Our annual members-only Winemaker’s Dinner is a highlight of the year for us. This very intimate dinner pairs Taplin wine with a five-course meal, and our winemaker, Julien Fayard, speaks to every course and mingles with guests.

The 2023 menu included a wonderful Cabernet Braised Pork Cheeks course, which was paired with the 2019 Taplin Cabernet Sauvignon. Chef Eric Magnani has been generous enough to share the recipe with us, and we are excited to pass it along to you.

Yield: 4 portions

Ingredients

4 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb. pork cheeks, trimmed

4 shallots, minced

1 leek, white part rinsed and minced

6 oz. celery root, peeled and diced

6 oz. fennel, diced

6 oz. parsnip, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 thyme sprigs

1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon

4 oz. diced tomatoes

2 bay leaves

Kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

3 cups veal or beef stock

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°.

In a 1-gallon stock pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Season the pork cheeks with salt and pepper and sear the cheeks to brown all over. Then transfer to a plate with paper towels to drain fat.

Add all vegetables except tomatoes to the pot and turn the heat down to medium. Slowly brown the veggies. Deglaze the pot with the wine then add tomatoes, veal stock, bay leaves, and the thyme. Bring to a boil, add the cheeks back to the pot, and then cover. Place in the oven for 3 – 3½  hours or until fork tender.

Once finished, use a slotted spoon to remove the cheeks and vegetables, picking out the thyme and bay leaves. Reduce the liquid by ⅔ and season to taste. Add the cheeks and vegetables back to the sauce and serve immediately over potatoes, polenta, or rice.