Wine Fest 2014

2014

BLUE RIDGE

Wine&Food FESTIVAL

A Blowing Rock Chamber Of Commerce Event

April

10-13 A Grand

Time for All Taste!

The Festival Sponsored by

A Special Publication of

cabinn va vacation rentals‌ since 1976

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www.JenkinsRentals.com

Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival

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1 Grand Tasting Tent

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3 Twigs 4 Foggy Rock 5 New Public House 6 Blowing Rock Ale House 7 Blowing Rock Market 8 Town Tavern 9 South Marke 10 Blowing Rock Memorial Park

Luke Combs Band at Town Tavern Friday

I

f you haven’t been to Blowing Rock since last year’s Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival, you’ll be pleased to learn that we have several new restaurants open for business since that time.

One of them, the Town Tavern, has earned a well-deserved reputation as the place to go when it is time to enjoy the big game on TV, while downing great chicken wings or a delicious burger.

The Town Tavern is also a place where you can occasionally hear some of the best local musicians performing live.

The Luke Combs Band will take the stage at the Town Tavern for a special Wine Fest show beginning at 9:30 p.m.

on Friday, April 11.

A resident of Boone, Luke Combs is a young musician with a passion for playing country music with a rock beat. Many of the tunes he and his band, the Luke Combs Band, perform are originals.

Combs has been performing as a vocalist since childhood and as a teen fronted several vocal groups.

Growing up listening to country greats such as Garth Brooks and Vince Gill, Combs decided to take his musical gifts in a distinctive country direction.

Combs and guitarist Adam Church had been playing as solo artists when they decided to join forces in the Luke

Combs Band. The band played its first public gig in the fall of 2013.

Since then, the band has performed in the High Country, Auburn, Ala., and even at a rodeo arena in Goldston, N.C. Combs and his musical compatriots recorded their first EP this past January at Direct Image Studios in Nashville, Tenn., with the help of Emmy Award-winning producer Kenny Royster.

The title track for the new EP, “The Way She Rides,” cracked the iTunes Top 100 on the Country Charts on Feb. 7.

For more information, call Local band ‘The Luke Combs Band’ will play the Town Tavern at 9:30 p.m. on Friday, April the Town Tavern at (828) 11.

295-7500.

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Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival

April 10, 2014

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS Thursday, April 10 11 a.m.

2 p.m.

3 p.m.

4 p.m.

5 p.m.

6 p.m.

“How to Taste Wine Like a Pro” “Hidden Treasures, Best Value” “Wine and Cheese” “Wine and Chocolate” Cork and Canvas at BRAHM Casa Rustica and Grandfather Mountain Winery Wine Dinner 6:30 p.m. Taste! at the tent on Maple Street 7:30 p.m. Rowland’s at Westglow Resort Wine Dinner 8 p.m.

Wine to Water Benefit at Town Tavern 8 p.m.

Taste! After-Party at Twigs

Friday, April 11 11 a.m.

11:30 a.m.

Noon: 12:30 1 p.m.

1:30 p.m.

2 p.m.

2 p.m.

3 p.m.

3 p.m.

5 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

7 p.m.

8 p.m.

9 p.m.

9:30 p.m.

“Pinot Noir Challenge” “Fun with Bubbles” “Riedel Challenge” “Pair Like a Pro” “Wine and Chocolate” “Wine and Cheese” “Discovering Spanish Treasure” “Southern Gourmet Cooking” “Hidden Treasures, Best Values” Reggie and Ryan Harris will perform on Friday at Twigs and on Saturday at the Town Tavern during the Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival.

PHOTOS BY JEFF EASON “Wine and Food/Spices” Childress Wine Dinner at Timberlake’s Moffett Winery at Gideon Ridge Inn Wine Dinner Vision Cellars at New Public House Wine Dinner Around the World Wine Dinner at Twigs Hanover Park Vineyard at Vidalia Wine Dinner “Mi Amore” Italian Wine Dinner at the Table at Crestwood Jonny Kaplan Concert at Grand Tasting Tent Mountain Jam at Twigs Luke Combs Band at Town Tavern

Saturday, April 12 8 a.m.

Foggy Rock’s Pancake/French Toast Breakfast 8 a.m.

“Coffee Cupping” at Bald Guy Brew 8:30 a.m. Chetola Resort’s Corkscrew 5K Run 9 a.m.

Blowing Rock Market Events 11:30 a.m. Satellite Tent Tastings 12:30 p.m. Grand Reserve Wine Tasting 1:30 p.m. Grand Wine Tasting Under the Tent 3 p.m.

Grand Reserve Wine Tasting 4 p.m.

Grand Wine Tasting Under the Tent 5 p.m.

Wine Flights and Live Music at Twigs 5 p.m.

Victus World Imports Wine Dinner at Timberlake’s 6:30 p.m. Whiskey Tasting and Harris Brothers at Town Tavern 9 p.m.

Tony Bailey Band at Twigs 9:30 p.m. Cedric Burnside Project at Canyons

Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival volunteer Meris Gantt and Chef Phil Anderson at one of last year’s festival cooking demonstrations.

Festival volunteers Genie Starnes and Graeme Justice share a moment while preparing food at last year’s Grand Tasting event.

Sunday, April 13 11 a.m.

Jazz Brunch at Canyons The giant Grand Tasting tent will be up all weekend on Maple Street in downtown Blowing Rock.

Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival

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April 10, 2014

Grandfather Vineyard Wine Dinner April 10th starting at 6:00 p.m. $75.00 per person plus tax and gratuity Reservations only Call now for Easter Sunday Reservations 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Appetizer Plater Roasted Campari tomatoes, Manchego cheese, caramelized Pairs with Legacy Zinfandel

Salad Grilled peach, wrapped in prosciutto and drizzled with a honey basil vinaigrette. Served over sautéed romaine Pairs with Pinot Gris

Entrees demi glace and served with roasted asparagus Hand rolled Shrimp and Parpadelle Pasta, tossed in a citrus bleu cheese cream sauce Pairs with Terrance Gold

Restaurant & Catering

Dessert Limoncello Sorbet

Restaurant & Catering

1348 Hwy 105 South Boone ∙ 828-262-5128 casarustica1981.com

There will be plenty of red and white wine at this year’s Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival for those who savor a fine glass of spirits.

PHOTO BY JEFF EASON

Welcome to the Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival

By JEFF EASON

editor@blowingrocket.com

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elcome back my friends, to the show that never ends, we’re so glad you could attend. Come inside, come inside.”

Those lyrics from Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s rock song “Welcome Back My Friends” could well apply to the 2014 Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival and its seemingly endless number of venues.

Restaurants, wine tasting tents, shops and inns are all participating in the festival this year, and most of them are within walking distance of each other in downtown Blowing Rock.

This year’s Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival, presented by the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce, is scheduled for April 10-13 and includes more events and venues than ever.

The Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival annually attracts thousands of wine and food lovers to Blowing Rock for wine dinners, workshops and demonstrations, live music concerts and other special events.

The 2014 Blue Ridge Wine and

Food Festival’s evening events kick off with a fantastic event called Taste!

Taste! will feature signature dishes presented by area restaurants and samplings of wine and beers.

Taste! begins at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, at the Grand Tasting Tent on Maple Street.

Participating restaurants and food vendors include Timberlake’s Restaurant at Chetola Resort, Gadabouts Catering, The Table at Crestwood, Chestnut Grille at the Green Park Inn, Town Tavern of Blowing Rock, Six Pence Pub, Canyons of the Blue Ridge, The Best Cellar, The Blowing Rock Ale House, Woodlands Barbecue, The New Public House, Bistro Roca, Blowing Rock Produce and Provisions, The Picnic Basket at the Blowing Rock Market, Art of Oil and many others.

Tickets for Taste! are $35 in advance, $45 at the door.

Grand Tastings The centerpiece of the festival is the Grand Tasting under the giant tent on Maple Street in downtown Blowing Rock. This year, the Grand Tasting will be held twice, once at 1:30 p.m. and then again at 4 p.m.

The Grand Tasting features hundreds of different types of wines

from North Carolina and around the world. It is also a catered event with mouth-watering food items to eat at your pleasure. Tickets for the Grand Tasting are $45 in advance, $55 at the door.

This year’s festival also includes a Grand Reserve Wine Tasting at the Inn at the Ragged Garden on Sunset Drive. Sponsored by the Blue Ridge Mountain Club, tickets for this exclusive event are $80 in advance and $100 at the door. The Grand Reserve Wine Tasting at 12:30 p.m. is sold out, but tickets still remain for the tasting at 3 p.m.

New this year on Saturday will be a number of satellite tasting tents for food and wine located at various spots around downtown Blowing Rock.

Attendees of the Grand Tasting and Grand Reserve Tasting can visit these satellite tents at their leisure from 11:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. for free. Those not attending the Grand Tasting events can pay a small admission fee at the entrance to the satellite tents.

The satellite tents are located at Celeste Interiors at the Village Shops, the Shops at South Marke, beside Christopher’s Wine and Cheese, at the Blowing Rock Ale House’s brewery and in front of Vincent Properties.

WELCOME – Continued on Page 5

Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival

April 10, 2014

WELCOME

even the wine.

For more information, call BRAHM at (828) 295-9099.

FROM PAGE 4

Workshops and demos The more you know about wine and food, the more ways you can figure out how to enjoy them together. The Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival offers attendees a wealth of workshops and demonstrations all over the downtown Blowing Rock area. Most of them cost between $25 and $28 and include food and wine.

Workshops and demonstrations include “How to Taste Wine Like a Pro” (Thursday, 11 a.m.); “Hidden Treasures, Best Values (Thursday, 2 p.m.); “Wine and Chocolate” (Thursday, 4 p.m.); “Pinot Noir Challenge” (Friday, 11 a.m.); “Fun with Bubbles” (Friday, 11:30 a.m.); Riedel Challenge (Friday, noon); “Pair Like a Pro’ (Friday, 12:30 p.m.); “Wine and Chocolate” (Firday, 1 p.m.); “Discovering Spanish Treasure” (Friday, 2 p.m.); “Southern Gourmet Cooking” (Friday, 2 p.m.); “Hidden Treasures, Best Values” (Friday, 3 p.m.); “Wine and Food and Spices” (Friday, 3 p.m.); and “Coffee Cupping” (Saturday, 8 a.m.).

Wine dinners Wine dinners are always a big part of the Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival.

Most feature an exquisite menu of items prepared by one of our local chefs, with the various courses paired with wines from one or more wineries.

This year’s festival features wine dinners at Timberlake’s Restaurant at Chetola Resort, Casa Rustica, Rowland’s at Westglow Resort and Spa, Twigs, Vidalia, the Table at Crestwood, the New Public House and Restaurant G at Gideon Ridge.

Corkscrew 5K

The Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival’s Corkscrew 5K Run is like no other run you’ve undertaken. It starts and ends at Chetola Resort and along the way, if you like, you can participate in a wine tasting event at four wine stations along the course.

Registration is from 7:30 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. and the run begins at 8:30 a.m.

Non-runners can enjoy the bloody Mary and mimosa bar at the patio of Timberlake’s Restaurant while waiting for their favorite runners to finish the race.

Proceeds from the Corkscrew 5-K will benefit the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.

Cork and Canvas The Blowing Rock Art and History Museum will host a special Cork and Canvas: Wine Fest Edition event at the museum in downtown Blowing Rock from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 10.

The event is part socializing, part art class and part wine seminar. Admission is $35 for BRAHM members and $40 for nonmembers and all supplies are included …

Johnny Kaplan will play his groovy tunes to the crowd at 8 p.m. on Friday.

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You've experienced the best in food and wine...

...now experience the best in sleep.

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Live music This year’s Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival is your chance to hear some of the region’s best musicians.

On Thursday, the Town Tavern in Blowing Rock will host a Wine to Water fundraiser featuring the Katie Taylor Duo. There is no cover for the event and it will feature door prizes and raffles.

The Taste! after-party will take place at Twigs Restaurant and Bar beginning at 8 p.m. featuring live music by Klee and Mike. There is no cover charge for the event and food will be served until 9:30 p.m.

On Friday, California recording artist Jonny Kaplan will bring his smooth grooves to the Grand Tasting Tent on Maple Street for a concert beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12 per person and are available in advance at the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce.

Twigs will host a “Mountain Jam” from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday with live music by the Harris Brothers. The event will feature moonshine tasting and artisan cocktails.

No cover.

The Luke Combs Band will be playing unbridled country music at the Town Tavern beginning at 9:30 p.m. on Friday.

No cover.

The Tony Bailey Band will perform a free show at Twigs on Friday from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. The event will feature moonshine tasting and artisan cocktails.

The Harris Brothers will perform at the Town Tavern in Blowing Rock beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. No cover.

Canyons Historic Restaurant and Bar will host a concert featuring the Cedric Burnside Project beginning at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday. Cedric is the grandson of late legendary Mississippi bluesman R.L. Burnside. Ticket are $10 per person and advance tickets are available at Canyons.

Todd Wright and Friends will serve up some powerful instrumentals at Canyons during the Sunday Jazz Brunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. No cover.

For more information on the Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival, call the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce at (828) 2957851 or visit www.blueridgewinefestival. com.

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Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival

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Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival

April 10, 2014

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Tweetsie Railroad opens on Friday

W

ouldn’t you know it, this year’s Blue Ridge Wine and Food festival coincides with the opening weekend of Tweetsie Railroad and Wild West Theme Park.

So, if the kid in you can’t resist, head down to Tweetsie and watch its doors swing wide open for its 58th season of delivering family fun to everyone.

Guests of all ages are invited aboard to enjoy a ride on Tweetsie’s legendary steam locomotives and to experience firsthand the long-ago era of the Wild West.

The park, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Blowing Rock, will host an exciting lineup of special events, including muchloved favorites such as Day Out With Thomas and

Tweetsie’s Ghost Train® Halloween Festival, as well as first-time appearances by David Holt and the Lightning Bolts and by Scooby-Doo and Shaggy.

Take a step back into the Old West and discover all Tweetsie has to offer, from a variety of amusement rides, panning for gold at Miner’s Mountain and making new friends with the animals in the Deer Park, to experiencing an authentic Western town.

There is so much to

explore for the whole family, including the park’s centerpiece: a three-mile ride through the winding and breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains on a train pulled by one of Tweetsie’s historic steam-powered locomotives.

To rest your feet and take a break from the thrill of the Wild West, sit back and relax while being entertained with one of Tweetsie’s live shows, such as Diamond Lil’s Can-Can Revue, Miner’s Mountain Magic Show and Hopper and Porter’s Musical Celebration.

Daily admission to Tweetsie Railroad is $39 for adults and $26 for children ages 3 through 12.

Children 2 and younger are admitted free.

For more information, visit www.tweetsie.com.

Saturday: Friday:

Bloody Mary Tasting

Party at the Pumps!

9:00-11:00 a.m.

3:00-7:00 p.m.

Wine Tasting & BBQ 990 MAIN STREET • BLOWING ROCK NC

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• Local favorites Grandfather Vineyard and Shelton Vineyards • Vision Cellars, presented by Mac McDonald • Wines by Ray Signorello • C&T Cellars, presented by Trent Moffett • Over a dozen different labels specially chosen by our local distributors

Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival

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April 10, 2014

Jonny Kaplan brings West Coast vibe to the festival

By JEFF EASON

editor@blowingrocket.com

N

othing says living the good life like kicking back with a fine glass of wine while listening to great live

music.

The 2014 Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival has recruited one of the finest contemporary recording artists for its annual live music show.

Jonny Kaplan will perform a special live show at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 11, under the Grand Tasting Tent located next to the Blowing Rock Post Office on Maple Street.

Tickets are $12 per person.

Kaplan is from Los Angeles, but has toured all over the world with his band, The Lazy Stars. His latest album, “Sparkle and Shine,” has been receiving rave reviews, with critics saying, “The group has created an innovative and engaging collection of American rock numbers that opens the artist into a new era of his musical career.”

The Lazy Stars features a who’s who of West Coast musicians, including Rami Jaffee (Foo Fighters, The Wallflowers)

on keyboards, bassist Jokin Salaverria, guitarist Dan Winston and drummer Joey Galvan.

For the recording of “Sparkle and Shine,” Kaplan also enlisted the help of The Black Crowes’ keyboardist Adam MacDougall, Blind Melon’s Brad Smith, Foo Fighters’ Jessy Greene and actress Daryl Hannah, who lent her vocals to two tracks.

“I think Daryl on vocals is going to surprise a lot of people who just know her as an actress,” Kaplan said. “She has an amazingly beautiful voice that blends perfectly with mine.”

“Sparkle and Shine” is a striking collection of rock numbers that draw from Americana, country and folk, recalling musicians such as Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Ray LaMontagne, The Band and Gram Parsons.

“It was apparent in the songwriting that there was an extreme diversity on the record in what kinds of songs they are,” Kaplan said.

“A lot of the songs needed to be recorded completely differently. Sometimes, you set up and make everything on the record have a similar sound, but there’s a lot of different sounding music on this record. It

Singer-songwriter Jonny Kaplan will make his High Country debut at the Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival this Friday.

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was also a definite conscious decision from the beginning to add an element of sophistication to the record,” he said.

Corkscrew 5-K run

C

hetola Resort in Blowing Rock will host the annual Corkscrew 5K run/walk on Saturday, April 12, in conjunction the Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival.

The event begins with walk-up registration and packet pickup from 7:30 a.m. to 8:20 a.m.

The race begins at 8:30 a.m.

Early packet pickup is available from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, April 11, at the recreation center.

Entry fees are $25 in advance and $35 the morning of the race for wine-free runners, $30 in advance and $40 the morning of the race for wine lovers runners (four wine tasting stations will be set along the course).

For nonrunners and runner supporters, a bloody Mary and mimosa bar will be open at the Timberlake’s Restaurant patio from 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

All proceeds will benefit the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.

The event is sponsored by Stick Boy Bread Company, ZAP Fitness, Coyote Kitchen, Blowing Rock Market, Kilwin’s,

Tweetsie Railroad, Bare Essentials and Edward Jones Investors.

Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation The Blue Ridge Parkway is our country’s most visited national park unit, receiving more visitors each year than Yellowstone, Yosemite and Grand Canyon National Parks combined. Yet, it operates on a fraction of these parks’ budgets — about $1 per visitor per year. As one of the national parks that does not charge an entrance fee, it needs the help of its neighbors and fans to continue to be the resource we all enjoy.

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is the primary fundraising partner for the parkway, working closely with the National Park Service to provide hundreds of thousands of dollars each year directly to programs and projects that otherwise wouldn’t be funded, serving as the partner that meets the widest variety of parkway needs every day.

For more information on the Corkscrew 5K at Chetola Resort, call (828) 295-5535 or email gwoolard@chetola.com.

To purchase tickets to this special concert, call the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce at (828) 295-7851.

Murder mystery

N

o Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival would be complete without a performance by the folks at Ensemble Stage Compay.

This time around … it’s a musical murder mystery.

Ensemble Stage presents the fifth annual production of its popular interactive wine-themed musical murder mystery at Chetola Resort beginning at 10 p.m. on Saturday, April 12.

The all new show, customized specifically for Chetola and appropriate for

adults only, is a unique combination of music, murder, comedy, mystery, wine and desserts.

The show features three wine tastings, bottomless dessert trays and, of course, at least one murder. There will also be a cash bar and coffee/espresso/liqueur station available.

Tickets are $45 per person and are available by calling Ensemble Stage at (828) 414-1844 or visiting www.ensemblestage.com.

Twigs’ Moonshine Jam and Tasting

T

he French have their champagne and we Appalachians have our moonshine.

Twigs Restaurant in Blowing Rock will attempt to expand your horizons a little bit when it presents its “Mountain Jam and Moonshine Tasting” event as part of the 2014 Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. on Friday, April 11.

There is no cover for this event, but

moonshine lovers are encouraged to get there early to ensure a spot.

In addition to the “moonshine” tastings, the event will feature artisan cocktails prepared with liquors made at regional distilleries.

The Harris Brothers will perform live blues, pop, country, soul and rock music.

For more information, call Twigs at (828) 295-5050.

Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival

April 10, 2014

Page 9

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Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival

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April 10, 2014

Joyful jazz and jive Blowing Rock Jazz Society kicks off 2014 season on Sunday

By JEFF EASON

editor@blowingrocket.com

F Live Music plus the Green Plate Special Sunday April 13 The Harris Brothers Ask us about our Murder Mystery Weekend May 30th-June 1st

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or more than a decade, the Blowing Rock Jazz Society has been bringing some of the best players and singers to the High Country for its seasonal monthly concert series.

The BRJS 2014 season kicks off on Sunday, April 13, with a show featuring the jazz talent at Appalachian State University’s Broyhill School of Music. Led by saxophonist and ASU Jazz Studies director Todd Wright, the concert will feature both ASU Jazz Ensemble I, as well as a combo group.

The combo group will open the concert with three or four selections, after which the big band will perform selections by the most prolific composers in jazz history, ranging from classic to contemporary.

The concert starts at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $20 for the general public, $5 for students and free for all Blowing Rock Jazz Society members in good standing.

Food and drink will be available for purchase during the show.

The 2014 BRJS “Second Sunday” concert series includes vocalist Wendy Jones on May 11; the Lovell Bradford Trio on June 8; Larry Lapin on July 13; the Noel Friedline Quintet on Aug. 10; Jason Foureman Trio

Saxophonist Todd Wright is the director of Jazz Studies at Appalachian State University’s Broyhill School of Music. He will perform at Canyons for the Sunday Jazz Brunch and lead the student jazz bands at the Blowing Rock Jazz Society show at Meadowbrook Inn on Sunday evening.

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on Sept. 14; and Melva Houston on Oct. 12.

BRJS 2014 memberships, which include admission to all seven concerts, are $75 per person.

For more information or to make reservations, call the Meadowbrook Inn at (828) 295-4300.

For more information about the Blowing Rock Jazz Society, visit brjs.blogspot.com.

This concert series is sponsored by Mountain Times Publications.

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Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival

April 10, 2014

Page 11

The big white tent of tasting fun

By JEFF EASON

editor@blowingrocket.com

P

robably nothing excites attendees at the Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival quite like the sight of the big white tent on Maple Street.

That’s where the real fun begins.

The year, the tent will be home to events on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Taste!, an event featuring some of the best restaurants and caterers in the High Country serving up delicious dishes along wineries and wine distributors pouring the good stuff, will take place in the tent beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday.

On Friday, a live acoustic concert featuring Jonny Kaplan will take place at the tent beginning at 8 p.m.

The Grand Tasting, now divided into two times to ease crowded conditions, will take place at the tent beginning at 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Grand Wine Tastings The Grand Wine Tasting at the Blue Ridge Wine and Festival will feature hundreds of wines from North Carolina and around the world.

Hors d’oeuvres for the event will be prepared by Aidan White, executive chef for

the Carolina Panthers training camp.

This year, for the first time, attendees will be able to choose from two times to attend the Grand Wine Tasting: 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. or 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Tickets are $45 in advance and $55 at the door.

Grand Reserve Tasting A new event for this year’s Blue Ridge Wine and food Festival is The Grand Reserve Wine Tasting, to be held at the Best Cellar and the Inn at Ragged Gardens in Blowing Rock.

Tickets for the Grand Reserve Wine Tasting are $80 in advance and $100 at the door.

Tickets include entry to the Grand Wine Tasting under the tent at the Maple Street parking lot at either or both times, as well as into the small venue tasting tents around town.

The Grand Reserve Wine Tasting will feature seated tastings of select reserve wines and champagne served with delicious appetizers. Attendees will also have an opportunity to meet with the wine makers and distributors.

The event will be held in a tent on the lawn of the Inn at Ragged Gardens and is sponsored by Blue Ridge Mountain Club.

Dozens of winery operators and wine distributors will be on hand at the Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival with all of their best bottles for you to sample.

PHOTO BY JEFF EASON

Presenters and wines to be tasted at the Reserve Tasting include Dante and Tim Mondavi (via video) from Continuum in Pritchard Hill, Napa, Shawn Lutwak from Palmaz in Napa, Valerie Lynch from Zuccardi in Argentina, Ross Bouchard of Marc de Grazia in Italy, Zingo Munger of Cape Classics in South Africa and Lynn Lear

(with video from Philippe Seconde) from Barnaut.

The 12:30 p.m. session for the Grand Reserve Wine Tasting is sold out, but seats still remain for the 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. session.

For more information or to make reservations, call the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce at (828) 295-7851.

Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival

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April 10, 2014

Studio M Salon A Fine Time to Dine with Wine A Mountain Salon with Modern Talent

Festival’s wine dinners bring out the best in High Country cuisine

By JEFF EASON

editor@blowingrocket.com

A

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(828) 733-5985 418 Pineola St Newland, NC

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(828) 414-9333 960-4 Main St Blowing Rock, NC

Open Tues - Fri 9-5 & Sat 9-3

studiomsalon1.com

Stop by between sips! $3 OFF ADMISSION WITH AD

Cheers!

Blowing Rock Art & History Museum at the corner of Chestnut and Main Street www.blowingrockmuseum.org 828-295-9099

t the Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival’s workshops and seminars, you can learn how to pair different kinds of wine with a variety of foods.

At the festival’s wine dinners, you’ll see, hear and taste that skill in action.

The 2014 Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival offers more wine dinners than ever before and the hardest thing you’ll have to do is decide which ones to attend.

Casa Rustica and Grandfather Vineyard and Winery Grandfather Vineyard and Winery will join forces with Casa Rustica Italian Restaurant in Boone beginning at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 10.

The featured wines from Grandfather Vineyard will include the estategrown Profile Red (a medium-bodied red with a refined tannin structure and displays of pleasant acidity and flavors of oak, cocoa, ripe apple and fresh Bing cherries with a light smoky finish), the estate-grown Terraced Gold: Estate Grown Blend (clean and crisp with layers of refreshing fruit and a hint of summer, with a light touch of oak and butter), the Pinot Gris (light, crisp, refreshing white wine with orange blossom and pear aromas with a nice acidic mineral finish) and the Legacy Zinfandel (scents of smoky oak, raisin-rhubarb and coffee).

Casa Rustica will be pairing each wine with a different course.

For more information or to make reservations, call Casa Rustica at (828) 262-5128.

Rowland’s at Westglow Resort and Spa and Signorello Estate Vineyards Westglow Resort and Spa in Blowing Rock invites food and wine lovers to its first wine dinner of 2014 at Rowland’s, to be held in conjunction with the Blue Ridge Wine Festival.

Rowland’s will be serving the much sought after estate wines of Signorello Vineyards, including “Seta,” the estate’s proprietary white, only available at Rowland’s at the winery, located in Napa Valley in California.

The dinner will include fennelcured salmon, croustini, crème fraiche and lemon caviar served with

This year’s Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival features more wine dinners than ever.

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Seta Proprietary White, poached pear and pork belly, arugula, black walnut tuille with Valdeon dressing served with Hope Cuvee Chardonnay, rack of lamb, smoked espresso panna cotta, sweet potato biscotti, blackberry jam and Lyonnaise served with Signorello Estate Cabernet, and chocolate custard, salted almond butter, cocoa nib tuille, smoked currant puree, chocolate velvet ice cream, duo of cheeses, brioche, quince terrine and almonds paired with the Padrone.

Dinner is $150 per person (plus tax and gratuity) and will feature five courses prepared by executive Chef Nate Curtis.

For reservations and menu details, call Rowland’s at (828) 295-5141.

Chetola Resort and Childress Vineyards Timberlake’s Restaurant at Chetola Resort in Blowing Rock will once again join forces with Childress Vineyards for a wine dinner during the 2014 Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival.

The event takes place at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 11.

A number of dining options are available, including regular menu items upon request. Entrée prices include the appetizer and dessert.

The appetizer will be a cheddar grit tart with smoky pepper bacon and pinot noir gravy, paired with Childress Vineyards Pinot Gris or Childress Vineyards Sangiovese.

Entrées include lump crab-stuffed Maine Lobster tail with a lemon parsley gremolata and a chardonnayscented beurre blanc, paired with Childress Vineyards Reserve Char-

donnay ($58); an eight-ounce Angus beef filet topped with roasted grape tomatoes and bleu cheese crumbles and finished with a blueberry wine port reduction, paired with Childress Vineyards Cabernet Franc ($65); and a herb-roasted leg of lamb accompanied by caramelized shiitake mushrooms and malbec mint pan jus, paired with Childress Vineyards Malbec ($60).

Dessert will consist of Meyer lemon tart, house-made blackberry preserves, basil chardonnay reduction finished with citrus-scented crème fraiche, paired with Childress Vineyards Late Harvest Viognier.

For more information or to make reservations, call Timberlake’s at (828) 295-5505.

New Public House and Vision Cellars In its first year of operation, the New Public House and Hotel has gained a well-earned reputation for its comfortable setting and exciting cuisine.

Join Mac MacDonald, owner and operator of Vision Cellars, for a fun evening of wine, stories and exceptional food prepared by New Public House executive Chef Michael Foreman.

MacDonald has produced very fine Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from Sonoma and surrounding counties in California. Foreman has paired Vision Cellar wines with the finest in traditional Southern foods, including quail, brisket, red snapper and leg of lamb.

FINE TIME – Continued on Page 13

April 10, 2014

Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival

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FINE TIME FROM PAGE 12 The twist on this dinner is that the food will be prepared smoked, barbecued or grilled and served with sides that will compliment the wines perfectly.

This special wine dinner at the New Public House in Blowing Rock takes place at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 11. The price is $60 per person.

For more information or to make reservations, call the New Public House at (828) 295-3487.

Gideon Ridge Inn and Moffett Winery Join Trent Moffett of Moffett Winery for a special dinner prepared by Chefs John Dean and Hunter Womble at Gideon Ridge Inn in Blowing Rock on Friday, April 11. Moffett Winery is known worldwide for its excellent Cabernet Sauvignon made in the Howell Mountain region of Napa, Calif. Moffett also produces red and white wines under the C&T Cellars and Screenplay labels.

Restaurant G at Gideon Ridge has served Moffett wines for years and has created an exciting menu to highlight the beauty and complexity of the wines.

The evening will begin with a meet and greet at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m.

The five-course dinner will include Hudson Valley foie gras tourchon, local camembert, fig-local onion mustardo, artisan brioche and local micro greens; lobster brochette, green gazpacho, heirloom tomato pico, local radish and French olives; grilled lamb T-bone with cauliflower and local goat cheese puree and field pea chow-chow; North Carolina beef duo, Kentucky soy demi, quince gastrique with Carolina gold rice and broccoli rabe; and hazelnut mousse, chocolate cup, local country ham brittle, artisan tuille and olive oil.

The cost of the dinner is $85 per person (not including tax or gratuity).

For more information or to make reservations, call Gideon Ridge Inn at (828) 295-6800.

Around the World Wine Dinner at Twigs Twigs Restaurant and Bar in Blowing Rock will be hosting an Around the World Wine Dinner beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 11.

Brothers David and Doug Beach have been proud owners of the landmark restaurant since August 2000 and have worked tirelessly to turn it into a diverse place where tourists and locals alike can relax and have a nice romantic meal in the dining room or a more casual dinner or drinks in the bar area.

The High Country’s finest chefs have been working diligently to put together menus that will pair their dishes with wines from all over the world.

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For the Around the World Wine Dinner, Twigs will offer wines and cuisines from various wine regions of the world, with four courses and four wines for dinner.

Twigs’ culinary team sources the finest ingredients possible from local organic farms and prepares each dish with a special touch.

Twigs’ Around the World Wine Dinner costs $80 per person (gratuity and tax not included).

For more information or to make reservations, call Twigs at (828) 295-5050.

“Mi Amore” Italian Wine Dinner at the Table at Crestwood The Table at Crestwood Resort and Spa will host a special “Mi Amore” Italian Wine Dinner beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 11.

The dinner will feature wines provided

by Marc deGrazia Winery and wines presented by Ross Brouchard.

The first course will be a Napoli applewood smoked salami, prosciutto, chef’s selection of two different cheeses and ciabatta bread paired with a Prosecco Burtalati.

The second course will be chilled Italian salad with crisp Romaine lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, garbanzo beans, olives and feta cheese tossed in a house-made Italian vinaigrette finished with toasted pumpkin seed, served with ciabatta bread and paired with a Masone Gari (white) and Dei Rossi Montelpuciano (red).

The third course will be pasta shells stuffed with lobster, spinach, tomatoes, ricotta and mozzarella cheese finished FINE TIME – Continued on Page 14

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www.thevillageinnsofblowingrock.com

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Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival

April 10, 2014

At the Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival’s workshops you can learn how to pair different wines with all sorts of foods ... even chocolate.

PHOTO JEFF EASON

FINE TIME FROM PAGE 13 with a creamy lobster bisque and garnished with shaved Parmigiano Reggianno and fresh olives, paired with Pira Baralo (red) or Serggioso Barbera D’Alba (white).

The fourth course consists of a Boston crème cannoli.

The cost of the dinner is $60 per person (gratuity and tax not included).

For more information or to make reservations, call Crestwood Resort and Spa at (828) 963-6646.

Hanover Park Vineyards at Vidalia Vidalia Restaurant in downtown Boone will host a wine dinner featuring the wines of Hanover Park Vineyards at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 11.

The dinner will feature an amuse bouche of the 2012 Barrel Chardonnay paired with an apple walnut salad with a housecured bacon dressing, a 2006 1897 Grand Reserve paired with a duck confit with red wine Brussels “kraut,” dry cherries, baby arugula and thyme toast, a 2010 Mouvede paired with a lamb slider consisting of Merguez lamb meatball, Mourvedre tomato sauce, Ashe County Romano cheese, grilled soft roll and polenta fries, a 2010 Chambourcin paired with pan-seared pheasant with Chambourcin jus, braised kale, Yukon gold potatoes and prickly pear coulis, and a Hanover Blue paired with a lemon custard crème puff with vanilla

anglaise, powdered sugar and fresh fruit.

The cost of the dinner is $75 per person, excluding gratuity and tax.

For more information or to make reservations, call Vidalia at (828) 263-9176.

Victus World Imports Wine Dinner at Timberlake’s Restaurant Timberlake’s Restaurant at Chetola Resort in Blowing Rock will host a wine dinner featuring Victus World Imports selections beginning at 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 12.

The opening wine will be a Keo Viognier.

The appetizer will be a buttermilk, roasted tomato and bleu cheese tart with honey and rosemary-infused cabernet reduction, paired with a Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc blend.

Diners will have their choice of one of three entrees: An eight-ounce beef filet topped with rosemary leeks and candied bacon finished with house-made Appalachian steak sauce, paired with Paiman Malbec and Paiman Cabernet Sauvignon ($65), cilantro and roasted garlic-stuffed pork tenderloin accompanied by a pistachio and shallot cream sauce, paired with Paiman Tannat ($48), or fresh chunked lobster stuffed into a tarragon crepe, finished with a light citrus-infused beurre blanc and drizzled with herb balsamic reduction, paired with Keo Chardonnay ($55).

Dessert is an assortment of dark chocolate truffles, paired with Keo Malbec.

For more information or to make reservations, call Timberlake’s at (828) 2955505.

April 10, 2014

Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival

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Blues comes to the Blue Ridge Delta blues purist peforms at Canyons

By JEFF EASON

editor@blowingrocket.com

F

or Delta blues purists, authenticity is everything and learning your craft from the masters is an apprentice system that is cherished.

Other forms of music might get their spunk and inspiration from rebelling against their elders. With the blues of the Southeast, the elders are revered, looked to for wisdom, soul and nifty guitar licks.

Guitarist and drummer Cedric Burnside has authentic blues roots, both from his family and from where he was raised. His grandfather is legendary bluesman R.L. Burnside and the family comes from Clarksdale, Mississippi, hometown of Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and Robert Johnson.

The Cedric Burnside Project will bring its raw blues grooves to the Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival

when it performs at Canyons of the Blue Ridge beginning at 9:30 on Saturday, April 12. Tickets are $10 per person.

Cedric Burnside is just the latest of what has been called “the next generation of the blues,” along with the Mississippi All Stars and others. Deftly blending the raw roots style of their forefathers with funky beats from the 70s and 80s, these musicians are both keeping a tradition alive and creating a whole new genre.

Burnside’s latest CD is titled “Bloodstone.” The songs on the disc range from the gospel-tinged “Mean Queen” to the organ and bass-fueled dance number “Getting Funky.”

The entire album showcases a young artist leaning on the past for inspiration while at the same time finding his own original voice.

For more information on Saturday’s show, call Canyons at (828) 295-7661.

Cedric Burnside will bring his authentic Delta blues to the Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival when he performs at Canyons this Saturday.

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Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival

April 10, 2014