The event will bring wine experts and industry leaders from around the country to discuss, taste, and celebrate Virginia’s wine and food culture. Panels, tastings and discussions will be held throughout this day-long event, featuring remarks by keynote speaker Jon Bonné, one of the leading American voices writing about wine today.
Bonné will be joined by some of the nation’s foremost and influential wine professionals, including:
- Andy Chabot, Sommelier and Director of Food & Beverage, Blackberry Farm (Walland, Tenn.)
- Belinda Chang, Director of Wine & Service, Maple & Ash (Chicago, Ill.)
- Julie Dalton, Sommelier, Wit & Wisdom Tavern (Baltimore, Md.)
- Fred Dexheimer, Master Sommelier (MS), Creator of Rx Wine Lab, POPUP Wine Bar (Durham, N.C.)
- Anthony Giglio, Wine writer and personality (New York, N.Y.)
- Helen Johannesen, Director of Operations and Wine Director, ANIMAL and Son of a Gun! (Los Angeles, Calif.)
- Jennifer Knowles, Sommelier and Wine & Beverage Director, The Jefferson Hotel and Plume Restaurant (Washington, D.C.)
- Richard Leahy, Wine consultant and author (Charlottesville, Va.)
- David Lynch, Contributing Editor, Bon Appetit and Owner & Wine Director, St. Vincent (San Francisco, Calif.)
- Jack Mason, MS, Wine Director, Marta (New York, N.Y.)
- Frank Morgan, Founder, Drink What You Like (Chesapeake, Va.)
- Kathy Morgan, MS, Beverage Consultant (Washington, D.C.)
- Andy Myers, MS, Wine Director, Think Food Group (Washington, D.C.)
- Erik Segelbaum: Advanced Sommelier and Regional Wine Director, STARR Restaurants (Washington, D.C.)
- Chris Tanghe, MS, Wine Portfolio Manager & Educator, Vinum Wine & Spirits Importing & Distributing (Seattle, Wash.)
- Neal Wavra, Founder & Sommelier, FABLE Hospitality and Riverstead (Marshall, Va.)
- Andy Wedge, Sommelier, Husk Nashville (Nashville, Tenn.)
- Jay Youmans, MS, Educational Director, Capital Wine School (Washington, D.C.)
These esteemed wine professionals will join some of the most talented Virginia winemakers to discuss the regional and vintage differentiations that are continuing to raise the profile of the Virginia wine industry. Experts will address an audience filled with restaurateurs, sommeliers, media, wine-shop owners, winemakers and other industry professionals.
The past few years have been an exciting time for Virginia wines, which have recently established a track record for being an outstanding example of the caliber of wines the East Coast can produce. In addition to being the nation’s fifth largest wine producer, Virginia has been recognized regularly as one of the country’s most promising emerging wine regions. The climate and soil of Virginia places its wines stylistically between the West Coast wine region and European neighbors to the east. Virginia wines tend to be fruit forward like West Coast wines, but also embody higher acidity and balance, similar to European wines.
Virginia Wine Summit attendees will enjoy a lunch celebrating the food and wine of Virginia, courtesy of the Salamander Resort & Spa, as well as remarks from keynote speaker Jon Bonné and panel discussions throughout the day.
The Virginia Wine Summit will be held on Tuesday, April 5, 2016 at the Salamander Resort & Spa in Middelburg. Tickets to the day-long event, priced at $225, are open to the public and include entry to the lunch and post-summit reception. To register for the event and for more information on panel topics, please visit www.virginiawinesummit.com.
Over the past month and a half, Washington City Paper readers have nominated their favorites in almost 300 categories ranging from “Best Restaurant When Someone Else Pays” to “Best Go-Go Band” to favorite “Marijuana Cultivation Supplier.” The results of this year’s poll will be revealed in the April 7th issue of the paper, with winners feted the night before at the annual Best of D.C. Celebration, taking place this year at the DC Armory (2001 E Capitol Street SE).
“The Best of D.C. issue is always one of our most popular issues,” says group publisher Eric Norwood. “We’re excited to toast all the winners at the celebration on April 6th and invite the public to join us!”
The 4th annual Best of D.C. Celebration will feature tastings from more than 50 restaurants, cocktails by the region’s best mixologists, live music on multiple stages and more! VIP ($100) and General Admission ($65) tickets for the cocktail affair are available for purchase online at http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/events/bestofdc. The VIP ticket includes an extra hour of tastings and entertainment (6pm entry), a VIP swag bag, access to the VIP lounge, and more. Ticket prices will go up on March 28th.
A portion of the proceeds from the Best of D.C. Celebration will go to benefit two worthwhile local organizations: Brainfood (http://brain-food.org/), which “uses food as a tool to build life skills with youth in a fun and creative setting,” and Words Beats & Life Inc. (http://www.wblinc.org/), which “harnesses the power of hip-hop to transform the lives of youth.” Sponsors for the 2016 Best of D.C. Celebration include presenting sponsor Events DC, as well as St. John’s Community Services, Palm, Schöfferhofer, Violet Boutique, DC Sustainable Energy Utility, DC Shorts, Anytime K9, and L’Alliance Française.
About the Washington City Paper Best Of D.C. Reader’s Poll
The first Washington City Paper Best Of issue hit newsstands in the mid-1980s, and was brought back as an annual feature in 2008. Write-in nominations for this year’s reader’s poll closed March 1st.
Ardeo+Bardeo would like to invite guests to enjoy a special kosher wine tasting on Wednesday, April 13 beginning at 6:45 p.m., just in time for Passover. In this engaging session, guests will have the pleasure of sampling four kosher wines paired with two kosher hors d’oeuvres. Led by Summer Whitford, the Food and Wine Diva (www.foodandwinediva.com), with representatives from Pearson’s Wine & Spirits, located at 2436 Wisconsin Ave NW, 20007, guests will be both entertained and educated on the ins and outs of what makes a wine kosher, and how to find quality and value. The evening tasting experience is priced at $50 per person (not including tax and gratuity). Space is limited and guests are required to make a non-refundable reservation by contacting Ardeo+Bardeo at (202) 244-6750. As an added bonus, those who attend the tasting will enjoy a discount price on any featured bottles of kosher wine from Pearson’s Wine & Spirits purchased at the event. Purchased wines will be available for pick-up or delivery directly from Pearson’s.
WHEN: Wednesday, April 13th, 2016 at 6:45 p.m – 8 p.m.., limited seating is available and reservations and payment are required in advance.
WHERE: Ardeo+Bardeo is located at 3311 Connecticut Avenue, NW Washington DC 20008; phone (202) 244-6750; www.ardeorestaurant.com. The restaurant is one block from Cleveland Park Metro Stop (Red Line) and valet parking is available for $8 a car.
WHY: It used to be a challenge to find great kosher wine for Passover and most people ended up buying the traditional sweet stuff that came in a square bottle. Thankfully, things have changed, a lot, and there is plenty of well-made kosher wine one can proudly serve. Whether one is seeking a California Cabernet, a new modern wine from Israel, or a classic beauty from France, there are nice options, and this tasting can assist with learning how to find quality and value in Kosher wine. Kashrut is the body of Jewish law dealing with what foods we can and cannot eat and how those foods must be prepared and eaten. “Kashrut” comes from the Hebrew root Kaf-Shin-Reish, meaning fit, proper or correct. It is the same root as the more commonly known word “kosher,” which describes food that meets these standards. The word “kosher” can also be used, and often is used, to describe ritual objects that are made in accordance with Jewish law and are fit for ritual use.
North America’s most talked about culinary competition returns to DC on April 17 with a one-of-a-kind stand-up tasting reception featuring five chefs cooking five heritage breed pigs in a friendly competition for a cause. Upping its commitment to the good food movement, this year’s tour will benefit Piggy Bank, a genetic sanctuary that will provide free heritage breed pigs and business plans to emerging family farms. Celebrating its 8th Annual 18-city tour, Cochon555 is dedicated to uniting 16,000 guests across the country with local farmers, renowned chefs, prominent winemakers, restaurateurs, craft brewers and distillers. Together, they are raising awareness for honest food producers, responsible farming and the first open-source agriculture platform. For an in-depth look at the Cochon555 movement, a series of stunning videos and tickets to this must-do culinary experience, please visit www.cochon555.com.
This year’s competing chefs include Jonah Kim of Yona, Marjorie Meek-Bradley of Ripple, Jennifer Carroll of Requin, Anthony Lombardo of The Hamilton and Host Chef Louis Goral of Rural Society Argentine Steakhouse. The five chefs will prepare a maximum of six dishes from one whole hog and their utilization will help them win votes from a crowd of hungry gourmands and celebrated judges. In addition to the 36 dishes prepared from locally-raised pigs, guests will feast on educational experiences featuring boutique wines and culinary cocktails paired with delicious bites. The winner of the regional event will be announced as the “Prince or Princess of Porc” and go on to compete for the national title of “King or Queen of Porc” at Grand Cochon, the tour finale, held at the Viceroy in Snowmass / Aspen on June 18th.
On April 15, the weekend takeover commences with a pair of stunning guest chef dinners to benefit Piggy Bank hosted by past winners Mike Isabella and Scott Drewno. These unique dinners bring together chefs, world-renowned winemakers and beverage experts to create a multi-course, interactive dining experience where guests have the opportunity to interact with the participating chefs. On Friday, the tour will kick off with the Late Night Asian Speakeasy with Host Chef Scott Drewno of The Source by Wolfgang Puck in an all-inclusive feast paying homage to Chinese, Sichuan, Korean, Thai and Japanese after-hour establishments known to inspire great kitchens across the country. On Saturday, a refined three-hour culinary experience, the Chef’s Course Dinner Series hosted Chef Mike Isabella of Graffiato begins with a reception featuring a selection of passed hors d’oeuvres followed by a seated dinner and premium wine pairings. Both dinners will be limited to 40 seats each night, tickets are available online at $125 per person and 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit Piggy Bank. Additionally, ticket buyers are welcome to sign-up for Chef’s Course, Cochon555’s annual rewards program with over 100+ restaurants participating nationwide.
Guests of the main event Cochon555 can enjoy more culinary programming beyond the 36 competition dishes prepared by competing chefs at this fairy-tale pig event including, the TarTare Bar with Creekstone Farms with last year’s Cochon555 winnner Danny Lee of Mandu, “Luxe Butter Bar” with Antica Napa Valley, the Artisan Cheese Bar with La Fromagerie featuring Cypress Grove Chevre, Coach Farm, Parrano, and 34º Crisps and a Seafood Shelf featuring Rappahannock River Oysters. Voters get a ticket to Taste the New Ramen Bar paired with the stunning Wines of Germany featuring Erik Bruner-yang of Maketto / Toki Underground and Sun Noodle followed by the Pop-Up Pie Shop right before the Awards Ceremony. Additionally, guests will have the opportunity to take home delicious heritage breed pork at the Pop-Up Butcher Shop, a retail experience raising money for Piggy Bank with the support of Williams-Sonoma and Hedley & Bennett. The beverage program includes Cochon555’s Punch Kings local barkeep competition featuring Breckenridge Distillery and “The Welcome Punch” reception featuring Buffalo Trace. Wine tastings are back in a big way in 2016 with the “Five Winemakers” including sought-after wines from Paul Draper (Ridge Wines), Rajat Parr (Sandhi Wines), Abe Schoener (Scholium Project), Jeff Pisoni (Pisoni Vineyards), Pax Mahle (Pax Wine Cellars) and special guest Matt Courtney of Arista Winery, and a spotlight Sommelier Smackdown featuring Azzurro Wine Company, Lake Sonoma Winery, Alysian Wines and Michael Mondavi Family Estate. The Perfect Margarita Experience includes a tasting of hand-crafted luxury tequilas from Don Julio including 1942 and the mobile Heritage Rum Cart featuring Rhum Clément and Plantation Rum will travel through the crowd while guests sip libations at the “TIKI BAR” featuring The Perfect Puree of Napa Valley. The “Chupito” Mezcal Experience returns featuring Don Amado, Fidencio, Mezcales de Leyenda, Koch el Mezcal, La Venenosa, La Niña del Mezcal and Mezcal Derrumbes. Bourbon lovers rejoice with the “Perfect Manhattan” featuring Eagle Rare and Buffalo Trace finished with Luxardo cherries with a special treat from Creminelli Fine Meats and the Smoked Old Fashioned featuring Breckenridge Bourbon with the support of Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao. Right before the awards, everyone is invited to experience “The Last Word” featuring Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur and Junipero. Low-proof favorites include Martinez Lacuesta’s Vermut Bar. DRY Sparkling is offering a non-alcoholic option with their lineup of culinary sodas. Don’t miss the chance to buy tickets to this fairy-tale heritage pork event as tickets are expected to sell-out to this all-inclusive stand up reception. Get a preview of the event by watching the flavor-packed video http://j.mp/Cochon555-Trailer.
“I’m excited about all the new partners in 2016 who support family farming and independent business. The Cochon555 Tour is now a movement, from hosting celebrated culinary events and dinners all over North America to reaching a global audience with the news of the first open-source agricultural model. The tour is dedicated to helping family farmers succeed, period,” stated founder Brady Lowe. “This doesn’t exist anywhere in the world, and for the first time in human history, a culinary tour has emerged to save endangered species on a global scale. Together, with some of the best chefs and partners in hospitality, we amplify the conservation of heritage pork once again, which for many is a ‘gateway’ to a larger appreciation of where our food comes from and the people that raise it, leading to more mindful eating and safer food choices for our youth. We can’t wait to for amazing weekend in DC with two dinners raising money for Piggy Bank, a 501(c)(3)project of the Giving Back Fund.”
For the second year in a row, Jack Rose Dining Saloon is partnering with James Beard Award-winning chef Sean Brock on a delicious and charitable can’t-miss evening on Wednesday, April 20th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Bigger than its inaugural year, the 2nd Annual “Night of Southern Hospitality” will be a two-floor feast of collaborative Southern-inspired fare, rare whiskey, cigars, and of course, the company of culinary and whiskey greats, Chef Brock of Husk Charleston and Husk Nashville, McCrady’s and Minero, Willett Distillery’s master distiller Drew Kulsveen, and Jack Rose’s own Chef Russell P. Jones, all to benefit underprivileged children through local charity Jeeps for Joy. Chef Jones and Chef Brock have collaborated on a menu of Southern favorites passed throughout the evening, such as Anson Mills Grits with seasonal mushrooms, Fried Oysters with Pernod sauce and Bibb lettuce, Sashimi of Fluke with sunflower shoots, whiskey barrel-aged vinaigrette & pea shoot puree, Maryland Jumbo Lump Rice Bowl with crab broth, green onions, and crispy garlic, Venison Tartare on rye chips, and Barbecue Pork with cracklings & white bread.
In the first-floor dining saloon, Chef Brock will carve at his Country Ham Bar, featuring four country hams accompanied by all the fixins’: fresh-baked biscuits, pimento cheese, house pickles and deviled eggs.And up on the open-air rooftop terrace, Chef Jones will man the wood-burning grill serving up dishes like Grilled Soft Shell Crabs with Old Bay mayo and Pit Beef with tiger sauce accompanied by fresh-baked parker house rolls, slaw and chow-chow. Rare, vintage whiskeys have been donated for guests to enjoy, such as a 1960s Park & Tilford rye and Willett 25-year rye along with several bourbons distilled at Stitzel-Weller including an Old Weller Original from the 1970s, an Old Fitzgerald 10-year 101-proof from the late 1980s and Old Fitzgerald 1849 8-year from the 1990s. Every guest can enjoy six ½ oz. pours of these rare bottlings, in addition to creative welcome cocktails from each establishment, and an open bar of select spirits, classic cocktails, wine, and draft beer.And for those who prefer a fine cigar with their whiskey, the rooftop Tiki Bar will transform into a Cigar Lounge for the evening, with complimentary cigar offerings from W. Curtis Draper Tobacconist available to guests.And the reason for this evening of fine food, drink and revelry: a portion of proceeds from tickets and an incredible silent auction will be donated to Jeeps For Joy, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and families in need, within the Mid-Atlantic region. They do this through fundraising, charitable events and outreach within the off-roading community. Since its launch in 2001, Jeeps For Joy has donated close to 10,000 toys and items to both the Nemours/A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children and Children’s Choice Foster Care. More information can be found at www.jeepsforjoy.org.Tickets to the 2nd Annual “Night of Southern Hospitality” featuring Sean Brock at Jack Rose Dining Saloon can be purchased at www.jackrose-seanbrock-2016.eventbrite.com. General Admission tickets are $150 (including tax & gratuity), which includes food, six ½ oz. pours of rare whiskey, open bar of select cocktails, spirits, wine and beer, and cigars from 6-9pm. For more information, please visit www. jackrosediningsaloon.com or call 202-588-7388.
WHO:Jack Rose Dining Saloon and Chef Russell P. Jones
A great summer tradition will return to the National Harbor Waterfront on the Potomac with the much anticipated 9th Annual National Harbor Wine & Food Festival on Saturday, April 23 and Sunday, April 24 from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm each day.
The event is in a beautiful outdoor setting on the banks of the Potomac River and surrounded by the National Harbor hotels, restaurants and shops, and continues to be a destination event. More than just a tasting, the festival brings together award winning celebrity chefs, artisanal craftsmen, culinary pioneers, live music, as well as wine and spirits from around the world.
This year’s festival will include over 150 International wines, spirits and beers featured along with local and regional favorites in and all-you-care-to-taste affair. Guests will be able to sample all of the varieties as well as purchase them by the glass and the bottle, on-site at special event only low prices. Beyond the drink tastings there are many other highlights which include: Special craft beer tasting Bier Garten experience, Whiskey and Bourbon Tasting Lounge, Cooking Kitchen featuring hands-on cooking demonstrations and wine pairings, three stages of live music and so much more. It is the largest award winning wine festival of its kind in the Metro DC market.
This year’s organizers have turned up the heat on the Cooking Stage and brought in some award winning super star chef talent. Special appearances on the Cooking Stage include, Saturday: Chef Scott Drewno of The Source by Wolfgang Puck, Chef Jennifer Carroll of Requin, and Chef Victor Albisu of Del Campo. Sunday will featureKwame Onwuachi of Shaw Bijou, Matt Baker of Gravitas and Chef Danny Lee of Mandu. All of these local, regional and nationally recognized chefs will offer meet and greets and cooking demonstrations.
Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center once again will kick-off this year’s Wine & Food Festival with a five-course wine dinner on Friday, April 22 at 7 p.m.Partnering with Chimney Rock winemaker, Elizabeth Vianna, guests can enjoy notable vintages paired with exquisite dishes prepared by the executive chef at the resorts signature restaurant, Old Hickory Steakhouse. Cost is $125 per person and pre-purchase is required.
To make a reservation for the wine dinner experience, call 301-965-4000 or visit www.GaylordNationalTickets.com.
Guests also can choose to spend the night at the nearly 2,000 room resort with its exclusive VIP Wine and Food Festival package. The package includes one night room accommodations for April 22 or 23, a $50 resort credit and two VIP one-day admission tickets to the Wine and Food Festival. Package starts at $299. To book a reservation, call 301-965-4000 or visit www.GaylordNational.com.
Tickets are on sale now and range from a VIP Saturday $79 or Sunday $69 to a General Admission One Day Pass for $39 in advance/$49 onsite. $29 designated driver ticket in advance.
To purchase tickets and view schedule, visit www.wineandfoodnh.com or call (800) 830-3976.
Pearl Dive Oyster Palace and Black Jack will host their popular annual Crawfish Boil on Saturday, April 23, 2016. Diners can look forward to a spread of traditional Louisiana-style crawfish accompanied by a variety of Southern sides prepared by Chef Austin Ginsberg including corn on the cob, roasted red potatoes, house-smoked sausage, cole slaw, fritters and potato salad. Guests will also be treated to dishes like roasted gator and Pearl Dive’s famous Addie’s rolls stuffed with BBQ pork. Beverage options for those with a drink-inclusive ticket will include Shiner Bock, Hurricanes and house wine pours. To round out the meal, the restaurant will offer a build-your-own s’mores station for dessert.
Food-inclusive tickets can be purchased for $50 per person, and food and drink-inclusive tickets will be available for $70. Tickets can be purchased here.
WHEN: Saturday, April 23, 2016 with two two-hour seatings from 12 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
WHERE: Pearl Dive Oyster Palace is located at 1612 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009. It is Metro accessible from the Red and Yellow and Green lines, located five blocks from the U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo Station, and six blocks East from the Q Street exit of the Dupont Circle Metro Station. For additional information about Pearl Dive call 202-319-1612, or visitwww.PearlDiveDC.com.
A great summer tradition will return to the National Harbor Waterfront on the Potomac with the much anticipated 9th Annual National Harbor Wine & Food Festival on Saturday, April 23 and Sunday, April 24 from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm each day.
The event is in a beautiful outdoor setting on the banks of the Potomac River and surrounded by the National Harbor hotels, restaurants and shops, and continues to be a destination event. More than just a tasting, the festival brings together award winning celebrity chefs, artisanal craftsmen, culinary pioneers, live music, as well as wine and spirits from around the world.
This year’s festival will include over 150 International wines, spirits and beers featured along with local and regional favorites in and all-you-care-to-taste affair. Guests will be able to sample all of the varieties as well as purchase them by the glass and the bottle, on-site at special event only low prices. Beyond the drink tastings there are many other highlights which include: Special craft beer tasting Bier Garten experience, Whiskey and Bourbon Tasting Lounge, Cooking Kitchen featuring hands-on cooking demonstrations and wine pairings, three stages of live music and so much more. It is the largest award winning wine festival of its kind in the Metro DC market.
This year’s organizers have turned up the heat on the Cooking Stage and brought in some award winning super star chef talent. Special appearances on the Cooking Stage include, Saturday: Chef Scott Drewno of The Source by Wolfgang Puck, Chef Jennifer Carroll of Requin, and Chef Victor Albisu of Del Campo. Sunday will featureKwame Onwuachi of Shaw Bijou, Matt Baker of Gravitas and Chef Danny Lee of Mandu. All of these local, regional and nationally recognized chefs will offer meet and greets and cooking demonstrations.
Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center once again will kick-off this year’s Wine & Food Festival with a five-course wine dinner on Friday, April 22 at 7 p.m.Partnering with Chimney Rock winemaker, Elizabeth Vianna, guests can enjoy notable vintages paired with exquisite dishes prepared by the executive chef at the resorts signature restaurant, Old Hickory Steakhouse. Cost is $125 per person and pre-purchase is required.
To make a reservation for the wine dinner experience, call 301-965-4000 or visit www.GaylordNationalTickets.com.
Guests also can choose to spend the night at the nearly 2,000 room resort with its exclusive VIP Wine and Food Festival package. The package includes one night room accommodations for April 22 or 23, a $50 resort credit and two VIP one-day admission tickets to the Wine and Food Festival. Package starts at $299. To book a reservation, call 301-965-4000 or visit www.GaylordNational.com.
Tickets are on sale now and range from a VIP Saturday $79 or Sunday $69 to a General Admission One Day Pass for $39 in advance/$49 onsite. $29 designated driver ticket in advance.
To purchase tickets and view schedule, visit www.wineandfoodnh.com or call (800) 830-3976.
What:
Wine Spectator’s Grand Tour Washington DC is an unforgettable wine tasting experience that features more than 240 of the world’s finest wineries pouring their best bottles. Sample some of the world’s hard-to-find wine and discover new favorites—without ever leaving the Capital.
Who:
Meet and mingle with top winemakers and estate owners from around the globe.
Where:
Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC
When:
Thursday, April 28, 2016, from 7-10 PM
Program Highlights:
- All wines have been rated 90 points or higher by Wine Spectator.
- Enjoy a buffet to complement your evening.
- All attendees will receive a souvenir Riedel® tasting glass.
Cost:
Tickets: $325 per person; after March 26: $395 per person
A portion of net proceeds from the event benefits the Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation, which supports scholarships and grants to students pursuing careers in the wine industry.
