Plans Set for NJ Wine & Food Festival
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
at Crystal Springs March 28 – 30, 2014
Devil Gourmet
The 2014 NJ Wine & Food Festival returns to Crystal Springs Resort from March 28-30 with Guest of Honor New York acclaimed and James Beard Award-winning chef David Bouley.
Photo by Crystal Springs Resort
The three-day event is a celebration of the world’s best wines and renowned local and national chefs, benefiting the James Beard Foundation. The weekend’s events are designed to allow food and wine lovers to meet and mingle with chefs, winemakers, sommeliers and fellow wine aficionados.
Opening Night Festivities on Friday March 28:
7pm Champagne Reception where guests will meet Chef Bouley ($50; included with Wine Cellar Dinner), enjoy Krug Champagne and hors d’oeuvres
8pm Wine Cellar Dinner prepared by Chef Bouley paired with wines from winemaker Axel Heinz of the celebrated Tuscan winery Tenuta Dell’Ornellaia. Held in the stunning award-winning Crystal Springs wine cellar, limited to 28 guests. ($375)
8pm Top Chefs & Top Wines is a five course dinner paired with boutique wines featuring Shirley Chung (Finalist Top Chef Season 11), Michael Solomonov (Chef/Owner, Zahav, Philadelphia), Galen Zamarra (Chef/Owner mas (farmhouse) and mas (la Grillade), NYC) and Ghaya Oliveira (Executive Pastry Chef, Daniel, NYC). ($225)
Photo by Crystal Springs Resort
12pm Battle of the NJ Sous Chefs – six sous chefs from New Jersey restaurants will each prepare a dish to pair with a wine in this Top Chef-like challenge. Chef David Bouley, James Beard Foundation President Susan Ungaro and Eric Levin, Senior Editor of New Jersey Monthly, will judge. ($45)
11:30am – 2:30pm Marketplace Lunch with local New Jersey wines and products served. ($35)
1pm Eat! Drink! Italy! Restaurateur and Host of PBS’ Eat! Drink! Italy! Vic Rallo demonstrates how to make wild boar ragu while Anthony Verdoni and Axel Heinz introduce wines from Bruno Giacosa and Ornellaia. ($65)
2pm Secrets of the Crystal Springs Wine Cellar A look inside Crystal Springs’ 135,000 bottle wine collection, holder of Wine Spectator’s Grand Award since 2006, with Wine Director Robby Younes. A tasting of rare and highly rated wines from the cellar for connoisseurs. ($150)
2pm Classic vs. Contemporary Napa Styles Winemakers Christophe Paubert (Stag’s Leap) and Josh Phelps (Taken) will discuss their wines and lead a tasting. ($40)
3pm The Art of Blending Bourbon Distiller Wes Henderson will lead a tasting where attendees will be able to make their own Angel’s Envy bourbon blend. ($40)
3pm The Ornellaia Vertical Experience Winemaker Axel Heinz guides a unique vertical tasting of vintage Ornellaia wines. Eight wines from 2002 to 2010 will be tasted. ($200)
4pm Local Craft Cocktails features some of the Northeast’s best small batch spirits including Laird’s Apple Jack (NJ), Brooklyn Gin (NY), Bootlegger Vodka (NY) and Widow Jane Bourbon (NY) showcased in creative cocktails by mixologist Christopher James (The Ryland Inn). ($40)
4pm Bubble-Q In the spirit of spring, James Beard Award-winning Sommelier Belinda Chang will lead a seminar pairing Champagnes with barbecue. ($45).
6:30/7pm – 10pm The Grand Tasting is the Festival’s signature event featuring more than 100 wines from over thirty wineries and 25 top restaurants from New York City and New Jersey ($125, VIP $250; VIP admission 6:30pm). Highlights of The Grand Tasting:
The VIP Experience: an outstanding collection of wines and spirits, tastings from David Bouley and New York chefs who have worked in his kitchens.
The tasting showcases the wineries and Champagne houses participating in the Festival, including Krug, Ornellaia, Stag’s Leap, Dom Perignon, Hess, Chateau Montelena, Penfolds, Cakebread, Veuve Clicquot and more.
- The VIP Experience: an outstanding collection of wines and tastings from Chef David Bouley and top New York chefs who have worked in his kitchens including Saul Bolton (Saul Restaurant, NYC), George Mendes (Aldea, NYC) and David Santos (Louro, NYC) along with Restaurant Latour.
- Top restaurants from New Jersey including Blue Morel, Ninety Acres, Maritime Parc, CulinAriane, VB3, Crystal Tavern, Fascino, Agricola, The Orange Squirrel, Boulevard Five 72, Escape, The Frog and The Peach, Axia Taverna, Morris Tap & Grill, Ho Ho Kus Inn & Tavern, Pig and Prince, Strip House, Lunello, Giovanni’s Bistro, The Artist Baker, The Café & Wine Bar, The Bernards Inn, Lunellos’ Montville Inn.
- Wineries and Champagne houses participating in the Festival include Krug, Ornellaia, Stag’s Leap, Dom Perignon, Caymus, Belle Glos, Penfolds, Bruno Giacosa, Taken Wine Company and more.
- Live entertainment by the thirty-two piece David Aaron Orchestra
- An exciting silent auction benefiting the James Beard Foundation
10pm – 1am Meet the Chefs and Winemakers After Party. Guests will mingle with the chefs and winemakers ($140).
11am – 2pm Champagne Brunch A lavish, decadent brunch buffet accompanied by Ruinart Champagnes ($60).
Tickets are now available at http://www.njwinefoodfest.com
Hope to see you there,
Veronique Deblois, Food & Wine Chickie
Veronique is a food and wine writer based in Morris County, NJ. As the author of the popular blog, Food & Wine Chickie Insider, Veronique shares recipes, wine and restaurant reviews and insight into the travel industry. Follow Veronique onTwitter or like her Facebook page.
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