We arrived in Jacksonville in the afternoon and went to Matthew’s for dinner. It was an excellent meal, and it was nice to end our road trip on a high note. The six course tasting menu was well thought out and very reasonably priced, as was the wine pairing. Our server, Kelly, was super, and had a lot of fun with the wine pairing when she figured out I was into wines, bringing options for each course. As a result, I ended up with a lot of interesting things to try matching with the food, all for $70. Quite a deal:
- Moet & Chandon Imperial (89)
- King Estate Pinot Gris (87)
- 2009 Domaine Napa Chardonnay (93, like butter cream frosting)
- King Estate Pinot Noir (89, earthy finish)
- ZD Cabernet Sauvignon (92, really chewy)
- 2006 Abbaye de Saint-ferme “les vignes du soir” Bordeaux blend (89, minerals)
- Fonseca 20 year tawny (90, carmel)
- La fleur d’or Sauternes (84, chlorine)
- Alvear’s Fino Montilla (not my thing!)
Coincidentally, we learned that the highly regarded pastry chef at the Peninsula Grill in Charleston where we dined last night came from this Jacksonville restaurant!