Friday, May 25, 2012

The 2012 New Orleans Wine & Food Experience seminar series offers up tastes from celebrated local chefs and exciting discussions about what’s hot in the wine world.

For Tickets/Reservations: Contact Lea Reeder at lea.reeder@hosts-global.com
Location: Marriott Meeting Rooms, 859 Convention Center Boulevard

Friday Seminars:

A Toast to Twenty (SOLD OUT)
Join us for a Toast to 20 years of NOWFE!  What better way to celebrate than to raise a glass of Bubbles! Explore the differences in blends and types of Champagne from some of the best Houses. Featured will be the wonderful bubbles of Nicolas Fueillatte, Bollinger, Taittinger, Louis Roederer and Piper Heidsieck!  You can’t go wrong with this group! Come and enjoy yourself while learning more about the wonderful world of Champagne.
10:30 –11:30am; $125 per person; Blaine Kern A/B

The Battle of Burgundy, Vintage 2008 vs. 2009 (SOLD OUT)
A classic battle of the (vint)Ages! Monsieur Philippe Marchal of Kobrand and Maison Louis Jadot will lead you through an enthralling experience to determine your favorite from each of several classic communes and vineyards within the famed Cote de Beaune. A collection of 6 exquisite wines will be tasted in both the 2008 and the 2009 vintages to discover the differences, both obvious and obscure between these two acclaimed vintages. 
11:45am–12:45pm; $100 per person; River Bend Ballroom 
Featured wines will include: Bienvenues Batard Montrachet, Puligny Montrachet Les Referts, Puligny Montrachet, Meursault, Chassagne Montrachet, and Domaine Ferret Pouilly Fuissé.

Sip n' Slide
Join Chefs Brack May of Cowbell, Isaac Toups of Toup's Meatery and Matt Regan of Lüke as they pair robust reds with bold burgers. With the craze of designer burgers descending on New Orleans, what better way to sample a slider than with a full-bodied Bordeaux or Rioja?
1:00-2:00pm; $55 per person; Blaine Kern C/D

The New [Old] Beaujolais
A tasting of the Crus of Beaujolais and a discussion of the return to traditional winemaking methods in the great wines of this region and expression of terroir. Debunk the myths about ageability and depth of flavor.
2:15-3:15pm; $75 per person; Blaine Kern A/B

Yes Way, Rosé!
Pink wine scares some folks. If you go to a party filled with wine people though, the first thing gone is the rosé! Joe Briand of Carte des Vins and Colin O'Neill of Herbsaint will pair six rosés from around the globe with food from Herbsaint Chef de Cuisine Rebecca Wilcomb to show the versatility of this wonderful vino. Then, the next time someone asks if you want some, you'll say "Yes way, rosé!"
3:30-4:30pm; $75 per person; River Bend Ballroom

Farming for Flavors
Long-time NOWFE devotees, the Benziger Family Winery presents a lineup of five of their wines framed by a lively discussion of the biodynamic, organic, and sustainable farming practices that allow them to reveal the true character of varietal, vineyard and vintage in their family-owned Sonoma winery. Hosted by Chris Benziger.
4:45-5:45; $75 per person; Blaine Kern A/B 

Saturday Seminars:

Around the Bend: A Tribute to Anne Gooch
Join local food critic Tom Fitzmorris for a seminar in memory of NOWFE founding member Anne Gooch. The seminar will include history about the culinary twists and turns of New Orleans’ historic Carrollton neighborhood and feature a quartet of its current extraordinary chefs and eateries. (Chef Scotty Snodgrass of One Restaurant, Chef Nathanial Zimet of Boucherie, Chef Frank Brigtsen of Brigtsen's and Chef Eman Loubier of Dante's Kitchen)
"One" Chef Scotty Snodgrass'  dish: 
Pepper Seared Tuna with Asian Vegetables and Citrus Ponzu
Wine Pairing: 2011 Chateau de Campuget Rose', southern France
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"Brigtsen's" Chef Frank Brigtsen's dish:
Shrimp Cornbread with Jalapeno Smoked Corn Butter
Wine Pairing:  2011 Vidal-Fleurie Viognier, Rhone, France
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"Boucherie" Chef Nathanial Zimet's dish:
Crispy Skin Duck Confit with truffled baby root vegetables in a truffle vinaigrette
Wine Pairing:  2009 Jadot Bourgogne Pinot Noir
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 "Dante's KItchen" Chef Eman Loubier's dish:
Confit Pork Butt Steak with Beluga Lentils and Farm Greens, topped with Confit Tomatoes11:30am–12:30pm; $75 per person; Blaine Kern A

Distinctly Different
Discover the difference a glass makes in this special tasting showcasing the “Riedel Vinum XL” line of crystal stemware. Join Doug Reed of Riedel Crystal of America, as he demonstrates how glassware affects the flavors and aromas of wine. You’ll also receive a set of four Riedel Vinum XL glasses to keep (retail price, $123)!
11:30am–12:30pm; $75 per person; Blaine Kern E/F 

From the Foot of the Mountains to the Mouth of the River 
Piemonte literally means the "Foot of the Mountains" and is one of the great wine regions of Italy. Join us for a tasting of the many wines of Piemonte paired with foods from the "Mouth of the River", presented by Chef Ryan Hughes of Johnny V's Bistro. Master Sommelier Craig Collins will be there to guide you from Gavi di Gavi to Dolcetto to Barbaresco to Barolo and drop you off in Asti. Buongiorno!
12:45-1:45pm; $75 per person; Blaine Kern C/D
Featured Wines:
2010 Vietti Roero Arneis
2010 Vietti Dolcetto d'Alb 'Tre Vigne'
2009 Marchesi di Gresy Barbera d'Asti
2007 Marchesi di Gresy Barberesco 'Martinenga'
2006 Boroli Barolo
2011 Saracco Moscato

3-2-3 (TRADE ONLY)
Taste 18 wines, representing 3 different winemakers, across 2 neighboring climats of the same appellation, across 3 consecutive vintages. Guided by Master Sommelier, Laura Williamson this seminar will focus comparing the differences of winemaking styles, terroir, and vintage variation/bottle ageing. 
12:45-1:45; Trade Complimentary (LA State Wine Professionals only); Fulton 

Sherry Baby (TRADE ONLY)
Sherry, with its illustrious history, remains today one of the most difficult wines to grasp. Tracking its near obliteration as a category to its rebirth in 2011, André Tamers will teach you the fundamentals of this incredibly complex and beguiling beverage.
12:45-1:45pm; Trade Complimentary (LA State Wine Professionals only); New Levee

GRAND TASTINGS

A truly “Grand” experience for both foodies and wine connoisseurs, with offerings from New Orleans’ finest chefs and selections of wines from around the world. The 2012 Grand Tastings will feature Fine Cooking’s award-winning contributing chefs and the Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off, a competition between Louisiana’s top 10 Chefs!

The New Orleans Convention Center,
HALL J; Tickets $89 (Advance) $100 (Day of Event)
Friday May 25th 6:00 – 9:00pm
Close-out performance by Ingrid Lucia!

Saturday May 26th 2:00 – 5:00pm
(1:00-2:00pm Trade Only Portion)
Close-out performance by Jeremy Davenport!

PURCHASE A GRAND TASTER PACKAGE – BECOME A VIP

On Friday: Fine Cooking takes to the Main Stage! 
At the Friday Grand Tasting, Fine Cooking magazine will present cooking demonstrations on the main stage courtesy of the Louisiana Seafood Board.  Three of Fine Cooking’s contributing chefs have arrived from around the country to educate and entertain. First up, David Guas, Louisiana native and chef of the Bayou Bakery in Arlington, VA, followed by Tasha DeSerio, chef and caterer extraordinaire from Berkeley, CA, and Bill Taibe, chef at LeFarm and The Whelk in Westport, CT, and 2012 James Beard nominated chef for Best Chef: Northeast. Following their demonstration, each chef will be autographing their books.

On Saturday: Attention Seafood Lovers!
At the Saturday Grand Tasting, Louisiana chefs will participate in the 5th annual Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off hosted by the Louisiana Seafood Board. The winning chef, crowned the “King or Queen of Louisiana Seafood,” will represent Louisiana in the seventh annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off. “It is vitally important for us to remind consumers that Louisiana seafood is still readily available and safe for consumption,” states Ewell Smith, Executive Director of the Louisiana Seafood Board. “Louisiana produces one-third of the seafood for the continental US, and 70% of the seafood from the Gulf of Mexico, creating a $2.4 billion industry that supports over 27,000 jobs.”

5th Annual Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off Call for Entries

Also at the Grand Tastings:

Canstruction New Orleans will feature the creativity and ingenuity of teams of architects who will build magnificent structures made entirely out of canned goods and non-perishable food items. Held in conjunction with the New Orleans Wine and Food Experience (NOWFE) Grand Tasting events, Canstruction New Orleans will be on display May 25-26 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center outside Hall J.

Local teams of architects will build the giant art structures around the theme 10,000 Reasons to Love Louisiana. Each structure, which will provide a minimum of 10,000 meals, will be judged and awarded in categories including: Structural Ingenuity, Best Use of Labels, Best Meal, Juror’s Favorite and People’s Choice.  The goal for the 2012 Canstruction New Orleans event is to raise more than 100,000 meals through donations of both food and funds for Second Harvest Food Bank’s 23-parish service area.

Participating teams include: Blitch Knevel Architects; Eskew+Dumez+Ripple; Holly and Smith Architects, APAC; Mathes Brierre Architects; Perez, APC; Trapolin-Peer Architects, APC; VergesRome Architects; and Wisznia Architecture+Development.  Canstruction New Orleans, held under the auspices of the Society of Design Administration, is sponsored by Landis Construction and AIA New Orleans.