"Super Bowl" of wine tastings at the 2010 New Orleans Wine & Food Experience

Story and Photos by Dwight Casimere

It was the Super Bowl of wine tastings at the Louisiana Superdome, home to the New Orleans Saints and the site of more NFL Super Bowl games than any other city, as the Grand Tasting of the 2010 New Orleans Wine & Food Experience got underway in true Mardi Gras fashion. A Mardi Gras-style parade, jazz musicians and celebrity chefs and winemakers created the atmosphere for hundreds of foodies and gourmands as they roamed amidst food stations and sampled gourmet bites prepared on site by chefs from 75 of New Orleans’ most famous restaurants and tasted offerings from among a thousand wine varieties.

Earlier in the day, participants in the 2010 NOWFE attended seminars at the Hotel Monteleone that covered the gamut of the gourmet experience. Subjects and hands-on tasting demonstrations, led by expert producers, restaurateurs, winemakers and sommeliers included “Thinking Outside the Bento Box” featuring Champagne and sushi pairings from Rock-n-Sake restaurant in New Orleans’ Warehouse District and “Romancing The Rhone” which featured Rhone style wines from California’s Central Coast paired with tastes from Le Floret, another rising-star restaurant in New Orleans’ burgeoning SoHo New York-style Warehouse District.

In keeping with the “Super Bowl” theme, one of the winemakers was former NFL football star for the New Orleans Saints Terry Hoage, now of Paso Robles, California, who presented his Terry Hoage Vineyards 5 Blocks Cuvee wine($50) and his 2007 Terry Hoage Vineyards Skins Grenache($48). Hoage has been a winemaker for the past 20 years and has garnered considerable praise and awards for his deeply concentrated, rich, dark berry fruit wines. Terry and his wife Jennifer’s winemaking approach is to create wines that are minimally processed. Their fastidious adherence to sustainable farming practices and low yield production results in wines that are exceptional.

Over at the Superdome, the Grand Tasting party rolled out into the full moon night with the sounds of Paul Sanchez and the Rolling Road Show and another Mardi Gras parade, complete with floats and the customary throwing of the Mardi Gras beads and coins to the revelers. The Grand Tasting of the 2010 New Orleans Wine & Food Experience was a chance to experience a taste of New Orleans’ most decadent culinary delights along with fine wines from around the world—all against the backdrop of one of the most famous sports arenas in the country and one of the most beautiful and unique cities in the world. They just don’t throw a better party anywhere else!

The faces and places of the 2010 New Orleans Wine & Food Festival Royal Street Stroll

photos and story by Dwight Casimere

It was an evening presided over by Bacchus himself! The 2010 New Orleans Wine & Food Festival Royal Street Stroll is one of the most anticipated events of the spring and summer culinary festival season. Because of its Mardi Gras-like atmosphere, it attracts gourmands from around the globe who descend on New Orleans and its French Quarter for a night of unprecedented night of revelry.

Music, mimes and culinary magic made this a night to remember in the Vieux Carre. As they say in the Big Easy Laissez Le Bon Temps Roulet, Let The Good Times Roll!

Spirit of Bacchus reigns at 2010 NOWFE Royal Street Stroll

l

by Dwight Casimere

Bacchus led the Mardi Gras-styled parade along with the Krewe of Cork and singer/dancer Ms. Jennifer Jones at the annual Royal Street Stroll, one of the centerpieces of the 2010 New Orleans Wine & Food Experience.

One of the world’s largest block parties “the stroll,” as locals affectionately call it, is the definitive evening event of NOWFE with street musicians, mimes and novelty acts interspersed among the revelers, and some clad in Mardi Gras costumes.

Local chefs constructed field kitchens to dispense shrimp ettouffee, mussels mariniere and Cajun spiced ribs. Inside the rare antique shops, jewelry makers and fine arts galleries, fine wines were being dispensed, such as Cain vineyards 2006 Concept ($54.99), a small production Bordeaux-styled blend from the Spring Mountain District overlooking Napa Valley, poured from crystal decanters and Chateau St. Michelle’s 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon ($13.99), an award-winning wine from Washington state’s oldest and most acclaimed winery near Seattle.

Royal Street was closed end-to-end along the length of the French Quarter, giving revelers free reign to wine and dine to the sounds of local musicians, such as singer/songwriter and Polymer Clay Artist Margie Perez and her New Orleans Funk band and the Doo-Wop vocal stylings of Jay-Ray & Gee.

It was a celebration orchestrated by Bacchus himself!

Chef John Besh of New Orleans: A passion for preserving the Gulf Coast and America's culinary heritage

by Dwight Casimere

The 2010 New Orleans Wine and Food Experience is underway in the French Quarter of this historic and legendary city. One of the first stops made by Dwight The Wine Doctor, was a visit to Chef John Besh’s American Sector restaurant, just a mile south of the Hotel Monteleone, a French Quarter landmark and headquarters hotel to the Wine and Food Experience. Chef Besh was ebullient in greeting Dwight The Wine Doctor in the gleaming kitchens of his newly minted creation. In spite of the joy of opening a successful new venue in the depths of the nation’s worse financial depression, he was more concerned about the plight of Gulf Coast fishermen who have been impacted by the BP oil spill debacle. Chef Besh was born and raised in Louisiana and comes from a family steeped in the traditions of the Gulf fishing community. He speaks with a conviction that is part of his birthright.

"This is our National Treasure and it’s vital that we move into action NOW to save not only our wildlife, but a very important part of our national heritage." New Orleans chef John Besh was sounding off about the travesty in the Gulf Coast while standing in the pristine stainless steel kitchen of his sparkling new American Sector restaurant, the flagship of the National World War II Museum, located in the Warehouse District, the direct beneficiary of the construction boom, post-Katrina. "In the early 1900's, this was known as the American Sector.

It's hard to imagine, but, at that time, there really wasn't that much of an American presence in New Orleans. So, in honor of that, we decided to name the restaurant the American Sector. Besh, a Marine veteran, has a special affinity for the National World War II Museum that the restaurant anchors.

Standing in the midst of the midday crush like a general coordinating the efforts of his Sous Chef and line cooks, Chef Besh pointed proudly to his many culinary creations that reflected his own twist on American Classics. "Smell the freshness of our tomato soup, made with Heirloom tomatoes grown on our very own farm about an hour west of downtown New Orleans. We also raise our own Heritage pigs. We make all of our pulled pork sandwiches and sausages from our own, farm-raised pigs." The mile-high Onion Rings were a personal favorite, along with the pulled pork sandwich, washed down with a generous glass of McManus Cabernet7, Paso Robles ($15) and a smoked lamb rib that was so redolent of aged wood smoke that one patron yelled "does anyone else smell something burning?!," which brought a knowing laugh from the assembled diners.

An Andrews Sisters-USO styled show followed in the adjacent Stage Door Canteen, sending diners trucking out into the afternoon swelter to the beat of Chattanooga Choo Choo. It was the opening day of the 2010 New Orleans Wine and Food Experience and a fitting experience to kick off the nation’s biggest culinary block party.

Vizcaya: A Venetian Night Under the Stars

by Dwight Casimere

Miami’s Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is one of the most breathtaking venues in the country. The legacy of agricultural industrialist James Deering, it is an exact replica of a Venetian Castle with lavish gardens and a canal complete with footbridges and gondola docking poles that would be right at home under the Bridge of Sighs. Built in 1916, in remains one of the historic and architectural monuments to luxury and Italian Renaissance Art.

The Vizcayans, the not for profit foundation which oversees the preservation and operation of the Museum & Grounds held its 13^th Annual Evening Under the Stars, a food, wine and entertainment extravaganza that is a fundraiser for their continuing School, Youth and Family Programs. Nearly a dozen of Miami’s finest gourmet restaurants, wine purveyors such as Volteo wines of Spain, and spirits, represented by the House of Bacardi, which maintains its American headquarters in Coral Gables, afforded an unprecedented opportunity to tour the main house and grounds and revel in the luxurious surroundings. A nearly perfect spring night afforded the appropriate ‘kiss from the Roman Gods’ that made the night a treasure.

Chefs from the Epic’s Area 31, El Scorpion, Gibraltar at Grove Isle, another exquisite venue in Coconut Grove, Mercandito, RED, South Beach’s acclaimed new wave steak house, Sugarcane, Wish at The Hotel and the Palme d’Or, the award-winning top-rated French fine-dining restaurant at The Biltmore, all worked feverishly throughout the night preparing gourmet goodies. Their efforts were especially challenged by the uniqueness of the venue, which has no available kitchen facilities. Yet, the chefs were able to provide such specialties as hand-rolled sushi, duck confit crepe and grilled stuffed poblano peppers. A particular hit were the handmade strawberry crepes made to order by the master chefs of the Crepemaker. The deft artistry of the crepe makers attracted lines the stretched across the waterfront palazzo of the Vicaya Main House.

Inside, a fabulous silent auction featured bidding on luxury cruises, hotel suite weekend packages and gourmet dining experiences from local five-star venues.

The Vizcaya regularly offers tours for individuals and groups. A minimum of ten students is required to qualify for group rates and visits must be booked at least three weeks in advance to be eligible for a volunteer guided tour. A word of caution, the grounds and walking paths of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens present quite a challenge for the ladies in heels and not all areas are wheelchair accessible or support visual or hearing impairments. Otherwise, a visit to Vizcaya is an incomparable experience. I attended and photographed a wedding there a few years ago, and even with the occurrence of persistent showers, it was still a breathtaking experience. For information, visit www.vizcayamuseum.org.

Gems of Italy sparkle in culinary palace

by Dwight Casimere

Enrico Giacomelli and Claudio Gabellini, co-owners of Conti Di Buscareto winery of Italy, were ebullient as they greeted a select group of wine media in their premiere Press Dinner, Hidden Treasures from the Hills of the Marche Region held at South Beach, Miami’s Quattro Gastronomia Italiana restaurant.

“These wines achieve their best expression when in the presence of food,” Giacomelli enthused while sipping a glass of sparkling Rose Brut made from the Lacrima Nera grape, which is unique to Le Marche.

Accompanied by an Antipasto of tuna tartar with capers, diced tomatoes, mustard and mache green salad, the fortunate diners dove into the most famous wine of the Marche region, Verdicchio, which was presented in two vintages; Verdicchio dei Castellii de Jesi DOC 2009 and Ammazzaconte, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Sellection DOC 2007. The two wines provided contrasting perspectives. The Castelli Di Jesi was floral, fruity and full of fresh, green apple flavor. The Ammazzaconte was more refined and complex with a slight bitter-almond aftertaste and hints of the French Oak barrels in which it was aged for 6 months.

The first course, Risotto with shrimp and asparagus provided the perfect accompaniment to the Ammazzaconte. The gentle brine flavor of the shrimp and the green minerality of the asparagus acting as counterpoints to the acidity present in the wine. The creaminess of the risotto made for a nice, cozy “umami” feel in the mouth. This is the kind of ‘comfort food’ they typically enjoy in the Marche and Quattro’s Chefs de Cuisine approximated the experience perfectly!

The House made tagliatelle with lamb ragu was an outstanding dish. I tasted the silky noodles prior to their being bathed in a shaving of fresh Parmesan. They were revelatory. There is nothing quite like the taste of fresh, handmade pasta. The taste is without comparison. The accompanying wines, Lacrima di Moro d’Alba DOC 2008 and Compagnia Della Rosa, Lacrima di Moro d’Alba DOC 2005 made for a Technicolor dining experience.

The Lacrima variety, “it means teardrop in Italian,” sales manager Claudio Luconi explained as servers brought out the First Course. “It is called that because of the appearance of a drop of the juice that breaks through the skin as it is harvested.” This early flowering, aromatic grape is brought to the essence of refinement in large oak vats for 8 months of refining. In the Morro d’Alba 2008 wine, the result is an intense, aromatic experience that brings out both the fruitiness and the fresh aftertaste. A light tomato sauce and the nutty flavor of the cheese made the wine literally dance on the palate.

I lingered over the Compagnia Della Rosa long after the pasta was cleared away in order to enjoy its lingering complexity. Aged in small oak barrels, it displayed delicate tannins and a pronounced fruity aftertaste mingled with spice and sensations of withered rose petals. The equipoise of delicate floral notes on the nose and deep red berries and oak at the back of the mouth made tasting the wine an intriguing experience.

All the culinary gloves were off in the next stellar course; thin, almost Carpaccio-like slices of the rarest Prime Beef Tenderloin, presented in their most pristine state with shavings of Parmesan cheese, slices of green pepper, a few capers and a sprig of fresh rosemary, which I broke by hand into tiny pieces to be chewed in concert with each bite. Combined with the Rosso Piceno DOC 2007 and the elegant Bisaccione, Marche Rosso IGT 2007 wines, it made for an absorbing dining experience that could easily have encompassed an entire evening. With each bite, I experienced a different quality from each of the wines. I found myself making a flurry of tasting notes on my Blackberry as I ate.

The best was saved for last. Verdicchio Dei Castelli Di Jesi Passito is made from Verdicchio grapes that have been affected by the Botrytis Cinerea, the ‘noble rot’, which occurs when the grapes are affected by cool temperatures after a hot day. This phenomenon usually occurs toward the end of the harvest. In Le Marche, it occurs in the first week of November. The wine then undergoes a soft pressing and is fermented in both small French oak barrels and stainless steel tanks for a total of 24 months. The wine is then aged in the bottle for 6 months. The resulting wine is unique and stunning. It possesses a bright, golden color with an intense bouquet and flavors of citrus, candied and dried fruits, honey and chamomile. It is a carnival in the mouth.

The kitchen wisely prepared a dessert that was not too sweet. It was a savory tart composed of almonds, figs and ricotta cheese. This more laid back approach to dessert allowed the wine to shine through. In hindsight, the wine could have stood alone as a dessert course. It can speak for itself.

Those who attended the dinner at Quattro experienced a singular event that will not soon be duplicated. Some of the wines introduced at the dinner will make their way into fine wine shops around the country. Others, because of their limited production, will only have been enjoyed by the lucky few assembled this night. The opportunity to attend this U.S. Premiere event will live long in memory. Arrive Derce Marche!

Italy's Marche Region shines with Conti Di Buscareto wines

by Dwight Casimere

“Most people associate “Cremant” wines with France, but their origin, like all great things, are Italian,” that bold assertion was made by Enrico Giacomelli, co-owner, with Claudio Gabellini, of Conti Di Buscareto wines of the Marche region of Italy. “We are on the same parallel as Tuscany,” Gabellini described, “That means we have the same micro-climate.”

Gabellini and Giacomelli built their state-of-the-art winery in 2002 and immediately began to create wines that reflected the unique varietals of the Marche region and to put their own stamp on the wines, which are quickly gaining a foothold in every American city in which they have been introduced. The wines have already gained popularity in New York and, in this outing at the prestigious W Hotel in South Beach, Miami, they are set to make their mark in Florida, before moving on the Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago and Houston. The wines made a big splash at the recent VinItaly conference in Verona and are quickly garnering rave reviews from wine writers and critics in the United States. The fact that they are value priced and offer a big flavor bang for the buck is an added plus in a crowded international wine market.

Rose Brut, a sparkling wine made with “Lacrima” grapes, is a soft, floral sparkling wine created in the above-named Charmat method. Its distinctive pink color and floral aroma gives it an elegant and delicate finish with hints of rose petals and cherry on the palette. “This is really a fresh, slightly dry and aromatic wine that really makes it attractive in today’s market, especially among women.” Said Claudio Luconi, Sales Manager for Conti Di Buscareto. “We only leave the grapes on the skins for about an hour to achieve the ideal pink color, then they are soft pressed and treated in the autoclave with the Charmat method. It creates a delicate, sparkling rose that is both slightly dry and supremely aromatic. This is a terrific summertime sparkling wine with a lot of versatility and appeal.”

The wines ran the gamut from fruity whites to complex, dry reds. There was even a ‘botrytis’ late harvest white that lent its thick, honey-syrup harmonies to the symphony of flavors presented at the intimate tasting.

“Lacrima means tears,”Luconi explained, in referring to the indigenous grapes used in the creation of several of the wines that were tasted. “The grapes are very thin-skinned and pregnant with juice. When they are placed on the lees, the skins break and a tiny drop of juice presents itself, hence, they have been called the grape of tears since their first use in the 15^th Century.”

The first white wine tasted was Verdicchio Dei Castelli Di Jesi. The Verdicchio Cultivar is produced almost exclusively in Le Marche. The history of the grape can be traced back to antiquity. Gentle pressing and fermentation in stainless steel barrels at a controlled temperature results in a wine that it slightly acidic with floral sensations and hints of hay and apples. “This is the perfect wine to go with shellfish and even some ‘white’ meats such as poultry or veal. Its extremely versatile because it has such a complete mouth feel and a sour aftertaste like green apples.”

The real standout of the evening’s tasting was Rosso Piceno, a blend of Sangiovese and Montepulciano grapes that was the real ‘Rocky’ of the bunch. Fermented and macerated over a 12 day period after malolactic fermentation, the wine if refined in stainless steel tanks and in the bottle for a total of 12 months. It is composed of 70% Montepulciano and 30% Sangiovese. It possesses a deep ruby red color and a strong aroma of cherries and Madagascar spices. Silky, warm and full-bodied, this is the essence of Le Marche!

The wines have yet to reach many markets such as Chicago, but they will be on the way soon. They are value priced and will sell in the $15 to $24 range. If you see them, grab them and have them with your favorite foods. You will not be disappointed.