Another Wichita Top Spot: Larkspur Bistro and Bar

Recently, Bart and his wife were on their way to another Wichita gem, Music Theater of Wichita (this time to see Mean Girls), and they stopped in at Larkspur with friends for a bite before the show. On a tight schedule, they skipped appetizers and went straight on to dinner. Bart chose the Shrimp and Scallops Linguini, but our main question is: what wine should he pair with this? As a very general rule, seafood is typically paired with white wine. However, oftentimes the biggest flavors from a dish come from the sauces and other accompaniments, so in that case, it’s better to pair wine with those. The shrimp and scallops linguini includes artichokes, sugar snap peas, and sun dried tomatoes in a saffron cream sauce (mmmm, so nice). Bart’s gut told him to go with a bigger, fuller Chardonnay (like those from California) or a lighter red wine, so he chose the Kentwood Pinot Noir 2019 from California. Pinots have a little more weight to them than most white wines, but they’re not as big and overpowering as some reds such as a Cabernet Sauvignon, so they do a good job pairing with many foods.

The Pinot Noir brings a nice red fruit kick, but it also has some earthy undertones that paired really well with the saffron and other vegetable elements. The two together seemed like one cohesive, delicious dish. It was a wonderful start to a fantastic evening! It’s the little details that cement the memories!