Appellation St. Helena hosts wine and food bASH | Lifestyles Leave a comment

Putting the “b” in bASH, more than 250 guests paid $175 each to attend the popular wine- and food-centered event. A collaboration between Appellation St. Helena (ASH), the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone (CIA) and the St. Helena Chamber of Commerce, the event was held in the cavernous stone-walled barrel room at the historic Greystone.

“It’s been a bit of a challenge — what with COVID and everything being virtual until recently — so it’s great to be getting back to it,” said ASH board president Katie Simpson. “The event always has a fantastic vibe. The students are challenged and eager for feedback, the guests are excited to taste the pairings and vote, and the wineries are always excited for the opportunity to share their latest and greatest wines.”

The occasion showcased wines from 19 ASH member wineries and appetizers prepared by 19 teams of CIA students. In a friendly but serous competition, all attendees cast their votes as to which wine and food items paired best, with the top three vote-getters in each category being awarded ribbons and bragging rights.

Participating wineries at this year’s event included Anomaly Vineyards, Calafia Cellars, Charles Krug Winery, Chase Cellars, Ehlers Estate, Hall Wines, Mending Wall Winery, Monticello Vineyards/Corley Family, Pellet Estate, Raymond Vineyards, Rombauer Vineyards, Saint Helena Winery, Salvestrin Winery, Spottswoode Winery, Taplin Cellars, The Crane Assembly, Unwritten Wines, Varozza Vineyards and Young Inglewood Vineyards.

“This is a great opportunity for our students to work directly with a specific winery and get creative with their pairings,” said Lars Kronmark, a professional chef, professor at the CIA and culinary chair for this year’s event. “For the most part our students are learning and refining established cooking skills and techniques, but here they can let loose and show everyone what they’ve got.”

No one seemed to hold back at this year’s event.

“We wanted to bring the best of our best to bASH this year, which is why we are pouring our 2019 Spottswoode Estate Cabernet Sauvignon,” said Beth Novak Milliken, president and CEO of Spottswoode. “Not only is bASH a celebration of St. Helena, but it is also one of the most intimate and enjoyable food and wine events in Napa Valley. I also love the competition format, which adds to the energy and excitement of the evening.”

While the wineries brought some of their finest wines, the students’ creations were creative and diverse — from wine-infused chocolate truffles to “burritos” filled with duck confit and blackberry compote.

“It works surprisingly well with the wine,” said Sylvia Taplin of Taplin Cellars, whose student team had concocted the burrito. “The fruit along with the richness of the duck brings out flavors and softness in our wine.”

The burrito was served with their deliciously fruit-forward 2018 Taplin “Terra” Cabernet Sauvignon.

At the end of the evening the winners were announced, with students Pierce Wei from Taiwan and Collin McGowan from Illinois taking first place. The two had made savory braised oxtail dumplings to pair with the luscious Mending Wall Winery’s 2019 Tournahu Vineyard Cabernet. First-, second- and third-place winners each took home cookware from Le Creuset, one of this year’s sponsors. Other sponsors included Sunshine Foods and Salute Santé.

For all of the participants in this year’s shindig, the biggest prize was a chance to let loose a little after more than two years of intermittent lockdowns, reduced travel and social distancing.

“This was our first big trip from Canada,” said Canadian resident Richelle Chatterson. “We love wine and we love food, so we’ve had an unbelievable time.”

All proceeds from the occasion fund ASH and the Culinary Institute of America scholarship fund, so beyond the fun and frivolity, the evening represents an opportunity for ASH to refill its coffers a bit so that it might continue its mission to share the region’s wine history with the broader world.

“Both ASH and bASH have done an amazing job of helping to tell the story of St. Helena and its central role in the history of the Napa Valley wine industry,” Milliken said. “As the stewards of a historic vineyard that was originally planted in 1882, we have deep and enduring roots in St. Helena, and the event is a fantastic opportunity for our winemaking community to come together and showcase what makes our region so unique and exciting.”