 White Plains, NY – The 2008 Greater New York Wine & Food Festival, has announced the lineup of wine seminars for this fourth annual regional celebration of wine and food. The exciting event is scheduled for the weekend of April 4-6 at the new Doubletree Hotel in Tarrytown, NY
The festival will showcase more than 25 of the region’s best restaurants, great wines and spirits, and gourmet items. Internationally and locally acclaimed celebrity chefs will prepare samplings of their signature dishes, and wine and spirits experts will share their knowledge during specialized seminars. The wine seminar schedule is as follows:
SATURDAY, APRIL 5
1 pm: Dreyfus Ashby - Discover The Terroirs of Spain with Joan Pujol
Joan Pujol started in the wine industry at a very early stage, working in wineries and vineyards in his native wine area of the Penedes in Spain. After studying winemaking in Madrid (Spain) and Dijon (Burgundy), he obtained the Diplome National d'Oenologie. He joined Miguel Torres in Spain in 1992, and since then has been involved in winemaking, as well as marketing and sales. Pujol has also taught at the University of Barcelona and the School of Sommeliers in Barcelona. He is now living in Miami, managing marketing and sales for Miguel Torres S.A. for North America.
2 pm: Kobrand - St. Francis Zinfandel Reserve with Christopher Silva
As St. Francis’ President & CEO, Christopher Silva is focused on producing world class Sonoma wine. As a result, St. Francis uses hand picked, 100% Sonoma County grapes in all its wines. Silva is a fifth generation Sonoma County native and a member of the well-known Zucchetti and Cassina dairy farming families, who came to Petaluma from Switzerland in the late 1800s.
3 pm: Folio - A Taste of Italy (Donnafugata, Frescobaldi, inter alia) with Kerry Guilfoyle
Kerry Guilfoyle joined Folio Fine Wine Partners with a strong understanding of all areas of the wine business: marketing, sales, production and distribution. She helped launch Trail Ridge Winery's first vintage in Colorado before joining the new wine division of National Distributing in Northern Colorado. Previously, she enjoyed two years with the Robert Mondavi Corporation, moving from Account Manager to Area Business Manager to Regional Manager, responsible for the second largest global market for the Robert Mondavi Winery brand.
4 pm: Terlato - Taste of Rhone from North To South with Don Clemens, CWE
Don Clemens, CWE has been with The Terlato Wine Group (TWG) since 1996, where he serves as Wine Ambassador. A Certified Wine Educator with the Society of Wine Educators, he is a frequent speaker about wine. His 34-year background in the wine business includes retail and restaurant management, wholesale distribution, regional sales and even winery sales management. His love of wine has led him to many challenging and rewarding opportunities, including a stint as sommelier at one of Chicago's leading restaurants (where his wine list won a Wine Spectator "Grand Award").
SUNDAY, APRIL 6
1 pm: Maison Marques and Domaines - Exploring Piedmont: The Wines of Pio Cesare with Sergio Zecca
Sergio Zecca has lived in New York since 1973, and is currently living in Rye. Armed with a B.A. from Curry College in Boston, he assumed responsibility for buying wine for his family’s business in New York. During this time, he also attained the certificate, higher certificate and section 1 of the diploma program from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust. He spent many years working for Opici Wine Importers and now devotes all his efforts to Maison Marques and Domaines, where he has been for the last eight years, as District Sales Manager for Metro New York.
2 pm: Icon Estates - Inniskillin Ice Wine & Cheese Pairing with Kebra Check Caleo
Kebra Check Caleo is the fine wine manager for Icon Estates in New York City, Boston and New Jersey. As a Colorado native, she grew up working in the restaurant business. Armed with a degree from the University of Colorado and local experience as a fine wine specialist, she moved to New York City to handle on-premise business for Paramount/Eber Brothers. Soon thereafter, she joined Foster’s Wine Estates, where she completed the first level of Master Sommelier Training. In August 2006, she became the first Fine Wine Manager for Icon Estates, and now travels extensively to Napa, Tuscany, and the Niagara Peninsula.
3 pm: Fosters Wine Estates - Terroirs of Australia with Lisa Granik, MW
Lisa Granik, MW is one of only 24 American Masters of Wine, and is the Director of Fine Wine Initiatives for Empire Merchants, a division of the Charmer-Sunbelt Group. She also teaches about wine at the International Wine Center in New York City, is a frequent judge in wine competitions, and has written about wine for such publications as The New York Times and The World of Fine Wine. She is highly regarded as an exceptional teacher and speaker. Her most recent project has been as a contributor to the forthcoming 1001 Wines to Try before You Die.
4 pm: Nickel & Nickel Single Vineyard Wines from Napa with Tom Gilhooly
After attending the University of Notre Dame, Tom Gilhooly managed restaurants and fine wine wholesalers, while also representing premium and luxury wine producers. This native New Yorker has conducted wine education classes and training seminars for the Walt Disney World Sommeliers, the Nantucket Wine Festival, The Taste of Vail and The Telluride Wine Festival. He conducted the Young Artists Wine Education Series at Lincoln Center, and also served on the Board of Directors of the Restaurant Association. Currently, he is Sales manager for Far Niente/Nickel & Nickel and Dolce Wineries.
Other exciting events are planned for the three-day weekend, including an exclusive VIP kick-off Tapas & Tinis party and a Sunday Sparkling Italian Brunch. Live musical entertainment will complement the Festival’s exciting line-up of gustatory programs. Live cooking demonstrations and competitions will also be offered throughout this incredible culinary weekend.
For more details, festival updates and ticket information, please visit www.greaternywine.com. Ticket prices range from $75 per person for the Grand Tasting to $350 for a full weekend pass (without lodging). Lodging packages are available as well at a special festival rate through the Doubletree-Tarrytown by visiting www.greaternywine.com/lodging.
The Journal News, a Gannett Company based in White Plains, created The Greater New York Wine & Food Festival three years ago. This year, Martini & Rossi has joined as a co-presenting sponsor and will sponsor the Sparkling Italian Brunch featuring Asti & Prosecco. Empire Merchants, the largest distributor of wine and spirits in the New York metropolitan area, will be providing hundreds of fine wines and spirits for festival.
Gannet Co., Inc. owns The Journal News, which publishes four daily editions: Southern Westchester, Central Westchester, Northern Westchester/Putnam and Rockland. It maintains a widely visited news and information website, LoHud.com, and publishes six weekly newspapers, as well as In-Town Westchester, Rockland and Putnam up-scale magazines, and various specialty publications focused on the Lower Hudson Valley region. This year, The Journal News along with RNN, created The Hudson Valley NewsCenter Now, a live two-hour daily newscast powered by reporters and journalists at The Journal News and LoHud.com. The show appears on the RNN network.
As one of Europe's premiere wine makers, MARTINI & ROSSI proudly offers a selection of exceptional wines, all made with the utmost care. Grapes are handpicked. The vines are cared for using natural methods. Spices for the vermouths are selected from around the world. And it is all done with a sense of pride and tradition dating back over 150 years. Enjoy cooking with the depth of flavor found in MARTINI & ROSSI Vermouths. Sparkle every day with fresh, fruity MARTINI & ROSSI Asti. Look to MARTINI & ROSSI Prosecco as a lively complement to your favorite meals.
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