Bites, Sips & Sustainability – Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience
"All roads lead to Healdsburg when it comes to Sonoma County wine country"
Did you know that there is a United States Pizza Team? U.S. Team member Leah Scurto will share her secrets to preparing the perfect pie. Stephanie Izard, the first woman to win Top Chef, will share insights from her award-winning “Girl and the Goat” series. Three-Michelin-starred chef Christopher Kostow is one of several premier culinary giants to attend. Texan Kent Rathbun will certainly share his experience as featured chef at two Inaugural Balls.
These two dozen-plus kitchen artisans are joined by a spectrum of other experts, including Laura Werlin, one of the nation’s foremost authorities on cheese and a James Beard winner. Tucker Taylor, Kendall-Jackson’s director of culinary gardens will be on hand, as will Anthony Giglio, who is among the foremost authorities on wine and spirits in media.
Ray Isle, executive wine editor of Food & Wine, will speak as well. Speaking of Food & Wine, their Best New Chef, BBQ pitmaster Matt Horn, will present too. Matt will help kick off the weekend with the “Live Fire BBQ Fundraising Event,” an opportunity to pair wines with fresh-out-of-the-pit BBQ.
Festival attendees will have plenty of chances to get their hands dirty in immersive experiences throughout the weekend, especially the VIP Vineyard Truck Tours, the first time this type of experience is being offered to consumers. Participants get to jump into a farmer’s truck and head to the vineyard or ranch, where they’ll dig into the soil and explore exactly what goes into growing grapes to produce award-winning wine. No two experiences will be the same as guests learn about the complexities of establishing sustainable agriculture throughout Sonoma County.
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It appears every restaurant these days claims a “farm to table” connection, but what does that really mean? In Sonoma County, farm and table are roughly the same, a symbiosis of agriculture and winemaking where sustainable growing practices benefit everyone. These efforts, exhibited by so many farmers and producers throughout the county, originally required a complete rethinking of what was, for decades, the more common way of doing things. This commitment is worthy of celebration.
"I wanted to form a partnership with [Sangiacomo Vineyards] to create an Italian varietal. It became a perfect marriage, earning us prestigious awards and a 95-point rating."
The VIP Vineyard Truck Tours form a perfect complement for several pertinent Saturday seminars, including “Wine, Cheese & Sustainability” and “Climate Change & Sustainability in the Wine Industry.” Local farmers and sustainable practices will also be at the forefront of our focus when The Band Perry takes the stage to headline the annual Outdoor Concert at Rodney Strong Vineyards. Eighty percent of the proceeds from tickets to the Grammy Award–winning trio's performance will directly benefit Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation, which is the only non-profit in the region with the sole mission to support vineyard employees and their families. Following the devastating fires and COVID crisis over the past 5 years, the Foundation established a Resiliency Fund, which has provided over $1.5 million in support to approximately 1,500 agricultural employees with temporary housing, rent support and gift cards to purchase household items, food and supplies. Most importantly, the Foundation has never denied an agricultural employee’s request for financial assistance. The foundation’s flagship program which will be partly supported by donations from this event is a Leadership Academy for vineyard employees. www.scggf.org Sunday unveils mountaintop picnics, brunches and lunches. Potential guests can select from several ticket packages that suit their particular interests. Several
With a bounty of meaningful content on offer, guests are encouraged to “choose their own adventure”. Ticket holders may divide their time between Sonoma County sustainable farming and agriculture practices and the hospitality elements of the Experience.
The inaugural Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience will feature an array of Michelin-starred and James Beard Award–winning chefs, as well as exceptional talents from master sommeliers to storied winemakers and grape growers. Food Network celebrity chefs Nyesha Arrington and Maneet Chauhan headline close to three dozen artisans to discuss and demonstrate preparation techniques and philosophy, prepare exclusive meals and answer a wide variety of questions.
-Ray Isle, Executive Wine Editor, FOOD & WINE Magazine
events, including the Outdoor Concert are available à la carte. General admission tickets can also be purchased to enjoy the Vintners Plaza Grand Tasting and “Sips-N-Sliders” at Healdsburg Bar & Grill, plus extra events. Healdsburg residents receive a local's discount on general admission tickets. Two VIP packages include most events as well as the exclusive evening parties.
When you speak with a winegrower the parallels with other farmers are soon obvious. Married to the land, dependent on climate, the success of a winery’s vintage is intrinsically tied to the same factors as agriculture. Join the Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience this May 20-22 to taste great wines, enjoy menus prepared by premier chefs and learn about the significance of sustainable agriculture in Sonoma County. Visit the website to select your tickets today.
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Photo courtesy of The Band Perry
The Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience, May 20-22, will elevate the farmers and producers as the centerpiece, the first event of its stature to do so in the United States. In addition to celebrating the farmer from field and vineyard, speakers will focus on the important question of agriculture’s future, given present and impending climate change. The Experience will also feature familiar events, from curated wine lunches to cooking demonstrations.
Culinary diversity will also be a focus of the three-day festival, with expert speakers who will illustrate the importance of geographies in the evolution of local cuisine and its influence on the palates of visitors, be they foodies or gastronomic newbies. Participants will gain access to much more than spoken insights as they’ll be invited to participate in how dishes are formed during hands-on demonstrations.