Local Flavor Magazine Toasts to Santa Fe Wine & Chile 2020, edition 2

toasts to

2018

friendship shared tables SEPT 2020

EDITION 2

SEPTEMBER 2020

Edition 02

My deepest gratitude to my core staff—Cullen, Jasmine, Andrea and Jasper—who continue to make the magic happen here at Local Flavor.

inside:

Who’s Cooking

Who’s Teaching

Join us for Wine & Chile at Museum Hill Cafe T hursday, September 24, 2020

Enjoy the 5-course Dinner Paired with Famille Perrin Wines on our patio, the largest in Santa Fe. Music by Melanie Monsour on piano & Paul Brown on bass.

We are limiting seating to 50 people outside, inside by request only.

For Reservations Please Call 505.984.8900

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Who’s Tasting Who’s Raising the Money

PUBLISHERS Patty & Peter Karlovitz EDITOR Patty Karlovitz CO-EDITOR/WRITER Cullen Curtiss ART DIRECTOR Jasmine Quinsier A DV E R T I S I N G Andrea Nagler AD DESIGN Jasper Dancer

C O V E R P H O T O Joy Godfrey

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR F R E E D I G I TA L M AG A Z I N E Tel: 505.988.7560 | localflavormagazine.com

No part of this online edition may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the expressed written consent of the publisher.

Antinori Wine Dinner September 25, 7:00pm Menu Available at osteriadassisi.com Call for Reservations 986-5858 Limited Seating

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MUSEUM HILL CAFÉ

hroughout our editorial coverage of Wine & Chile 2020 we have been struck by the affection that restaurateurs, chefs, vintners and sommeliers have expressed for a side of the Fiesta that many never consider. Most of us are the party-goers, the attendees, the diners, the audience—and we thought that we were having all the fun. Not so. Turns out that the real show, and fun, is all backstage.

Enjoy this reminiscent backstage visit and join us in thanking the men and women who bring the Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta to life each year. It has been a delight to give voice to what they love most—tasting wine and talking shop with vintners and sommeliers, showing off their culinary prowess to peers, while dazzling the lucky Fiesta crowd, and most of all remembering why they love this profession and love the people with whom they stand shoulder to shoulder in some of the finest kitchens in this country.

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from the editor

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SEPTEMBER 2020

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who’s raising the money?

W

the show

must go on!

ith great clarity, Santa Fe Wine & Chile auctioneer Greg Quiroga ticks off some reasons why some nonprofits have been doing quite well delivering their message virtually over the last several months. The silver linings, as he sees them, are as follows:

So, what might this mean for SFWC’s live auction on Friday, Sept 25? It could mean great things for the organization whose mission it is to market the Santa Fe restaurant community as a worldclass destination, which it has done so increasingly well over the last 30 years.

Quiroga will not be alone during the virtual “show,” formerly experienced as an in-person auction. Nope. He will be accompanied by many SFWC board members who’ve long and passionately believed in the Santa Fe restaurant community, including executive director Greg O’Byrne and director of Tourism Santa Fe Randy Randall.

His seventh year as SFWC’s auctioneer, Quiroga describes the event as an intimate affair in which he has come to know and feel comfortable cajoling the bidders. He imagines, however, that there may be some new faces as a result of the auction being virtual, and that he’ll have to work even harder to encourage pledges because he is, in essence, looking at screens and data points. But truly, he’s pretty good at the virtual platform, and credits some early foundational gaming for some of his skill. “I was 11 when video games were big and I guess all of that time logged paid off. Neuroplasticity is a big deal.” But, he adds, “I really miss people. The reason I got into this was that I wanted to work with nonprofits and make the world a better place.”

And he hopes to do that one or multiple bottles of wine and/or famous chef dinners at a time. You can still register to bid on the live auction, scheduled for Friday, September 25, 6:45 p.m., and could be the fortunate winner of one of the following exquisite items:

Image courtesy of Stellar Fundraising Auctions, Inc.

• “Each viewer represents a household, so there are arguably more eyeballs on the event.”

• “The message is heard in a different way because participants are at home, geared for the show; they are not socializing or distracted.”

• “Some donors have greater capacity because they have not been traveling.”

• “The need is greater and organizations can easily convey that.”

• “The pandemic has left people feeling powerless and the opportunity to enact positive change in the world feels more important than ever.”

Greg Quiroga

• “The Chefs Who Beat Bobby Flay” Dinner for 10 at your home with guest Chefs Fernando Ruiz and Paddy Rawal.

• Spanish Dinner for 8 at your home with Guest Chef James Campbell Caruso of La Boca. Guest Sommelier Greg O’Byrne will be pouring wines from the Jose Pastor Selection.

• Four Nights in London! Four nights for two in London. Includes dinner for two at the River Café.

• A Chateau Musar Vertical tasting, beginning with a 1967 Chateau Musar, Gran Cru, Gaston Hocher. The virtual tasting is hosted by Bartholomew Broadbent, the influential and world-renowned wine critic, who will describe the history of Chateau Musar as you taste.

After you register, heed several Quiroga recommendations: “Look at the catalog in advance. Use the Max Bid feature.

Tag your fave items. Get in early and reap the benefits of this being a virtual event. Do your homework!”

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>> To participate in the auction, please visit santafewineandchile.org.

who’s teaching?

cooking

with confidence

Gabriella Marks

F

Sllin Cruz

>> To attend Geronimo Chef/Co-Owner Sllin Cruz’ demo class, please visit santafewineandchile.org.

irst off, Sllin Cruz, Chef/Co-Owner of Geronimo believes everybody knows how to cook already. It’s just about instilling or teaching a little confidence. “Most of the time, simplicity is just better, with the way you cook and the way you put your heart into it.

If I can make people feel confident, they can make anything. They begin to trust themselves.”

He adds, “It’s really just love and caring.”

So, his approach to his cooking demonstration at the Santa Fe School of Cooking in celebration of Santa Fe Wine & Chile at 11 a.m. on Sept. 23 is to teach very accessible dishes with ingredients from local stores. In many cooking demonstrations, he reflects that you just see plating techniques, but Cruz is passionate about actually cooking. “I will teach you how to cook. It’s a class and you can do it and be confident.” Both dishes—in their utter complexity— have been or are on the Geronimo menu, but Cruz is simplifying the method for his demo class with additional emphasis on fast and delicious.

The first course is a leek and potato soup with truffle, and the main, a roasted rack of lamb with polenta and ratatouille vinaigrette. With those dishes, an expert wine pairing from Jordan Winery is driven by the inspired collaboration Cruz has with Geronimo’s Sommelier Shaun Adams, who has been with Geronimo on and off since 1998. Adams says, “I grew up in the farmers’ market community. Wine came naturally to me. Boutique producers are farmers and artists themselves.” And for the Geronimo team, Jordan Winery, a family of winemakers for many, many years provides the perfect pairings for their food.

With the soup, Adams is pairing the 2017 Jordan Chardonnay from Sonoma County.

Attendees will taste a nice, bright, crisp, citrusy wine that will complement the creamy texture of the soup and an acidity that will cut through and cleanse. The winery’s website reads: “The palate is elegant yet succulent, with layers of oak-laced lemon, pears, quince and white peach— all supported by uplifting acidity.”

The rack of lamb demanded something big to complement its own distinctive terroir: The 2015 Jordan Cabernet: well-integrated tannins, well-rounded, generous fruits, some spice qualities. The winery’s website reads: “A milestone vintage, 2015 is the first Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon in our history to be aged entirely in French oak barrels. It’s an elegant, yet structured red wine that is truly an homage to Bordeaux.”

Adams shares Cruz’ love of teaching and is looking forward to being on screen and on hand with his colleague and friend to guide attendees through the tasting. He says, “I like to educate and inform and talk about each individual ingredient and techniques. Consider, taste, reflect. And experiment. Where are the flavors now? What are we building? What are we complementing?” Clearly, Adams is in the right place as he adds, “At Geronimo, we all strive for the most perfect experience. Sllin continues to push the concept of what is expected on the plate. We have a really good time.”

Cruz, too. “I love what I do. I love cooking for people. I have been blessed. I am a positive man.” That last point is not a small one during this challenging time for restaurants. Cruz is clearly grateful, if wistful for this SFWC time of year. “Basically, this time of year is the only time to share with other restaurants, to see other colleagues. We become more connected and you get to see and try all of the food. It’s inspiring.”

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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who’s tasting?

A

a new day

at heitz Images courtesy of Heitz Cellar

h, youth! This is not a concept one typically thinks about when it comes to fine wine, and yet, why not? Heitz Cellar CEO and Master Sommelier Carlton McCoy says of his choices for the Santa Fe Wine & Chile virtual tasting on September 24, 4:30 p.m.: “I wanted people to think about Heitz Cellar for younger wine. We love that people consider Heitz Cellar wines worthy of aging, but our young wines are also great. They are incredibly vibrant.

Trying these wines are also a wonderful introduction to our winemaker Brittany Sherwood as the wines we are tasting reflect her work.” The wines are as follows, and another Master Sommelier (so much mastery!), SFWC fave Tim Gaiser will introduce longtime friend McCoy and taste along.

• 2018 Heitz Cellar Quartz Creek Chardonnay • 2015 Heitz Cellar Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon • 2014 Heitz Cellar Trailside Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Also young is the 2018 change in ownership at Heitz. Founded in 1961, the winery remains committed to founder Joe Heitz’ legacy and his unwavering commitment to quality from organically farmed, 100 percent Napa Valley fruit while celebrating both his winemaking and farming with a commitment to the stewardship of the region. In the past two years, McCoy writes, “the winery has shifted over to biodynamic farming techniques and more natural winemaking to further our stewardship and reverence for the land.”

And as with every other self-respecting, innovative business on the planet, Heitz has shifted to virtual offerings and experiences. While McCoy is accustomed to and relishes in the typical tasting room setting, he’s adapted to the camera and Zoom format nicely. “I am still able to share that interaction with guests, see their faces and answer any questions directly.”

For the best experience, however, McCoy has some great recommendations: “Be as prepared as possible. I always have a glass on hand and the bottle(s) of wine that I am tasting already open and sometimes aerated, depending on which wine I am tasting and if that is necessary. With that said, it’s imperative to do research prior to a virtual tasting to know exactly what you’ll be tasting, and to note if it needs to be chilled or decanted, etc.”

So heed that, tasting friends! McCoy is looking forward to meeting each and every one of you, and leaves you with this wonderfully inclusive thought: “I want people to drink Heitz comfortably and know that there isn’t a specific demographic that should be consuming wine.”

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Carlton McCoy

>> To sign up for Carlton McCoy’s (and Tim Gaiser’s) tasting of Heitz Cellar wines, please visit santafewineandchile.org.

ST. ELIZABETH SHELTERS & SUPPORTIVE HOUSING P RE S E N T S . . .

A C OM PAS SI ONAT E C O OKOF F To End Homelessness in the City Different

WINE BISTRO

Saturday, November 14th Facebook LIVE / You Tube 6pm – 7pm Questions or more information Call 505 -982-6611 ext 104 Or email community@steshelter.org

MICHELLE CHAVEZ SANTA FE SCHOOL OF COOKING

KATHLEEN GOODE-CROOK MARKET STEER STEAKHOUSE

“FEEDING THE MIND, BODY & SPIRIT OF OUR COMMUNITY!”

Join us September 23 for our Santa Fe Wine & Chile Michael David Winer y Dinner Reser vations required 304 Johnson St, Santa Fe • 505-989-1166 • terracottawinebistro.com

CATHERINE O’BRIEN TERRACOTTA WINE BISTRO

Tickets are $100 per person and available at www.steshelter.org 5 – Course dinner with choice of wine.

HUE-CHAN KARELS

Guest will pick up dinner and wine in prepackaged bags with instructions on how to vote for your favorite course.

OPEN KITCHEN

Winner announced during our LIVE. ONLINE SILENT AUCTION with fabulous local artists and celebrities – great holiday gift ideas.

RENEE FOX ARABLE RESTAURANT

S p o n s o r s

A1 Transmission

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SWAIN & GRECO

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Del Norte Credit Union

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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Gabriella Marks

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Joy Godfrey

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Liz Lopez Liz Lopez

all’s fair in love & (tug of) war snap

Liz Lopez

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Joy Godfrey

Kate Russell

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Gabriella Marks

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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ps from the past

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who’s cooking?

aligning ethoses

Gabriella Marks

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hank goodness Chef/Co-Owner Erin Wade of Vinaigrette (and Modern General, The Feel Good) is always uncovering and aligning and righting the ethos of things. She makes the world a better place.

She writes, “Even with limited service at the restaurant, we haven’t slowed on growing product, because the importance of food as a tradition and a connector, is an emotional balm—a lifeline during hard times.”

This year, her Santa Fe Wine & Chile dinner (Wednesday, Sept 23) aligns and celebrates some ethoses that will peak your interest. From her winery choice to the vintage and maker, to the integrity of the food to the gender solidarity statement, Wade is curating a special experience and a lasting takeaway.

As with many chefs, Wade chose to create a wine dinner employing wines she knew well. She writes, “We have Wine Bridge wines on our regular wine list. They are incredible quality and value and many in the portfolio are organic or sustainably grown so their ethos is in line with ours. I love that they are a small, family-run company who understands the winemaking process because they have done it themselves.”

Wade also loves that through Wine Bridge she can highlight the focus on female growers. As a female grower who has worked diligently and ethically to create a foundation herself, Wade is particularly invested in other female growers, for example winemaker Carolina Bistué.

Echoing this is that each dish on the SFWC dinner menu will feature produce and main ingredients harvested from Wade’s farm (which regularly supplies Vinaigrette). She writes with pride, “We’ve been growing more things and our soil is richer than ever this year, so we have quite a bounty. I’m excited to share. We really want the marriage of fresh produce with quality wines to be the star of the show here.”

For instance, she writes, noting that the menu is still gestating in concept, “A mixture of crisp, bright flavors with a bit of heat paired with a rosé, or a grilled cut of meat with a Syrah blend to highlight the smoky notes in the wine. For dessert, perhaps something chocolate paired with the Black Badger might be insanely yummy. I love chocolate with tannic reds!”

Suffice it to say that Vinaigrette’s menu will be carefully curated to perfection. As you may well know, SFWC demands that a chef dig deep creatively and this year is no different. Wade writes, “I think we all feel such love for Wine & Chile, and this year especially, nostalgia for the Grand Tasting. It’s our time, our event; a celebration of Santa Fe cuisine and restaurants, and a yearly opportunity to come out of our separate places and celebrate how special we are. At a time when restaurants are facing unprecedented hardship, it feels more important than ever to do something, anything, to keep the tradition going.”

She adds, “I feel proud to be part of such a diverse and rambunctious group of badasses.”

>> To make reservations for Chef Erin Wade’s dinner, please visit santafewineandchile.org.

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Erin Wade

who’s cooking?

©Douglas Merriam, courtesy of TerraCotta Wine Bistro

goingbig

Catherine O’Brien and Glenda Griswold

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o complement the gravitas of some big Michael David Winery wines, TerraCotta Wine Bistro’s Chef/Co-owner Catherine O’Brien and business partner/Co-owner Glenda Griswold (both of Peas ‘n’ Pod Catering) know exactly what to do.

Since they opened their intimate and stylish restaurant on lovely Johnson Street seven years ago, they’ve been serving a variety of the Lodi, California-based wines, so they know them well. Chef Catherine says, “They have always represented great value and exceptional quality.”

And it doesn’t hurt to have a great authentic and enduring story: Not only did the founders, brothers Michael and David Phillips’ great-great-great grandparents homestead Lodi in 1865, but they are (from their website) “5th generation grape growers who have raised their families in the vineyard, and now the 6th generation has joined the team.” If that family-run, legacy stuff ’s not feel-good enough, you should know that Michael David is committed to sustainable winemaking—environmental, social and economic.

So, what exquisite menu does Chef Catherine have planned for guests on Wednesday, Sept 23 in celebration of Santa Fe Wine & Chile to match the bigness of the varietals in the high-end wines (2017 Rapture Cabernet Sauvignon, 2017 Earthquake Petite Sirah and 2017 Sloth Zinfandel) that she and Glenda chose? Think wild forest mushrooms, duck confit and prime beef tenderloin. Think sultry and savory. And big! The dinner will open with a Norwegian Trout on Watercress with Pesto and a 2018 Chardonnay, and close with a cheese and fruit plate featuring 2017 Inkblot Petite Verdot.

Chef Catherine writes, “While we will miss the Wine and Chile Grand Tasting this year, due to COVID-19, we look forward to welcoming our wonderful guests to TerraCotta on September 23 to enjoy these wines. We will feature most of them throughout the weekend by the bottle and glass. In these difficult times, we all need a chance to toast to better days!”

Further she writes, “SFWC has always sparked such excitement within the restaurant community and our great patrons. We are happy that the Fiesta came up with a way to continue the event!”

During this slower time, Chef Catherine has been playing a lot of golf and working on her tan. She regrets that she will not be able to mingle with her fellow chefs at the Local Flavor Magazine photo shoot and show off the tan on the cover.

>> To make reservations for Chef Catherine’s dinner, please visit santafewineandchile.org.

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

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who’s tasting?

frankly

handcrafted

“W

Courtesy of Frank Family Vineyards

e always get asked ‘why wine?’,” writes Leslie Frank, co-proprietor of Frank Family Vineyards in Calistoga, California. Of course, this seems a surprising question, and yet Leslie’s response has an earnest and remarkable tenor that gets at the beauty and the heart of Santa Fe Wine & Chile as a whole: “It has been a challenging year for everyone, and wine may seem frivolous to some until you remember that it’s a handcrafted agricultural product that supports our economic system in so many ways. Not to mention, it makes life seem better when you drink it.”

Co-proprietor Rich adds, “Our family-owned winery has been in the winemaking business for nearly three decades now. In an increasingly corporate wine world, we hope our family’s love and personal touch is what resonates most. Making great wine is truly our labor of love.”

Hooked, as I am, on this couple yet? Well, you can get to know them better via a Santa Fe Wine & Chile virtual tasting on Wednesday, Sept 23. Leslie writes, “We hope participants are reminded of the simple joys of life— good wine and being together, even if it’s through a computer screen.”

Frank Family transitioned rather naturally to virtual tastings, in part due to Rich and Leslie’s backgrounds in Hollywood (Leslie as an Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist for 25 years and Rich in the spotlight as the President of Disney Studios in the 1990s.) Leslie writes, “We love working with Zoom webinars as it allows our attendees to write in questions and comments. We also use this feature to ask fun trivia giveaway questions to keep everyone invested and paying attention. It’s been a great tool.”

Participants will taste three wines (Frank Family Carneros Chardonnay, Carneros Pinot Noir, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon) from what Leslie and Rich call their Napa Valley Collection, which “encompasses the best fruit from our four family-owned vineyards and some of our favorite neighbors.” For the past decade, the Cabernet in particular has been named in the top 10 most popular Cabernet Sauvignons on U.S. wine lists by Wine and Spirits Magazine. Rich adds, “We’re very fortunate to farm 380 acres of some of the finest vineyards across the best AVAs within Napa Valley allowing our winemaker Todd Graff to master the terroir and craft exceptional wines every vintage.”

So, what are you waiting for? Leslie and Rich have a great tasting ahead for you, though Rich has one recommendation: “bring questions and come ready for some friendly banter, tasting tidbits, and a few laughs.” But if you cannot make it to this virtual event, you can try Frank Family wines in person with the Winery’s brand ambassador Kelly Kerrigan at Terra Restaurant on Friday, Sept 25 or Saturday, Sept 26.

>> To sign up for Leslie and Rich Frank’s virtual tasting or for reservations for Terra Restaurant’s pairing of the Frank Family Winery wines, please visit santafewineandchile.org.

Rich and Leslie Frank

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wine & chile 2020 Friday, September 25, 2020 Lunch 12:00pm / Dinner 7:00pm Ridge Vineyard, California Sparkling Champagne pre-dinner 2018 Ridge Estate Chardonnay 2016 Lytton Estate Petite Syrah 2016 Ridge Monte Bello Surprise Dessert Wine Saturday, September 26, 2020 Lunch 12:00pm / Dinner 7:00pm Duckhorn Vineyard, Napa Valley Sparkling Champagne pre-dinner 2018 Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc 2018 Migration Chardonnay 2018 Green Wing Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 Duckhorn Merlot FEATURED MENU FIRST COURSE Corn Vichyssoise lemon cucumber, brioche and botarga SECOND COURSE Olive oil poached wild salmon Texas tomato consomme, okra, dill, salmon roe MAIN COURSE Slow roasted Guinea hen Stuffed squash, chanterelles au jus, fresh herbs DESSERT Black mission fig and almond clafouti orange blossom Honey ice cream Guest Chef, Bruno Davalillon

RO S E WO O D I N N O F T H E A N A S A Z I 1 1 3 WA S H I N G TO N AV E N U E | S A N TA F E , N M 8 7 5 0 1 ( 5 0 5 ) 9 8 8 - 3 0 3 0 | rosewoodhotels.com F O R R E S E RVAT I O N S , P L E A S E C A L L ( 5 0 5 ) 9 8 8 - 3 2 3 6

A NA SAZ I RESTAURANT BAR & LOUNGE

A Taste of Life in New Mexico

SEPTEMBER 2020

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20 Years in 2020 #Compound202020

lunch

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dinner

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bar

Excited to welcome you back so we can celebrate together.

for menus & reservations CompoundRestaurant.com 505.982.4353 653 Canyon Road Santa Fe

photo: Gabriella Marks