Anyone who knows me, knows this Wine Chix & Diva loves food, wine and jewelry. One of my favorite hotels in the whole world has come up with a brilliant set of winemaker dinners that combines all three. This is a BIG recommend! The best part is this brilliant series of dinners last a whole year starting September 20, 2012.
The Arizona Biltmore (www.arizonabiltmore.com) is preparing 10 incredible epicurean evenings, combined with jewelry showings, for the resort’s 23rd season of Winemaker Dinners.
Executive Sous Chef Conor Favre
The Winemaker Dinners will feature original menus paired with specially selected wines, spending time with the creators of the wines, after-dinner drinks and cigars, and a jewelry showing by Hyde Park Jewelers (www.hydeparkjewelers.com). The Arizona Biltmore pioneered the concept of making the wine dinners chic lifestyle events by adding displays and presentations of luxury products. This season the concept will be taken an additional step with Hyde Park also allowing guests to wear the jewelry during dinner.
For each dinner, Arizona Biltmore Executive Chef Todd Sicolo and Executive Sous Chef Conor Favre will create a unique, ingredient-centric menu of four-to-six courses, each paired with an appropriate wine of the evening’s featured winery. The winemaker or other representative of the winery will participate, talking about the wines, answering questions and socializing with guests.
The dinners are extremely popular with food lovers and gourmands, and generally sell out. To accommodate the demand, this season two additional Winemaker Dinners will be offered than the usual eight in past years. They will be held monthly from September 20, 2012 through May 2, 2013, with the March 6 dinner repeated on March 7.
A reception with the jewelry showing starts at 7:00 p.m., followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m. After the dinner, enjoy complimentary Port and cigars. The Hyde Park jewelry will be available to view throughout the evening.
The cost is $95 per person. A season ticket, for $760 per person, offers nine dinners for the price of eight. Tax and 18 percent gratuity will be added. Reservations are required; please call 602-381-7632.
The 23nd season of Winemaker Dinners will feature the following wineries:
September 20, 2012:
Twomey-Silver Oak Cellars, Napa Valley, Russian River and Alexander Valley, California
October 4, 2012: ZD Wines, Napa Valley
May 2, 2013: St. Francis Winery, Sonoma Valley, California
For the first Winemaker Dinner of the 2012-2013 season, on September 20, 2012, the menu and wine pairings will be: