Carino’s: Wine-Tasting Events

By Deb Jenkins
Staff Writer

I had a wonderful experience at Johnny Carino’s wine tasting/dinner party. It was my first time ever to one. It had a great private special party feel to it, and who doesn’t love that. I was very fortunate too, to sit at the table with the two owners from Sioux Falls, Bill Nadon and Troy Porter, and the wine reps Bob Nichols from Minneapolis and Fargo’s Scott Bates. The chef that night was Eric Rinehart. He set the food to the wine and it was very tasteful…

High Plains Reader: Eric how long have you worked at Carinos?

Eric Rinehart: It will be 2 years next month.

HPR: Eric, could you give our readers some background on yourself and what your role is at Carinos?

ER: I have been in the restaurant and bar industry here in Fargo over the last 15 years. I am the General Manager of Johnny Carinos, and basically oversee all aspects of the restaurant on a day-to-day basis.

HPR: How hard is it to come up with the menu to go with the wine and keep it different (instead of simply paring white with fish and red with beef)?

ER: It is the best part of doing a wine dinner. To create a certain course that tastes and looks amazing, then we have to find the perfect wine to accompany the food, which is really the best part of creating, it’s the tasting of the wines.

HPR: How often are the wine tastings?

ER: The third Thursday of each month except for December and a couple of summer months. Emails alert our mailing list of 5000 about each dinner.

HPR: How do we find out about it?

ER: Join our friends and family here at the store and you will receive email notifications and three coupons from us per year.

HPR: When is the next wine tasting/dinner?

ER: Tuesday May 18, 6:30 pm.

HPR: How long has Carino’s been having these wine tastings?

ER: Since we opened in May of 2005.

HPR: It seemed to me that you have a very loyal following. How many people do you usually seat for these events?

ER: 30 to 40. Sometimes we sell out but we ended up at 44-46—we will always try to accommodate as many guests as possible.

HPR: There was mention, by one of the owners, of a possible wine fest in September in Sioux Falls at the Carino’s there, having music and food. Do you know anything about that?

ER: They are doing a wine celebration in September at which people may participate in the stomping of the grapes as well as excellent food and a variety of top notch wines. You can read more about it soon at http://www.prairiepasta.com.

HPR: Is there anything I have not asked that you would like to tell our readers?

ER: On Wednesday night, half-price bottles of wine; half-price family platters all day every Monday. We cater all occasions. For catering questions, call Julie at 701.261.4640.

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What was the menu that night and what did I learn about wine? Seeing that I know NOTHING about wine, I will start with that. We had a White Pinot that had not even been introduced to North Dakota yet—we were the first to have it, right there at the wine tasting. This wine was bottled in 2008.

The menu was in four courses: blacked salmon bites paired with Montpellier Pinot Noir; spring mix salad with pear vinaigrette, with Forest Glen Pinot Grigio; boursin-stuffed chicken breast with Carmenet Reserve Chardonnay; panna cotta with Crane Lake Moscato.

I am looking forward to the next one and hope to learn even more. It is just crazy that one can get educated, eat great food, have tasteful beverages and be surrounded by friends. Gotta love it. I know too that this event is something that many other places have. So let’s support everyone and share the green.

Until next week, stay safe and eat well. Any questions or concerns email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

If You Go

What: Johnny Carino’s
Where: 4410 17th Ave S
When: M-F 11-10; SS 11-11
Info: 701.282.2922