my head, but I can say that the taste is very tropical, I sensed a bit of mango and pineapple. Sarah thought it would be a good introductory wine for those who are new to wine or people who are not typically wine drinkers.
Our waitress, Jess, was helpful in suggesting the foods to pair with the wine and recommended seafood and short rib. To start off, we ordered Tuna Tartare and Artichoke Goat Cheese flatbread. Our favorite was the tuna tartare which was stacked on top of a tropical slaw and wasabi avocado mousse. It also paired well with the wine since both had tropical flavors. We agreed that we could have gotten a little more wasabi “nose” in the avocado mousse to kick it up but the Sriracha dots were very appreciated.
Our soup starters were butternut squash for Sarah while I selected the porcini mushroom bisque. The bisque was probably the best mushroom soup I’ve ever tasted — very clean and not inundated with cream so that the mushroom flavor stands out. The butternut squash was sweet and mild and could have used a contrasting flavor. It’s as good thing we had the artichoke goat cheese flatbread. The two went well together.
On to the entrees: Sarah opted for the Warm Harvest Mushroom and Arugula Salad while I chose the Roasted Quail. The salad was perfectly dressed very mushroom-forward. You really have to be a mushroom fan to appreciate it. My quail was beautifully presented on a long plate with each bird stuffed with a mushroom risotto. I was taken aback when I cut into the bird and the stuffing oozed out (I forgot about the stuffing in the menu). While white wine tends to go well with poultry and mushrooms, the Harvest Wine was on the border of pairing well to being a little too sweet for the entree. A dry wine could have been better.
All in all, the food and drink was delicious and I ate more than I should have by the end of the evening. We were so happy to be able to taste the wine and experience the great service by Jess, who remained on top of our needs and timed our food very well.
Seasons 52 is the only restaurant in the U.S. to introduce Harvest Wine and it is available for a very limited time (until it runs out). So hurry on in and enjoy the cool vibe, great food, and drinks Seasons 52 has to offer!
Seasons 52 Seaport is located at:
789 W Harbor Dr
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 702-0052
Disclosure: I was treated to a complimentary wine tasting and dinner for two in order to review what Seasons 52 had to offer. All opinions are my own.