Now, you can pair lobster with your wine at Davesté Vineyards in Lake Norman
White wine and lobster rolls? Yes, please!
When it comes to wine and food pairing, Caroline Carrick of Davesté Vineyards knows a thing or two. That’s why it was important for the wine enthusiast and entrepreneur to find just the right partner to establish a permanent food truck presence at her Lake Norman area vineyard.
The 60-acre, award-winning Troutman winery recently teamed up with Flock Bistro from Mooresville to launch Davesté Kitchen By Flock, an onsite gourmet food trailer that offers chef-prepared cuisine designed to pair with the vineyard’s wine selection.
“We’ve been wanting to add permanent food options to Davesté for a long time now, but we’re in the business of making and selling wine; we’re not restaurateurs,” said Carrick, who owns the vineyard with her husband, Colin Carrick.
“I’ve known Flock for a while, and a lot of our customers are regulars there. It’s highly regarded and has a great reputation. We’re confident this is the right restaurant to partner with for a food trailer to offer delicious food and beautiful presentations that will enhance our customers’ experience.”
Wine and food pairings
Flock owner Anne Sheehan said it was a natural evolution for the family-owned restaurant, as well. Entering its fifth year, the bistro was looking to branch beyond its brick-and-mortar location, having already started with a pre-packaged charcuterie program that has become popular at local breweries and wineries. Sheehan’s son, Colin Sheehan, came up with the idea to go bigger, and after meeting with the Carricks, Davesté Kitchen By Flock was born.
The food trailer is based at Davesté and offers restaurant-prepared cuisine, including Maine lobster rolls, wild-caught crab, chicken salad rolls, vegan Mediterranean medley, lettuce wraps, avocado bowls and all-beef hot dogs, as well as handmade sweet treats by Flock’s pastry chef. Charcuterie will also be sold in the tasting room and in the food truck in the coming weeks.
“All of our offerings are made fresh in our kitchen and then transported to the food trailer, where we have extra refrigeration,” Anne Sheehan said. “We’ve simplified the process so that way we can just assemble on the fly and serve quickly.”
Sheehan said the “living menu” will evolve seasonally, and extras will be added for special events. Last weekend, for example, the vineyard hosted Oktoberfest, so the menu included bratwursts, beef chili and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
As for wine pairings, Carrick recommends:
Crab: Rkatsiteli, the vineyard’s signature white wine made from estate grapes and winner of North Carolina Fine Wine Competition’s double gold award.
Lobster rolls and Mediterranean medley: Pinot Grigio
Chicken salad: Viognier (which Carrick calls a “particularly amazing combo”)
Hot dog: “Pairs perfectly with Chambourcin, no joke,” Carrick said.
“We’re Lake Norman’s winery, and we have a huge seafood-eating population that loves coming to the vineyard as part of lake life,” Carrick said. “We designed the menu for some of our seafood pairing wines to really heighten the flavors and experience.”
Davesté Kitchen by Flock is a solution to what had become a growing problem at the vineyard. Over the years, the winery hosted numerous food trucks and trailers. But often, they would sell out and leave by late afternoon, leaving disappointed customers who were expecting food with their wine.
The permanent food truck will be open every hour the vineyard is open, from noon to 8 p.m. Thursday and Sunday, and noon to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The Flock team will continue to bring in fresh food from the restaurant as needed.
“Customers really appreciate the consistency,” Carrick said. “At Davesté, expectations are high and having chef-prepared food is very suitable for our brand and customers. We’re so pleased at how this new partnership has come together so perfectly.”
Davesté Kitchen By Flock
Location: 155 Lytton Farm Rd, Troutman, NC 28166
Instagram: @DavestéVineyards
This story was originally published October 26, 2022 at 6:30 AM.
