Planning An Affair (But In A Good Way): The 2013 Wine & Food Affair

2013 A Wine & Food AffairWine and Food Lovers, it’s time to plan a trip to Sonoma County!   Tickets are now available for the Wine Road’s 2013 A Wine & Food Affair where you can savor fantastic wine and food for two days straight in the Russian River, Dry Creek, and Alexander Valley areas.  Friends who go out eating and drinking together will have a blast at this event.  If you like to cook, or have someone that enjoys cooking for you, even better!  With over 100 wineries participating, everyone is sure to find wines and small bites to their individual tasting preference at this fun and unique event.

Rigatoni Salsiccia

Rigatoni Salsiccia, from the 2011 A Wine & Food Affair

Do you know how this works? At A Wine & Food Affair, each participating winery prepares a special recipe to pair with one of their wines. During the weekend’s festivities you can visit the wineries, taste the food/wine pairings, try other wines from the wineries, and then take home a cookbook (included in your ticket price) that has all of the recipes for the weekend in it.  That’s right – if you like what you’re eating at the Affair, you already have the recipe!  Some of the items from past years’ cookbooks we have made at home are Honey Harvest Tomato Bisque, Rigatoni Salsiccia, and Apple Streusel Muffins.

This year’s event takes place over the weekend of November 2-3, 2013, from 11 am to 4 pm each day.   Tickets are $70 per person for both days, or $50 per person for Sunday participation only.  Ticket holders will receive their cookbook, a tasting glass and wristband upon check-in.   Designated Driver tickets are just $30 per person for the whole weekend where they can enjoy the food and non-alcoholic beverages offered (and they get a cookbook too).  Tickets are available online, but be warned that this event sells out so please go here soon to purchase tickets.

Ridge Vineyards

Ridge Vineyards, one of the 2013 A Wine & Food Affair Participants

Here are just some of the wineries participating in the 2013 Wine & Food AffairBella Vineyards & Wine Caves, DeLoach Vineyards, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Fritz Underground Winery, Geyser Peak Winery, Hawley Winery, Kokomo Winery, Portalupi Wine Co., Ridge Vineyards, Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards, West Wines, and Wilson Winery.

Longboard Vineyards

Longboard Vineyards, where we enjoyed Merlot, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon at the 2012 A Wine & Food Affair

At last year’s event, we found noteworthy Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Barbera, Primitivo, Zinfandel, and Syrah wines, as well as several enjoyable blends.

Some of our favorite dishes from last year were Swedish Gravlax with Mustard Sauce, Spinach and Salmon Canneloni, and Duck Chilaquiles.  For 2013?   Here are just some of the small bites available at this year’s A Wine & Food Affair and which winery will be offering them (with a wine paired specifically to the dish):

  • Butternut Squash Bisque – Dutcher Crossing Winery
  • Crab Chowder – Taft Street Winery
  • Potato Bacon Soup – Malm Cellars
  • Gourmet Mushroom Ragu with Creamy Polenta – Mueller Winery
  • Chicken and Swiss Chard Ravioli – Sbragia Family Vineyards
  • Oaxacan Turkey Mole – Acorn Winery
  • Kahlua Pork Sliders – Longboard Vineyards
  • Roast Pork Tenderloin with Cabernet Reduction and Caramelized Onions – Gustafson Family Vineyards
  • Meatballs with Late Harvest Heirloom Tomato Sauce – Martorana Family Winery
  • Bacon-Braised Beef Brisket – Trione Vineyards & Winery
  • Wild Boar Bolognese – Papapietro Perry Winery
  • Almond-Apricot Blondies – Korbel Champagne Cellars
  • Hazelnut Chocolate Mousse – Stonestreet Winery (Mousse offered at their new Tasting Room in downtown Healdsburg)

For the complete list of participating wineries and which food item each will be serving, please go here.  To order tickets for the 2013 Wine & Food Affair, please go here.

Wine Road LogoWine Road, an association of wineries and lodgings in the Alexander, Dry Creek, and Russian River Valleys, presents three events each year: Winter Wonderland in January; Barrel Tasting in March; and A Wine & Food Affair in November. You can read more about the events and play with online interactive maps of the region here.  Their website also has information about local lodging options and current specials on stays to help you plan a trip here.

 


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