The Guide to the 'Wine & Food Festival of New Paltz', April 22nd-24th at Mohonk Mountain House by Philip S. Kampe

This is the third year that I will attend the ‘Wine & Food Festival of New Paltz’, the brainchild of well known and popular wine educator, Kevin Zraly and wine and spirits importer, Sam Ramic, 

Add a staff of dedicated volunteers and wine judges from the International Wine Masters and you have a the makings of the premier New York state wine event. Why not make the event accessible to Manhattan, only 90 miles away and showcase the ‘Wine & Food Festival of New Paltz’ at the showplace of American historical hotels, the Mohonk Mountain House.

Why not invite the leaders of the wine and food industry to show their goods, hold seminars, create wine dinners, raise money for Cystic Fibrosis with a silent auction and stage celebrity chef demonstrations.

After a year of planning, on Friday, April 22^nd, the ‘Wine & Food Festival of New Paltz’ will begin year three on the road of becoming the next major wine and food festival in America.

Visit the festival’s website, www.InternationalWineMasters.com for the complete schedule.  The event will take place from Friday, April 22^nd through Sunday, April 24^th.

If you have not visited the Mohonk Mountain House, the spectacular retreat will literally knock your socks off. The Victorian castle was built in 1869 on cliffs above Lake Mohonk. The result is a European style hotel lodged in the scenic Hudson Valley of New York. Overnight reservations for the Mohonk Mountain House can be made by calling 888-976-0785

      

Members of the trade can receive on complimentary ticket per establishment for the April 23^rd , 11am-4:30pm Grand Tasting.
Download the Trade Registration Form online for approval.
The form can be found at: www.InternationalWineMasters.com
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Event Schedule:
Friday, April 22^nd
2-11pm  Registration
2-3pm  (Trade only) A Journey through Wine "A 40 Year Perspective" with Kevin Zraly (Suite 61)
3:30-4:30pm  (Trade only) Wine Seminar with Michael Weiss in the Sunset Lounge
4:45-5:30pm  (Trade only)  Sam Ramic is the moderator for ‘Trade Talk’ (Suite 61)

                                       The 'Saber Ceremony' featuring Sam Ramic

5:30-6:15pm  ‘La Mancha--Spain’s Awakening Giant’. Wine seminar with Mike Rupic (Sunset Lounge)
6:30-7pm  ‘Meet and Greet’ Welcome Reception featuring Sam Ramic’s ‘Saber Ceremony’. By Invitation Only (Sunset Lounge Porch)

7:30-10pm  Wine and Food Gala  (Main Dining Room)
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Saturday, April 23^rd
9-4pm Registration for day guests (Mountain View room)
11-Noon  "Old World Sparklers"—Wine Seminar with Steven Koplan (Sunset Lounge)
11:30-Noon  Trade/Press tasting in the Main Dining Room
12-4:30pm  Grand Tasting  (Main Dining Room)
12-12:45pm  Food Demonstration with Pastry Chef, Rose Beranbaum  (Main Dining Room)
12:45-2:15pm  White Wines of the Loire Valley and Red Wines of the Rhone Valley. Wine Seminar with Kevin Zraly  (Sunset Lounge)
1:15-2pm  Food Demonstration with PETER X. KELLY (Main Dining Room)
2-5:30pm  Red Carpet Cru Tasting  (Parlor)
2:30-3:15pm  Food Demonstration with SARA MOULTON  (Main Dining Room)
3-4pm  Wine & Food Pairing with Michael Weiss and Ric Orlando  (Sunset Lounge)
3:30pm  Food Demonstration with Rodanna Di Michele  (Parlor)

3:30-4:30pm  Food Demonstration with Marcus Guilliano  (Main Dining Room)
5-5:45pm  Wine & Cheese Seminar with Lou DiPalo  (Sunset Lounge)
5:45pm  Emperor Vodka Tasting with Zina Mashin  (Suite 61)
6:15pm   LAST shuttle to the parking lots  (Guest Services)
6:30-8pm Silent Auction to benefit Cystic Fibrosis  (Hall outside the Main Dining Room)
7:30-10:30pm  Dinner Dance  (Main Dining Room)

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Sunday, April 24^th
10:30-11:30am  Food Seminar with SARA MOULTON  (Sunset Lounge)
11-11:45am Biodynamic, Organic and Vegan Wines with Nadine Audray  (Mountainview)
11:30am  Champagne Brunch  (Main Dining Room)
11:30am  Food Seminar with Rose Beranbaum (Main Dining Room) beginning of brunch
1pm Awards Ceremony hosted by Sam Ramic  (Parlor)

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Isn’t it time to escape the hustle and bustle of the world and sample over 700 wines from around the world at the incomparable Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York?

Be there or be square!!

Philip S. Kampe

Philip.kampe@thewinehub.com

Martha Stewart loves "The Wine & Food Festival of New Paltz" by Philip S. Kampe and Maria Reveley

It sure seemed like Martha Stewart loves the Wine & Food Festival of New Paltz". She took time out of her busy schedule, (meaning a flight later in the day to France) to visit Mohonk Mountain House and the festival. She was kind enough to be interviewed to a packed-house by Kevin Zraly, author of the 'Windows On The World' wine book (3 million sold) fame.

Afterwards, Martha mingled with the audience and strolled the lovely Victorian grounds of the estate, before doing an impromptu book signing. Ms. Stewart has authored 84 books during the span of her 32 year food related career. 

Festival founders Dushka and Sam Ramic were publicly happy for the large crowd that attended the three day event, highlighted by hundreds of wines, star chefs including Sara Moulton of PBS fame, Marcus Guiliano of the Hudson Valley and Rose Beranbaum, author of the 'Cake Bible'.

Wine and food products from New York state were represented.

Culinary Institute of America (CIA) wine professor, Steven Kolpan, presented an interesting lecture highlighting the vast array of Wines from New York state. Professor Michael Weiss, also a wine professor at the CIA, spoke about several wine subjects, highlighting 'Wine and Food of the Global Village'. Specific wines were paired with various foods.

The Wine & Food Festival of New Paltz is more than just a festival. It is an event that unites the consumer, the winemaker, the importer, the distributor, the chef, the professor, the fashion gurus, the vendors and the organizers into one family. We ate together, drank together, were educated together, danced together and laughed together, all in a mere 72 hours.
The Festival was magical, unlike any other wine and food festival in the world.

Thank you to the International Wine Masters and Dushka and Sam Ramic for changing my life...

Images of 'The Wine & Food Festival 2015 of New Paltz"
Photos by Maria Reveley

                              Chef Sara Moulton with the authors, Maria (l), Philip (r)

                                            Martha Stewart with Kevin Zraly

                                             Cheese seminar led by Lou DiPaolo

                              Wine and food pairing seminar with Professor Michael Weiss

              "A Journey Through Italy's Prized Vineyards' was given by author Kevin Zraly

                                       The arbor at Mohonk Mountain House

                                        The Taste New York wine and food parlor

                                            An image of the lake at Mohonk

                                                              A wine tasting

                                                         New York state wines

                                          The fan club of festival founder, Sam Ramic

                       Pastry chef and cookbook author Rose Beranbaum cooking class

                                        The Grand Tasting at the open-air Pavillion

                                                       Wines from around the world

                       Culinary Institute of America, wine Professor Steven Kolpan

                                     Italian Cheese experts, Margaret and Maria

Philip S. Kampe
Maria Reveley
philip.kampe@thewinehub.com
maria.kampe@thewinehub.com

Wine & Food Festival of New Paltz (May 29-31) features 700 Wine & Food Selections plus Martha Stewart & Sara Moulton by Philip S. Kampe and Maria Reveley

   

                                        Martha Stewart (Saturday May 30th)

Wine & Food Festival of New Paltz 2015

Martha Stewart and Sarah Moulton headline the Wine & Food Festival of New Paltz at the historic Mohonk Mountain House.

Sponsored by the International Wine Masters, the three day long event kicks off on Friday afternoon, May 29^th.and continues through Sunday, May 31^st.

If you haven’t visited Mohonk Mountain House in the past, the spectacular retreat will, literally knock your socks off. The Victorian castle was built in 1869 on cliffs high above Lake Mohonk. The result is a European style hotel lodged in the scenic Hudson Valley of New York.

Mohonk is located only 90 minutes from Manhattan, off Exit 18 of the the NYS Thruway, It is a short drive to paradise.

                                    

                  Sample over 700 wine and food selection from around the world

Last year’s festival featured PBS’s Lidia Bastianich. This year, Martha Stewart will mingle with the crowd on Saturday, May30th. Celebrity PBS Chef and ‘Good Morning  America’ food editor, Sara Moulton will entertain you during the weekend.

The events kick-off on Friday, May 29^th.
5:30pm Welcome Cocktail Reception (by Invitation only)
6:00pm Silent Auction to benefit Cystic Fibrosis

7:30pm Wine & Food Gala ($135)

Saturday, May 30^th
11am-12pm Trade & Press Grand Tasting ($75)

12-5pm   Grand Tasting (general admission)
12-5:30pm 
Culinary Chef Demonstration
VIP & Celebrity Appearances
Wine & Food Seminars ($30 per seminar with purchase of admission)
Mixology Demonstration
Organic & Slow Food Cuisine

1--5:30pm Red Carpet Cru Tasting  ($120)
7:30pm  Dinner & Entertainment (Let’s Mingle)

Sunday, May 31^st  
10am-4pm

Wine Seminars ($30 per seminar with purchase of admission)

Cooking Demonstrations

Medal & Award Announcements

12-4pm

Grand Tasting (general admission) $75

This years event will include:
Chefs and Culinary Experts:
Rose Levy Berenbaum

Marcus Guiliano

Lou DiPalo
Rosanna di Michele
Sara Moulton (Saturday & Sunday)

Martha Stewart (Saturday)

Wine Gurus:
Kevin Zraly

Michael Weiss

Steven Koplan
Mile Rupcic

Fashion:
Max Soly

The event will have over 700 wines and specialty foods from around the world.
Tickets can be purchased at: www.newpaltzwineandfoodfestival.com

Overnight reservations and complete weekend ticket packages are available at Mohonk Mountain House by calling 888-976-0785

Escape the city and come to the country, wine and food country, that is, at the ‘Wine & Food Festival of New Paltz, held on May 29-31^st  at Mohonk Mountain House.

Philip S. Kampe

philip.kampe@thewinehub.com

Maria Reveley
winerabbit@yahoo.com

It's only 100 days to the "Wine & Food Festival of New Paltz" by Philip S. Kampe

                    Opening ceremony Saber Ceremony Honors belong to co-founder, Sam Ramic

Leave it to Kevin Zraly and Sam Remic of the International Wine Masters plus their staff of dedicated members to come up with a brilliant wine and food idea.
Why not create a premier Wine & Food Festival close (90 miles) to Manhattan?.
Why not have the showplace of American historical hotels, the Mohonk Mountain House, host the festival? 
Why not invite the leaders of the wine and food industry to show their goods, hold seminars, create wine dinners and stage celebrity chef demonstrations?

After years of planning, on May 29^th, the ‘WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL of NEW PALTZ’’ will begin its second year of the first step to becoming the next major wine and food festival in America.

At the opening ceremonies for the inaugural WFFNP (let me be the first to shorten the name), cookbook author, guest seminar host and true supporter of the festival, Lidia Bastianich, rose to the occasion by noting that all of the hard work of the International Wine Masters will pay off, as this venture is sure to become a success and will be one of the ‘Premier Wine & Food Festivals in America’.

So, if I were you, I would pencil in the weekend of May 29^th and be the ‘’First To Attend” the  Second Annual‘Wine & Food Festival of New Pa;tz’. My gut feeling tells me that will be one of the most successful wine and food festivals in America, on par, in the near future with Aspen.

                                                 

   Crowd favorite Lidia Bastianich at the 'Gem of the Hudson Valley', Mohonk Mountain House

Here’s the line-up, which is better explained on the festival’s website: www.InternationalWineMasters.com

29 May Friday
5:30pm Welcome  Cocktail Reception (Invitation only)
6:00pm     Silent Auction (proceeds go to Cystic Fibrosis)

7:30pm   Wine and Food Gala

30 May Saturday
11am-noon  Press Trade Grand Tasting

12-5pm        Consumer Grand Tasting (Genral Admission)
12-5:30pm   Culinary Chef Demonstrations
                     Wine & Food Seminars
                     Organic & Slow Food Cuisine
                      Wine & Mixology Competition
                      VIP & Celebrity Appearances

1:30-5:30pm  Red Carpet Cru Tasting

8:00pm               Dinner & Entertainment

31 May  Sunday
10-4pm    Wine Seminars

                 Cooking Demonstrations
                 Medal & Award Announcements
12-4pm    Grand Tasting  (General Admission)


Isn’t it time to plan to attend the Wine & Food Festival of New Paltz?

For overnight reservations at the Mohonk Mountain House, call 888-976-0785
The Hotline number for the event is: 646-527-9500

Philip S. Kampe

philip.kampe@thewinehub.com

A Gift from Santa....Robinia Vendemmia Tardiva 2008 Pinot Noir by Philip S. Kampe

Last night was the long awaited, yearly Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting event, which my wife and I attend yearly, thanks to our gracious host, Mr. Eugenio Magnani, North American Director of the Italian Government Tourism Board and his dedicated staff.

The evening is always bittersweet as the theme centers around 'Stories and memories, many childhood, about Italy'.
Wines are served, this year hosted by Domodimonti Winery of Le Marche and the generosity of Brand Manager, Marco Scapanini.
The amazing food was served from Tony May's 'World-renowned restaurant SD26'.
Holiday songs were sung and the positive spirit of the evening was contagious.

                                  Mr. Matteo Setti entertained us with his fabulous voice.

As a wine journalist, especially at Holiday time, many wine tasting opportunities exist at unusual hours of the evening. As in the case of last evening, Alessandro Boga from Colangelo PR invited me to attend a 'Veneto Wine Tasting' with top sommeliers from various New York city restaurants.
The event was scheduled from 10pm to midnight.
All the attendees were asked to bring a 'Favorite Bottle of Wine from Veneto'.
As fate would have it, Sam Remic, owner of Wide World Wine, Inc., www.MeditterraneanWine.com, was a guest and donated a case of wine for the evenings tree lighting festivities, from, guess where?
Yes,Veneto is the right answer.

Sam explained that it was a Pinot Noir from Piave, Veneto.
Since I did not bring a wine from Veneto with me for the sommelier event, I asked Sam if he could open a bottle for me to try. He accommodated my wishes and poured a 2008 Antica Robinia Vendemmia Tardiva Pinot Noir (that's a mouthful).
I sampled one of the most amazing Pinot Noirs I have ever tasted in my life. The aromatic barnyard odor only added to the bold, concentrated Bordeaux type blend profile of this full-bodied, ripe, tannic wine. It was a wine that was sure to win the hearts of the sommeliers at their Veneto competition last night.
Unfortunately, I did not make the 'Veneto Wine Showdown' last night, in time.
So we will never know if this wine would have won.

To me,it is a true Winner and my 'Favorite Wine from Veneto'.

Look or ask your local wine shop for the 2008 Robina Vendemmia Tardiva Pinot Noir ($28) that is distributed by Wine World Wine, Inc. (845-255-1956)
It will be Santa's gift for you.

Philip S. Kampe
Philip.Kampe@TheWineHub.com