Cheers to Wine & Chile Fiesta
Photography by Douglas Merriam
As Humphrey Bogart said: “The trouble with the world is that it’s always one drink behind.” Alleviate this problem by attending the 18th annual Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta, a lively celebration that takes place September 24–28 at various venues in and around the city, boasting seminars, guest-chef demos, winemakers’ luncheons and
dinners, a reserve tasting, and an always festive live auction. There’s even a golf tournament, hosted by New Mexico’s own Gruet Winery. Ticket information is posted online starting July 7, but act quickly: Being one of our nation’s preeminent wine fests, its events sell out fast.
Serious collectors should plan to attend the annual Live Auction Luncheon, in which five courses are paired with wines from 2008 Winemaker of the Year Richard Sanford, and the Alma Rosa Winery. For a more casual affair, enjoy guest-chef luncheons and popular nightly wine dinners, like newcomer Summerland Winery at Coyote Café and the august Grgich Hills at freshly minted Luminaria (formerly Fuego at the Inn at the Loretto), and our own John Vollertsen dishing it up at El Rancho de Las Golondrinas on September 25. Seating is limited, but come prepared for surprising meals paired with hard-to-get vintages. For hands-on fun, opt for the many cooking and wine-pairing demos. Or attend seminars with leading figures such as cheese expert Laura Werlin and master sommelier Tim Gaiser, winemakers Randall Grahm, of Boony Doon, and Jason Haas, of Tablas Creek, or a panel tasting of Pinots Noir from Santa Rita Hills with star winemakers Kris Curran (Foley), Bruno d’Alfonso (Badge), Dick Dore (Foxen), and Kathy Joseph (Fiddlehead).
Plus, Alice Feiring and Neal Rosenthal, authors of the year’s two most talked-about wine books, will be here this year. Feiring penned Battle for Wine & Love or How I Saved the World from Parkerization, while icon importer Rosenthal earned the critics’ kudos for his memoir, Reflections of a Wine Merchant.
The weekend’s high point is Saturday’s Grand Food and Wine Tasting, which levels the playing field with some 90 restaurants participating. It’s a chance to rub elbows and bend ears with professionals and connoisseurs alike. Gates open at 1 pm with a stampede to the tables. Hold back, though. Find the complimentary water, scope the booths of interest (hint: cult winery O’Shaughnessy, from the Howell Mountain district), then make your move. And remember: Pace yourself. The tasting lasts three hours, each restaurant preparing 1,600 servings. The wine never runs out.
Soak your heart in wine (if not your head) and toast a neighbor; a contagious joy comes from sharing such pleasures.
Info: santafewineandchile.org
