What do Robert Louis Stevenson, Francis Ford Coppola, Kate Moss and the Iron Chef Have in Common? The December 2009 Winemakers Dinners.
The 2009 Winemakers Dinners take place at historical and hip haunts where both innovative and traditional wines are paired with meals prepared by celebrity chefs.
LOCATIONS
The first night of the Dinners, a VIP Reception, takes place at Pirates Bight on Norman Island, allegedly the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. In fact, two confirmed treasures have been found on Norman—one in the late 1700s and another in the early1900s. Some say there’s treasure yet on its 2 ½-miles, but guests should leave shovels at home.
Baraka Point
If Virgin Gorda is the jewel of the BVI, then Baraka Point, where the second night of festivitieswill be held, is the jewel of Virgin Gorda. The exclusive, intimate villa at Nail Bay, boasts “barefoot luxury,” encouraging guests to dip their toes in Baraka’s pebble-clad pool or gambol about the sole-soothing lawn. A pre-dinner glass of wine on the sunset deck is mandatory.
“My perfect day in the Caribbean is at Frenchmans Lookout in Tortola,” Kate Moss said to Caribbean Travel & Life magazine. The posh two-story villa, host of the third evening, offers countless trade-wind blessed spaces where diners can channel their inner supermodel while sampling the chefs’ creations.
Giorgio’s Table, situated in the Valley in Virgin Gorda is the site of the fourth dinner and the new home of Chef Giorgio Paradisi. The dining room is situated among the palm trees and boulders of Virgin Gorda.
The final December Winemakers Dinner will be served at Golden Pavilion Villa in Little Bay, Tortola. This one-of-a-kind, Balinese-style villa features a 270-degree view of East End beaches and Guana Island, walking gardens, colourful interiors, tiered decks and calming, symmetrical architecture.
WINEMAKERS
Larry Stone is an international wine superstar. The first American to win the Best Sommelier in the World title in Paris, Stone now serves as the general manager of Rubicon Estates where he and owner Francis Ford Coppola, along with winemaker Scott McLoed, intend to maintain the prestige earned by their vineyard, formerly Inglenook, which has been producing award-winning wines since 1871.
Andrés Belinksy of Cheval des Andes presents his unique wine that is produced jointly by two different wineries: Chateau Cheval Blanc in France and Terrazas De Los Andes in Argentina. According to wine.com, “this wine is a groundbreaking blend of legendary Bordeaux ‘First Growth’ winemaking expertise with the very best terroir in Argentina.”
Winemaker Gerhard Grans represents Weingut Grans-Fassian, founded in 1624 in the Mosel region of Germany. Gault Millau WeinGuide says of the winemaker, “Gerhard Grans produces Riesling wines with piquant acidity and an elegant, polished finish.”
Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga
Proprietor Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga brings Tenuta San Leonardo’s wines to the tables. The winery, established in 1784 in Trentino, Italy, “has won more awards than it can keep track of,” according to Cellar Tours including having one of its wines rated #12 in the world in 2007 by Wine Spectator.
1337 was the year the Haart family, from Piesport, Germany, began making wines in the region. Today, Theo Haart continues the tradition with almost perfect German wines, including his Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Spätlese which was voted by Gault Millau as best Riesling in all of Germany in 2005.
Antoine Paillard, of Champagne Pierre Paillard in Bouzy, France, promotes his family’s Grand Cru champagnes all over the world. The May 23, 2009 edition of Le Monde 2 says: “They will surprise those who still believe that modern champagne is an industrial, interchangeable beverage.”
CHEFS
Chef Vikram Garg, Executive Chef of the Winemakers Dinners, recently launched Table One restaurant as a part of the dining umbrella at Halekulani Hotel in Waikiki. His vision in Table One is to create spontaneous menus using his guests’ preferences as his inspiration.
Pastry chef Heidi Benyair of Biras Creek Resort on Virgin Gorda creates desserts full of sophisticated whimsy. Heidi’s word-class training included time working at Gordon Ramsay at Claridges in London. Examples from her menu: Asian coconut cupcakes with lemon curd filling and a chocolate peanut butter terrine. Heidi will be joined by other local BVI chefs for the dessert course at all the dinners.
Former Top Chef contestant Otto Borsich is known for his caritas. His proposed event, Feed Every American Starting Today (FEAST), would take place on the White House lawn on World Food Day and feature a chef from every state who would create local dishes for those in need.
Former sous-chef to Mario Batali on Iron Chef America, and now host of the Food Network program Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, Chef Anne Burrell learned her “creative-authentic” Italian style from working and teaching in Italy and New York.
Chef Taekyng Chung
Chef Taekyung Chung is author of The Korean Table, the Bible of Korean cooking, which Publisher’s Weekly calls “a welcome and undaunting introduction into Korean cuisine.”
Swiss-born celebrated master chef Albert Kramer was the original chef for Little Dix in Virgin Gorda. Since then, he’s worked all over the world, including starting the much-loved Manzanita Restaurant in Cornville, Arizona.
Chef Roberto Treviño of Iron Chef and The Next Iron Chef is the Executive Chef and owner of Bodatai in San Juan. His Latin-Asian creations include Taro Tots and Herame sushi with coconut, yuzu and toasted garlic.
