2008 - The Grand & Wine Food Affair
A Texas Classic

The Grand Wine & Food Affair
A Texas Classic


Forty celebrated award-winning chefs from all over the United States to South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, France, Spain and many others are proudly offering exotic and sumptuous samplings at The Grand Wine & Food Affair.   Over 100 wineries will be at attendance to make these five inspiring days truly memorable.  Choose from vintner dinners, wine tastings, an elegant grand tasting, A Riedel Seminar, an outdoor casual sip and stroll and the around the world bistro brunch among many others.  In its fifth year, The Grand Wine & Food Affair attracts some of America’s most brilliant winemakers and chefs to the Houston area for a five-day cultural and culinary celebration.  During this festival, to be held April 23 – 27, 2008, visitors will be exposed to an exhilarating array of wines from stellar vintners, and cultural cuisines from many regions in the country. The event will be host to an lively assortment of entertainment and activities including reserve wine tastings, wine seminars, vintner dinners and cooking classes, all conducted by wine experts and chefs of national renown.

Kicking off the series of events is the ultimate in elegance, One Enchanted Evening with Stags’ Leap winemaker Kevin Morrisey —a black-tie gourmet dinner presented by Sterling McCall Lexus — slated for Wednesday, April 23. Stags’ Leap is one of the world’s great Cabernet appellations; Held at Trevisio in Houston, executive chef Jon Buchanan has designed the menu in collaboration with the winemaker and will oversee the preparation of this sumptuous multi-course dinner, pairing the finest seasonal fare with artisan local ingredients to create an unprecedented dining event.  As guests dine with Kevin Morrisey, they will enjoy a rare opportunity to discuss his love affair with Petite Syrah.

New York Chef Laurent Tourondel, of BLT (Bistro Laurent Tourondel) restaurant fame, and award winning author of Bistro Laurent Tourondel: New American Bistro Cooking and BLT Fish will participate in a variety of events including:

•    Chef Laurent Tourondel at Mockingbird Bistro presented by Central Market.  Houstonians can enjoy an extraordinary dining experience when renowned New York Chef Laurent Tourondel of BLT (Bistro Laurent Tourondel) restaurants joins Houston’s own celebrated Chef John Sheely of Mockingbird Bistro kitchens.  

•    The Grand Tasting will feature tastings by famed chef Laurent Tourondel who will be on hand to autograph his latest books at Central Market’s book sales table.

Food Network’s Robin Miller, star of Quick Fix Meals by Robin Miller and author of Robin to the Rescue: Quick & Simple Recipes for Delicious Home Cooking will also participate at Friday’s Grand Tasting with delicious samples of her favorite recipes and copies of her books will be available for purchase and autographing.

Another wine-related event will be Haakstravaganza, Thursday, April 24, a delightful evening at the Mediterranean-style Haak Vineyards and Winery, the only winery between Galveston and Houston, complete with award-winning premium varietals, a Texas Gulf Coast feast and bluegrass music, along with tours by winemaker Raymond Haak.

A highlight of the Houston-area festival, The Grand Tasting, also will take place on April 25, at the Marriott Sugar Land Town Square, featuring over-the-top wineries such as Stag’s Leap Winery, Alexander Valley Vineyards, Dry Creek Vineyards,  with more than 40 award-winning chefs including Kelly Liken of Kelly Lichen’s  in Vail, Colorado; Michael Touhy from Atlanta’s Wood fire Grille; Pang Looi of August Moon and Asiatique in Louiville, Kentucky and Houston’s culinary superstars Randy Evans of Brennan's of Houston, Hugo Ortega of Hugo’s; Mark Holley of Pesce, and Mockingbird Bistro’s John Sheely, Iron Chef star David Bull of the Stoneleigh in Dallas  among many others.

Then on Saturday, April 26th, activities begin with a special seminar conducted by Riedel heir, Maximilian Riedel.  He shows how special wine glasses can make a dramatic difference in both the flavor and aroma of wine. Taste four wines from Riedel's hottest new VITUS glass series which are elegantly shaped and sized to highlight the specific flavors and aromas of well-known varietals and blends.  The four-glass tasting set includes a Montrachet Chardonnay, a Riesling/Sauvignon Blanc, a Pinot Noir glass and a Cabernet/Merlot that  guests will be able to take home after the seminar.  

The region’s largest wine tasting party takes place on Saturday, April 26, 1-4 p.m., at Fort Bend’s premier community, Sienna Plantation.  The outdoor tented event will transform into a sensory summit for the Sienna Sip & Stroll. Wine connoisseurs and culinary enthusiasts will be tantalized by samplings from over 50 wineries and culinary delights displayed at 40 tasting tables. Enhancing the experience: fabulous flamenco jazz and an array of exciting activities including:

•    A Simply Spectacular Texas Shrimp Fest with demonstrations by Dining Diva Molly Fowler;

•    A Toast to Texas seminar with six Texas winemakers who will pour and discuss wines made in Texas, hosted by wine expert Denman Moody; and

•    Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen’s Sylvia Casares cooking demonstration with Avocados from Mexico.

•    Cigar Cigar will feature premium cigars and introduce Olives Martini Bar with samplings of tiny martinis.

Capping the event on Sunday, April 27, is the Bistro Brunch at Sugar Land Town Square.  The grand finale celebrates the world’s major wine-producing regions with vintages and food from Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Australia, South Africa, Portugal New Zealand, Argentina, Oregon, Washington, California, and, of course, Texas.

The Grand Wine & Food Affair is proud to support a permanent endowed scholarship fund at the Conrad N. Hilton College of Restaurant and Hotel Management. This fund will provide opportunities to students pursuing a bachelor of science in hotel and restaurant management, which includes mastery of the culinary arts, wine and spirits education, event management, customer service and marketing.

For registration information, visit online at TheGrandWineAndFoodAffair.com or call 713.SIP.WINE (713.747.9463).


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Keri Schmidt
The Grand Wine & Food Affair
713-SIP-WINE
uncorked@TheGrandWineandFoodAffair.com