In Vino Veritas, True
Last week, the Washington DC International Wine and Food Festival took over the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center for five days of cork popping and lip smacking. What used to be a mere weekend event has since gained connoisseur acclaim and grown into a multi-day celebration of the fermented grape.
Pinky Up!
In addition to ample wine tasting, the Festival featured a Sommelier Showdown where local wine stewards faced off to taste and identify wine samplings. For Saturday’s grand finale, guests enjoyed The Last Sipper, a wine and dine event centered on sustainably produced spirits and foodstuffs.
International Tasting Thursday
DC on Heels, ever at the center of cosmopolitan and worldly tastes, attended the Festival’s International Tasting Thursday. The event was a who’s who of domestic and abroad vintages with some 100 wineries on hand representing all wine loving localities from Washington State to New Zealand.
Attendees quaffed their way around the world in a clockwise fashion while enjoying flavorful lite fare. Live acoustic accompaniment set the mood and models, showcasing threads from Violet Boutique, struck a pose.
Pisco
A highlight of the tour came from the pisco sours whipped up by JP from Pisco Porton, Peru. His station fell during the latter half of the sampling circuit where well-traveled guests were no longer thoughtfully cataloging their way through aroma, color and taste but simply handing out their glasses for whatever came next. JP, dressed in a leather carpenter’s smock-a getup surely unnecessary though somehow fitting for his line of work- was more than happy to fix guests his concoction of brandy, egg whites and bitters and send them on their merry way.
Dick’s Picks
A few of my favorites:
Ruffino Tan Label Chianti: A meal-ready red available in over eighty DC restaurants.
Red Cat: Love sangria? Wish it came in a bottle? Wish no more. Folks at Red Cat have you covered with convenient, authentic sangria ready to enjoy once opened.
The Hess Collection: I was told the sirah from this Napa Valley ensemble would be a fruit forward experience, hitting the mid-palate with a tang aftertaste. Good to know I have a mid-palate and that there’s a wine out there just for it.
Good Legs
The Washington DC International Wine and Food Festival was a glass twirling good time and a must for Washingtonian grape nuts. Keep it posted on your radar for next February. If you can’t wait till then, try checking out the currently underway Capital Wine Festival, continuing through March.
By: Richard Barry, Food Editor
Richard is a freelance writer who enjoys building a healthy appetite with long runs around the city. When not logging the miles, he can be spotted training the palate at brunches, happy hours and food trucks.