It was my pleasure to check out Saturday's Vintner's Plaza Grand Tasting at the first ever Healdsburg Food & Wine Experience. a three-day celebration featuring the best of Sonoma County and world-renowned food and wines.
This extensive festival showcased our region’s lauded makers – farmers, growers, winemakers and chefs – alongside globally recognized wines from the greatest wine regions of the world.
The goal of this new festival was to highlight the vibrant culinary diversity, sustainable farming practices and deep connection to the agriculture of Sonoma as it relates to the rest of the world. It certainly was an extraordinary event, with every small attention to detail in the connection of so many movers and shakers in the wine and food world in our county.
If you missed your chance to meet, eat/drink with and learn from a blend of super talented celebrity, Michelin-starred and James Beard award- winning chefs, world-renowned wine experts, wine makers and grape growers all in one place, then you'd best put the Healdsburg Food & Wine Experience on your radar for next May.
First stop before hitting the Vintner's Plaza Grand Tasting Experience was the Healdsburg Bar & Grill for tasty Sips & Sliders.
I was thoroughly impressed by all the effort that went into beautifying each tasting booth. Lovely flowers, thoughtful shaded presentation, lots of care with hydrating guests in the heat and recycling.
Packed with options, activities and unique locations, the event schedule offered a lineup suited for everyone’s tastes and pocketbook! Customize your weekend experience next year. Options vary based on purchased ticket package, featuring a variety of culinary experiences with celebrity chefs (I caught Award-winning chef and restaurateur, Fan Favorite and contestant on Top Chef, Food Network star and judge, coach and judge on Fox’s Next Level Chef Nyesha Arrington crafting delicious tacos featured above at the Matheson), seminars, bbq and ranch tours, a country and western concert and super exclusive VIP evening parties.
Click here to see all the events that took place over the weekend in various scenic locales.
To showcase this new event's commitment to the region, HW&FE plans to make a significant contribution to the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation towards healthcare, affordable housing and other critical support services for the Foundation’s farmers and families.
Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience is set to create a new scholarship fund for economically-challenged students of Healdsburg High School Future Farmers of America who wish to pursue a career in agriculture and farming.
It was rather a whirlwind visit for me as I had family visiting all weekend, though 2033 I for one will be sure to keep my calendar clear for the whole weekend to savor more of the wide range of events and experiences. Fun crowd, friendly folk making sure everyone had the best time.
Locals may enjoy a volunteer stint or two during the weekend as a great way to experience the event. Check out the website for news on next year's celebration.
Comments