Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival
North Lake Tahoe, Calif. / Nev.- The North Lake Tahoe Resort Association and Northstar California announce the 2018 culinary winners from the 33rd annual Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival, Sept. 7-9.
Among over 20 total culinary events at the festival, winners were selected from four major competitions: The Grand Tasting & Culinary Competition (Judges’ Awards and People’s Choice Awards), Blazing Pans Mountain Chef Cook-Off, Charbay Annual Release Party Bartender Competition and the Mountain Kids Cook-Off.
The Grand Tasting & Culinary Competition challenged culinary experts in six food and beverage categories, awarding one gold, silver and bronze recipient for each.
The pairing of Brewforia Beer Market & Kitchen with DNA Brewing Co. earned the gold category in both the Judges Choice and People’s Choice Award for the Culinary Grand Tasting.
Chef Tiffany Swan of Manzanita Restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe won the Blazing Pans Mountain Chef Cook-Off. The chefs were tasked to create a two-course meal in under 45 minutes, using a secret ingredient.
Youth chefs, ages 8-12, from “Team Purple Cactus” won the Mountain Kids Cook-Off, contributing to the Tahoe-based non-profit Project MANA.
As the venue for the Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival, Northstar California partnered with Clean Vibes, playing a key role toward Vail Resorts’ Epic Promise for a Zero Footprint initiative, which commits the company to zero net emissions by 2030, zero waste to landfill by 2030 and zero net operating impact to forests and habitat. Clean Vibes is dedicated to responsible on-site waste management, including recycling, composting and proper waste disposal efforts.
GRAND TASTING & CULINARY COMPETITION – JUDGES AWARDS
Best Pairing of Food & Beverage
- Gold: Brewforia Beer Market & Kitchen + DNA Brewing Co: Asian glazed pork rib with green papaya salad with a Naut Red – Imperial Red Ale.
- Silver: Moody’s Bistro, Bar & Beats + Charbay Distillery: Whiskey soaked pork belly with a Charbay Doubled & Twisted Whiskey, Reed’s ginger beer, pomelo sparkling water, lime twist.
- Bronze: Petra + Kuentz-Bas: Tuscan style beans with wild boar sausage, fresh mayocoba beans simmered in a rich rosemary and sage pork broth with vegetables and diced tomato; served over arugula and a medallion of wild boar and cranberry sausage; garnished with fresh herbs and Grana Padana” with 2015 Kuentz-Bas Pinot Noir.
Best Food
- Gold: Moody’s Bistro, Bar & Beats: Whiskey soaked Pork Belly Slider
- Silver: Granlibakken Resort: Seared Scallop Veronique – microgreens, thompson muscat grapes, swiss country dressing, seared scallop and pancetta.
- Bronze: Brewforia Beer Market & Kitchen: Asian glazed pork rib with green payapa salads.
Best Dessert Pairing
- Marich Chocolates + Gnarly Head Whole Roasted California Almonds double dipped in signature fair trade dark chocolate with a hint of chipotle delicato’s, with 2017 Gnarly Head Red Blend.
Best Red Wine
- Gold: Keenan Winery, 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon
- Silver: Joel Gott, 2015 Pinot Noir
- Bronze: Acumen Wine, 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon
Best White Wine
- Gold: C.G. Di Arie Vineyard & Winery, 2016 Rose
- Silver: Bieler Family Daisy Pinot Grigio, 2017 Pinot Grigio
- Bronze: Pride Mountain Vineyards, 2015 Viognier
Best Spirit
- Gold: Charbay Distillery, Charbay Doubled & Twisted Whiskey, Reed’s ginger beer, pomelo sparkling water, lime twist
- Best Beer: DNA Brewing Co, Naut Red – Imperial Red Ale
GRAND TASTING & CULINARY COMPETITION – PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS
Best Pairing of Food & Beverage
* Brewforia Beer Market & Kitchen + DNA Brewing Co.
Best Food
* Granlibakken Tahoe Resort
Best Red Wine
* Keenan Winery 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon
Best White Wine
* Patz & Hall Winery 2014 Chardonnay
Best Spirit
* Charbay Distillery Double & Twisted Whiskey
Best Beer
* DNA Brewing Co. Naut Red – Imperial Red Ale
Best Table Presentation
* Nick’s Cove & Patz & Hall Winery
BLAZING PANS MOUNTAIN CHEF COOK-OFF
* Winner: Tiffany Swan, Manzanita Restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe
CHARBAY ANNUAL RELEASE PARTY, BARTENDER COMPETITION
* Winner: The Pioneer Cocktail Club
MOUNTAIN KIDS COOK-OFF
* Winner: Team Purple Cactus