Monday, October 27, 2008
Mexico
Joins in at Top Ranked San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival
"Vino-Tourism" by Steve Dryden
· The San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival returns this fall, from November
12 to 16, with an action packed week of festivities
One of my favorite annual wine and food events takes
place from November 12th thru the 16th, the Fifth Annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, along the beautiful harbor
of San Diego in Southern California.
I love this event because it features local, regional
and national wines from the western United States and Mexico. In addition, it exposes Mexican wine to over 6,000 wine lovers
and consumers that live within easy driving distance of our premier wine country in Baja California, and allows us from Mexico
a convenient opportunity to sample some of the best wines coming from US wine producers.
There is something here to make everyone happy
and content! The Annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival is an international showcase of the world's premier wine and
spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities, and gourmet foods – with part of the proceeds used to benefit the
American Institute of Wine & Food culinary arts scholarship program.
This year the participating Baja California premier
wineries featured will be L.A. Cetto, Cavas Valmar, Chateau Camou, Bodegas San Rafael, Viņa de Liceaga, and Vinisterra, along
with micro-brewed beer from the Tijuana Brewery and the Cucapah Brewery.
Baja California restaurants in attendance are some
of our region’s best: Villa Saverios and Casa Plascencia restaurants of Tijuana, La Querencia of Tijuana, El Olivo of
Ensenada, and El Asao Restaurant of Tecate.
This amazing wine and food event features over 700
wineries, 60 of San Diego’s fine dining restaurants, 30 gourmet food companies, and many other exhibitors. Several palate
pleasing events include presentations of gourmet foods, celebrity chefs, wine dinners, cooking classes, wine tasting classes,
olive oil competition, live and silent auctions, personalities, and way too much premium wine and gourmet food.
One thing is certain – the diversity of food
and wine selections are enormous and marvelous.
Endorsed as a must
do event by the Baja Times, it has been voted one of California's top food festivals by the Los Angeles Times, ranked
among the top 100 Southern California Events by BizBash Magazine, and listed
among the top U.S. Wine & Food Festivals on Forbestraveler.com.
Some of the featured winemakers will be Jon Emmerich,
winemaker for Silverado Vineyards; Bart Barthelemy, winemaker for St. Barthelemy
Cellars; Tyler Heck, winemaker at John Tyler Wines; Stephen Kroener winemaker/owner
of Silver Horse Winery; Michael Richmond, winemaker for Bouchaine Vineyard; Etienne Cowper, winemaker at Wilson Creek Winery;
Marketta Fourmeaux, winemaker at Chateau Potelle; Diana Snowden Seysses, winemaker at Snowden Vineyards; Steve Tamburelli,
Director of Finance and Sales for Chappellet Winery; Amanda Cramer, winemaker for Niner Wine Estates; David Hopkins, winemaker
at Bridlewood Winery; Justin Kahler, winemaker for Calcareous Vineyard; Jeff Ritchey, winemaker at Sensorium Wines; Steve
Goldman, winemaker at Steven's Cellar; Alan & Mariela Viader, winemakers for Viader Vineyards; Kevin Hall, winemaker at
Alexander Valley Vineyards; Louis de Coninck, winemaker/owner of Beaucanon Estate; Bryan del Bondio, President of Markham
Vineyards; Jack Cole, winemaker for Spring Mountain Vineyards; Dan Kleck, winemaker for Donati Family Vineyards; Andrew &
Laurel Quady, winemakers/owners of Quady Winery; Dean De Korth, winemaker at Bernardus Winery; Bret Engelmann, winemaker/owner
of Engelmann Cellars; Kathleen Inman, winemaker/owner of Inman Family Winery; Scott Peterson, winemaker at Joseph Family Vineyards;
Bryan Kane, winemaker for Vie Winery; Al Perry, winemaker at Robert Biale Vineyards; Greg Gallagher, winemaker for Pope Valley
Winery; Gove Celio, winemaker of Neal Family Vineyards; and Paul Tanguay, the Sake ambassador.
Regional and national chefs making an appearance
are Gavin Kaysen, Executive Chef at Cafe Boulud in New York; Bernard Guillas,
Executive Chef at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club; Sondra Bernstein, Executive Chef/Owner of The Girl & The Fig;
Jimmy Schmidt, Executive Chef/Owner at Rattlesnake; Brian Malarkey, Executive Chef at Oceanaire; Richard Blais, Top Chef at
Chicago; Casey Thompson, Top Chef for Shensei; Sam Zien, known locally as Sam The Cooking Guy; Jeff Rossman, Executive Chef
at Terra; Walter Manikowski, Executive Chef at Dussini; Michael Antonorsi, Master Chef for Chuao Chocolatier; Scott Wagner,
Executive Chef at ChileCo Catering; Stephen Window, Executive Chef at Roppongi; Jeff Moogk, Executive Chef for Ladeki Restaurant
Group; Gary Thompson, Executive Chef for Viejas Casino; Thomas McAliney, Executive Chef for Brandt Beef; Bridget Bueche, Executive
Chef at Sub Zero Wolf West; Michael Rubino, Executive Chef at Napa Valley Grille; Thierry Cahez, Executive Chef for Paradise
Point Resort; Damon Gordon, Executive Chef at Quarter Kitchen; Jason Knibb, Executive Chef at Nine Ten; Sarah Likenheil, Executive
Chef of Sally's Seafood on the Water; Jason Marcus, Executive Chef for Red Pearl Kitchen; Matt Gordon, Executive at Chef Urban
Solace; Rhy Wadington, Executive Chef at Bondi; Augustine Saucedo, Chef de Cusine at The Shores Restaurant; Vikki Nulman,
Executive Chef Sol Cafe, NM.; Kurt Metzger, Executive Chef for Concept Catering by CK; Christopher Gardner, Executive Chef
at Fleming's Steakhouse; Wade Hageman, Executive Chef at Blanca Restaurant; Patrizio Sacchetto, Executive Chef for Oasis Bar
& Grill; Deborah Scott, Executive Chef at Kemo Sabe Indigo Grill; Elaine Ardizzone, Chef/Co-Owner Sweet Cheeks Bakery
Co; Clay Bordon, Executive Chef at Clay's in La Jolla; David Warner, Executive Chef for Tower 23; Jeffery Williams, Sous Chef
at Rice at W Hotel; Joe Magnanelli, Chef de Cuisine for Laurel; Tony DiSalvo, Executive Chef at Jack's in La Jolla; Yves Fournier,
Executive Chef for Pastries at Home; Marc Brislin, Executive Chef for Blue Wave; Dave Meade, Head Chef at Nobu; Teruya Noriyoshi,
Head Sushi Chef for Nobu San Diego; Brian Rutherford, Executive Chef at Pinanfirina
in the Keating Hotel; and Chris Kurth, Chef de Cuisine at the famous Grant Grill in downtown San Diego.
Regional wine and food lovers can mingle with chefs,
winemakers, restaurateurs, winery owners, winery staff and many diverse individuals who all love living the good life within
the food and wine culture.
If you are a Top Chef fan, or just love really great
food, you can’t miss a wonderful class held on November 14th. Three former contestants from this TV show, chefs Brian
Malarkey, Rickard Blais and Casey Thompson, have collaborated to prepare a mouthwatering wine paired tasting menu exclusively
for you. They each have 20 minutes to teach you the techniques to prepare their recipes at home, and then wow your taste buds
with a sampling of the dish prepared during the class. This class will be held on Friday, November 14 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
at Macy's School of Cooking.
Other examples of the many interesting classes and
events are Arousing the Senses with Chocolate & Vino, featuring Master Chef Michael Antonorsi of Chuao Chocolatier, held
on November 13th; Find the Opus, featuring wine expert John Alonge; and the world’s best sake tasting to be held on
Friday, November 14th. For more information about these and many more events visit www.worldofwineevents.com, or call Michelle at (858) 578-9463 in San Diego.
Two events I never miss are the Reserve Tasting, on
Friday, November 14th, and the Grand Tasting event on Saturday, November 15th. The cooking classes are fun and exciting, and
the food and wine selections are just incredible. This is probably the best way to discover the region’s best chefs,
some of the world’s better wines, and see who else is out there enjoying the food and wine culture.
Pace yourselves, and enjoy one of the best food and
wine shows in the region.
See you there!
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Steve Dryden writes about wine, food,
travel, Native Peoples, and history. He lives in the Guadalupe Valley of Baja
California, Mexico, where he guides private and small group van tours.
