Chef Matthew Poley from Heirloom LA catering and Michael’s on Naples always makes great food. That’s a given at this point, but what took me by surprise at the Silverlake Wine tasting was the wines. We received a different wine from Hirsch Family Vineyards with each course, and every wine was more phenomenal than the last. Even better, Jasmine Hirsch visited from Sonoma County to discuss her family’s winery.

Before the first course, Jasmine explained how her father David bought a 1000-acre sheep ranch that didn’t even have running water. David friend pushed him to start producing wine, and he planted his first vineyard in 1980.

After opening with a NV Devon Cava from Spain, our first taste of Hirsch Vineyards wine was a 2007 Chardonnay, grown on a 40-degree grade, on earth that’s 60% rock. The first Chardonnay was planted in 1993. In 2005, due to catastrophic rains, they produced just 8 cases, which fermented abnormally, using no oak. However this approach led to a “beautiful purity.” In 2007, the family experimented by vinifying their Chardonnay in glass, oak, stainless steel and partial steel/oak, then blended the results. The result: “less than 20% new oak, all about acidity and minerality.”

Poley presented planks of roasted vegetables, including broccolini, baby leeks, green onions and asparagus. He paired the smoky vegetables with a super-charged romesco sauce containing chipotle, hazelnut, bell pepper, olives, garlic and pepper. Poley is always forthright about his ingredients. He and partner Tara Maxey even share recipes on their Heirloom LA blog.

2007 “Bohan-Dillon” Pinot Noir features a logo with one cat offering a glass of Pinot to another cat. Jasmine’s father says, “In my 30 years of farming, this is possibly the best vintage I’ve seen.” After tasting their earthy nectar, no argument.

To pair with Pinot, Poley created his version of a lettuce wrap, with butter lettuce cradling a supple olive oil-poached fillet of John Dory. There was also a spoonful of opal basil pesto and a knobby pickled cucumber, grown wild.

Jasmine Hirsch next discussed her family’s 2006 “M” Pinot Noir. They’re located just three miles from the Pacific, but she said, “The single most important thing is the San Andreas Fault,” which has created a “mosaic of soils.” To manage the complexity, the Hirsches farm in small blocks. Every block is developed individually, the smallest being 0.2 acres. Every block is barreled down individually as well. Using those grapes, they create Hirsch, Bohan-Dillon and “the third child in the room” – M. They produced only 480 cases of M.

Poley always likes to make a vegetarian pasta course for Silverlake Wine tastings. Today, he produced a terrific ravioli with spinach pasta and a filling of beet greens and artichokes. Up top, he added cubed beets and a light brown butter sage sauce.

Silverlake Wine co-owner Randy Clement thanked Jasmine Hirsch for attending the tasting and said her family is “California wine royalty,” producing “probably the best stuff in Sonoma.” She explained that they were fruit farmers for 22 years before producing their first estate vintage in 2002. She considers the 2006 Pinot Noir the “premiere expression of our site, the most profound and complex.” They used 70% old vines and 30% new vines “to keep it vibrant and alive.” Their signature wine uses fruit from 33 of their 66 blocks of land. My still-developing palate couldn’t detect much difference between this and the M, but both were stellar.

For the final course, Poley presented mounds of saffron risotto with caramelized onions, creamy burrata and a dusting of pepper.

Don’t be surprised if Heirloom LA provides food for another upcoming Silverlake Wine tasting. When they do, go. In the meantime, you’ll find bottles of Hirsch Family Vineyards Pinot Noir and Chardonnay at the store