The Paso Robles winery offers a daily lunch menu designed to pair with its estate wines.
November 16, 2022 (Paso Robles, Calif.) – Known for its award-winning estate wines and breathtaking views, Calcareous Vineyard is pleased to announce Steven Smeets has joined the winery as Executive Chef, and will oversee the winery’s daily wine-pairing lunch menu that launched in 2020.
Smeets brings with him his farm-to-table passion and is designing menus built to show off the seasonal bounties of Paso Robles while pairing perfectly with Calcareous’ award winning estate Rhône, Bordeaux and Burgundy wines.
“It’s exciting to see Steven’s creativity come to life through an elevated menu that pairs so well with our wines,” said Calcareous Founder Dana Brown. “We pride ourselves on a sort of casual elegance, and that comes through with something on the menu for everyone – whether you are looking for a refined pairing experience or the best gourmet burger in wine country.”
An Oregon native, Smeets has built his culinary career in California after graduating from the California Culinary Academy in 2008. Smeets has held posts in San Francisco before discovering the Central Coast in 2012 and working in San Luis Obispo (Apple Farm), Morro Bay (Inn at Morro Bay), Paso Robles (Thomas Hill Organics) and mots recently in Pismo Beach (Sea Venture). No stranger to the culture and bounty of the Central Coast region and wine country, Smeets also gained national recognition by winning the Boiling Point Competition, which landed him on an episode of the Food Network’s “Cutthroat Kitchen.”
“It’s a thrill to join Dana and her team at Calcareous and have the opportunity to really drive a menu that is inspired by the wines and the rich seasonal offerings this region has to offer,” said Smeets.
For more on Calcareous’ current culinary offerings, see the latest menu here.
About Calcareous Vineyard
Calcareous Vineyard produces premium small-lot wines from its high-elevation estate vineyard on Paso Robles’ Westside. With expansive views of the coastal Saint Lucia Mountain Range, Calcareous is located on Peachy Canyon Road minutes from Downtown Paso Robles and just 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean. The 442-acre estate stretches 1,800 feet above sea level and is home to an unrivaled convergence of sun exposure, overnight marine layer, and its namesake – calcareous – the snow-white limestone-rich soil that is a key component to its critically acclaimed wines. Dana Brown and her father, Lloyd Messer, founded the winery in 2000 with a singular purpose: to craft elegant wines that purely express the delicious complexities of this wholly unique estate. Calcareous’ unwavering dedication to this mission has forged a legacy of excellence and continues to earn the winery numerous awards and accolades, including the esteemed Wine Spectator Top 100. calcareous.com | @calcareous
