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News Bites Event Edition: 9th Annual Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival, Taste Trekkers

by David Dadekian
written by David Dadekian
Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival

Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival

Current news releases—Eat Drink RI is not the source for these items—please follow any links for more information.

9th Annual Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival Almost Here

Autumn arrives with a weekend of wine, food, seminars and chefs

From September 19th through 21st, three of Newport’s most beautiful historic mansions will once again be filled with visitors and vendors celebrating the 9th Annual Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival, presented by The Preservation Society of Newport County and FOOD & WINE. Hundreds of wines from around the world will be poured, and a variety of cuisine from regional restaurants and caterers will be served, making the festival one of the East Coast’s most sophisticated and anticipated events.

Television chef and author Sara Moulton and internationally-renowned lifestyle expert Martha Stewart will headline the Grand Tastings at Marble House, cooking on the Jenn-Air Master Class Culinary Stage on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Regional favorites also participating in the weekend cooking demonstrations include Michael Ferraro, Executive Chef of Delicatessen and creator of Mac Bar in New York City, and Dan Enos, Executive Chef & Managing Partner of Boston’s Oceanaire Seafood Room. Chocolate lovers will delight in Brian Donaghy’s & Tim Brown’s demonstration with Guittard Chocolate. Additionally, local chefs Karsten Hart, Executive Chef at Newport’s Castle Hill Inn, Jonathan Cartwright, Executive Chef of MUSE at Vanderbilt Grace, and Champe Speidel of Persimmon will be sharing their talent and tips on stage.

The Grand Tastings will also feature book signings by the guest chefs and other authors throughout the weekend. Visitors will also get to enjoy the Stella Artois Beer Garden, where Master Chef Daniel Joly will offer pairings of cheese, chocolates and fruits with samples of their Belgium beers, Stella Artois, Hoegarten or specialty Cidre.

The weekend kicks off with the Wine & Rosecliff gala on Friday night, featuring an outstanding selection of fine wines and food amid seaside Gilded Age splendor. After Saturday’s Grand Tasting, the fun continues at the Collectible Wine Dinner at The Elms. Guests will enjoy a delicious meal while getting to taste and learn about a variety of high-end collectible wines, including Krug Champagne, Flowers Chardonnay, Kistler Pinot Noir, Chateau Haut Brion Bordeaux, and Carte Blanche Cabernet Sauvignon Napa.

Additionally on Saturday night, the return of Newport After Dark will give guests an opportunity to extend the party late into the night while enjoying food and cocktails from some of the Festival sponsors at Forty 1˚ North on the Newport waterfront.

On Sunday, an exclusive Winemakers’ Brunch offers guests the unique experience of tasting the magnificent rosés of Chateau d’Esclans, guided by winemaker Sacha Liccine, in the grandeur of the Gold Ballroom at Marble House.

Beginning Friday, visitors can attend seminars to learn about wines from different regions of the world. Guests are encouraged to ask some of the industry’s most respected experts, including Lou Di Palo, Jordan MacKay, Megan Krigbaum, Helen Morrison, Larry Stone, Geoff Labitzke, Philippe Newlin and Marshall Altier about the tasting, pairing and buying of wine.

The Presenting Sponsor of the 2014 Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival is FOOD & WINE Magazine. Additional sponsors are National Trust Insurance Services, Alex & Ani, Italian Trade Commission, Jenn-Air, Atria Senior Living, Stella Artois, Dave’s Fresh Marketplace, Hyatt Regency Newport, Lila Delman Real Estate, Alaska Seafood, Chef Works, Arrow Prestige Limousine & Coach, Villa Maria, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, Certified Piedmontese Beef, Leaf & Fiber, Celebrity Cruises, , Chateau d’Esclans, 41 North, Baume & Mercier, Tourism Ireland, Maple Leaf Farms, Coca Cola, Quintessa, Whistle Pig Whiskey, United Airlines, Amtrak, Yankee Magazine and Design New England.

All proceeds from the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival benefit The Preservation Society of Newport County, a non-profit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and dedicated to preserving and interpreting the area’s historic architecture, landscapes, and decorative arts. Its 11 historic properties—seven of them National Historic Landmarks—span more than 250 years of American architectural and social development.

For more information and to purchase tickets for the 2014 Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival, visit www.NewportMansionsWineAndFood.org, or call (401) 847-1000.

 

Taste Trekkers Expo Adds Culinary Arts Museum Reception and Film Premiere to Lineup

The second annual Taste Trekkers Food and Travel Expo will return to Providence, Rhode Island, on the weekend of October 3-5. Organizers have announced two new events that will be part of this year’s program: A special “Food on the Move” reception at the newly re-opened Johnson & Wales Culinary Arts Museum, and the New England premiere of the food documentary, Farm-City, State.

On Saturday, October 4th, following the Expo’s main event at the Providence Biltmore, food lovers are invited to Culinary Arts Museum at Johnson & Wales University for a special look at the “Food on the Move” exhibit, which examines the way transportation has affected American cuisine from the late 1800s through the modern era. The reception will include locally-expired refreshments and drinks. Tickets will be available at the door for $15.

On Sunday, October 5th, following the Eat & Run Scavenger Hunt downtown, Taste Trekkers will host the New England premiere of the documentary Farm-City, State at the Cable Car Cinema. The directorial debut from filmmaker David Barrow sets out to answer the question, “Can the city of Austin, Texas feed itself with only locally grown food?” Along the way, he captures the vital role that chefs, farmers, and artisanal food producers play in bringing a meal to the family dinner table. The film offers a unique peek at the thriving city of Austin through the lens of food. Admission for Expo attendees and scavenger hunt participants is free; tickets will also be available at the door for $5.

These events round out the full Taste Trekkers itinerary, including Industry Day at Johnson & Wales University on Friday October 3rd and Foodie Day at the Providence Biltmore on October 4th. The full schedule is available on the Taste Trekkers website at http://tastetrekkers.com/expo/. Tickets for all three day’s events are on sale now, and range in price from $20 to $50.

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Cookbook Author Karen Covey and The Cocktail Guru Jonathan Pogash Talk Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival

by David Dadekian
written by David Dadekian
The Coastal Table by Karen Covey
The Coastal Table by Karen Covey

One of New England’s top culinary events is right around the corner. Now in it’s 8th year the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival, taking place September 20 – 22, not only brings in some of the most prominent chefs from around the country, it also boasts one of the best selections of wine in certainly the most impressive venue for a tasting during the two-day Grand Tasting on the lawn at Marble House. The Festival has grown year after year and this writer wouldn’t miss it for any other event.

In addition to the great line-up of chefs and wine experts—all of which can be found in the media releases at the end of this post—the Grand Tasting also showcases a full slate of book signings, some by those visiting chefs and wine experts, and some by local authors. Two of those local authors, Karen Covey and Jonathan Pogash, will be doing more than just signing books at the event.

Karen Covey, author of The Coastal Table, will be signing on Sunday, September 22, from 1:15 – 2:15 p.m., alongside Chef Paul Pearson of Seasons at the Ocean House and Chef Champe Speidel of Persimmon.

When we spoke with Covey at the release party for her beautiful cookbook dedicated to southern New England she said, “I’m thrilled to be a part of the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival this year, I’ll be signing copies of my new cookbook The Coastal Table, which highlights some of the best wine, cheese and produce from southern New England in thoughtful, innovative dishes that truly celebrate the epicurean heritage of this breathtaking coastal region.

The Coastal Table captures seaside living in southern New England at its freshest and most innovative and is filled with dishes for casual beach days, sophisticated outdoor entertaining, and simple, everyday meals that celebrate the epicurean heritage of this breathtaking coastal region.”

Jonathan Pogash, The Cocktail Guru™
Jonathan Pogash, The Cocktail Guru™

Jonathan Pogash, The Cocktail Guru™, is not only signing his book Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide 75th Anniversary Edition, but as Pogash puts it, “My Cocktail Guru team and I will be all over this year’s festival. First off we will heading up the bars at the Wine & Rosecliff Gala on Friday evening. We will have three bars set up serving out signature Newport Mansions cocktails using the best quality ingredients.

On Saturday and Sunday during the Grand Tasting, we will be managing five different tables where low-alcohol aperitif-style spirits will be showcased in unique cocktails created by myself and served by The Cocktail Guru New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts team members. In addition, you can find me at our Cocktail Guru table where I’ll be mixing up mocktails and showcasing some of my favorite non-alcoholic drink mixers and garnishes. I’ll also be signing copies of my book, Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide 75th Anniversary Edition.

On Saturday evening, during the late night Newport After Dark Party at Forty 1 North, you can find us setting up the bars and helping the bar team there execute cocktails using Blue Chair Bay Rum and Patron Tequila, the spirit sponsors for this event.

Needless to say we will be busy, and there’s no excuse to not come and say ‘Hi’ and try our cocktails!”

Covey and Pogash, along with their partner chefs and staff, are just two of the many experts the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival has to offer, to say nothing of all the amazing food and drink. We highly recommend getting down to Newport for the entire weekend of September 20 – 22 for this incredible event. As Pogash says, there’s no excuse to not come.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival site. Detailed release information is below.

The Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival, one of the East Coast’s most sophisticated and anticipated events of the season, returns for its 8thyear September 20-22. Once again, the Marble House lawn will be the setting of the famed two-day Grand Tasting, which offers guests the chance to sample hundreds of wines from around the world and cuisine from local restaurants and caterers. Additionally the Festival is thrilled to announce a sensational lineup of celebrity chefs.

Headlining the Grand Tastings to cook on the Jenn-Air Master Class Culinary Stage will be Alexandra Guarnaschelli and Michel Richard. Chef Alexandra Guarnaschelli is a Food Network “Iron Chef” and executive chef of Butter Restaurant and The Darby in New York City. Chef Michel Richard, a James Beard Award winner and author, owns restaurants in Washington, D.C., Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

Also participating in the weekend cooking demonstrations will be several other local and regional favorites. Ben Sargent, a Cambridge, MA native and host of the prime time hit show “Hook, Line & Dinner,” will bring his expertise back to his New England roots. Johnny Iuzzini, pastry chef extraordinaire and author of Dessert Fourplay: Sweet Quartets from a Four-Star Pastry Chef, is known for his sweet and savory skills in the art of cuisine and dessert. Jonathan Cartwright, Executive Chef of the Vanderbilt Grace Hotel, has had the honor to cook at the James Beard House in NewYork City and Versailles Palace in France. Jake Rojas of Newport’s Tallulah on Thames is an inspirational and passionate chef who combines a tempting array of flavors in each recipe he creates. Champe Speidel of Bristol, Rhode Island’s Persimmon Restaurant is known for a meticulous, ingredient- and technique-driven approach to American cuisine. Executive chef of Newport’s Castle Hill Inn, Karsten Hart, is famed for his vast knowledge of various cultures’ techniques of the culinary art.

Several guest chefs and others will also be greeting attendees and signing their books throughout the weekend. Both Richard and Guarnaschelli will sign copies of their recent books, Happy in the Kitchen and Old School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to Cook, respectively. Additional book signings include The Catch: Sea to Table Recipes by Ben Sargent; Dessert Fourplay: Sweet Quartets from a Four Star Pastry Chef by Johnny Iuzzini;The Path of Life by Alex & Ani CEO Giovanni Feroce; The Coastal Table by Karen Covey; and 75th Anniversary Bartender’s Guide by Jonathan Pogash, the “Cocktail Guru.” All cooking demonstrations and book signings are included with the Grand Tastings admission.

The elegance of the Wine & Rosecliff evening returns to the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival this year. The Friday night gala creates an evening of high style featuring fine wines amid seaside Gilded Age splendor.  Also returning is the exclusive Collectible Wine Dinner at The Elms on Saturday night. This dinner will give guests the chance to taste and learn about a variety of rare, collectible wines while enjoying delectable food. All wine will be hand-selected by the Festival’s Director of Wines, Michael Greenlee, a 25 year veteran of the industry.

Fans of Alex Guarnaschelli will also be able to enjoy an exclusive Sunday Brunch with the chef in the Gold Room of Marble House, featuring recipes from her new book, followed by admission to the Grand Tasting immediately afterward.

New to the Festival this year will be a Newport After Dark Party, taking place on Saturday night at

Forty 1˚ North on the Newport waterfront, offering Festival guests an extra opportunity to enjoy late night bites and cocktails by some of the Festival sponsors.

Three days of seminars begin Friday, allowing visitors the opportunity to learn about wines from different regions of the world. Guests are encouraged to ask some of the industry’s most respected experts about tasting, pairing and buying of wine.

The Presenting Sponsor of the 2013 Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival is Food & Wine Magazine.  Other sponsors include National Trust Insurance Services, Alex & Ani, United Airlines, Jenn-Air, Stella Artois, Goose Island, Marchesi Antinori, Dasani, Dave’s Fresh Marketplace, Wines of South Africa, Porsche of Warwick, Nespresso, Hyatt Regency Newport, Tequila Patrón, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, Blue Chair Bay Rum, Riedel,The Newport Daily News, Yankee Magazine, and Design New England.

All proceeds from the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival benefit The Preservation Society of Newport County, a non-profit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and dedicated to preserving and interpreting the area’s historic architecture, landscapes and decorative arts.  It’s 11 historic properties—seven of them National Historic Landmarks—span more than 250 years of American architectural and social development.

For more information and to purchase tickets for the 2013 Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival, visit www.NewportMansionsWineAndFood.org, or call (401) 847-1000.  Tickets for individual seminars, as well as an array of other packages, are available for purchase now.

____________________

The Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival returns for its 8th year as one of the most sophisticated and anticipated events on the East Coast thisSeptember 20-22. The lawn of Marble House will once again host the event’s famed two-day Grand Tasting, which offers guests the chance to sample hundreds of wines from around the world and cuisine from local restaurants and caterers. In addition to the sensational lineup of celebrity chefs and the return of daily seminars, this year’s Festival is introducing two new events: the Newport After Dark Party and Sunday Brunch with Alex Guarnaschelli.

Newport After Dark will take place from 9 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, September 21, at the chic state-of-the-art hotel and marina, Forty 1˚ North. The party invites Festival guests to continue the socializing and fun after the Saturday Grand Tasting by enjoying late night bites and cocktails by Blue Chair Bay Rum and Patrón Tequila. Additional sponsors including Alex and Ani, Stella Artois and Sakonnet Vineyards will add to the atmosphere as guests mingle with winemakers, chefs, and artisanal purveyors.

Those looking for the perfect way to start off their Sunday morning can join Chef Alex Guarnaschelli for an exclusive brunch in the Gold Room of Marble House beginning at 10:30 a.m. on September 22. Guests will enjoy recipes from her new book, Old School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to Cook, as they sip glasses of Champagne Nicolas Feuillate. Take advantage of this opportunity to meet, chat and discuss recipes with an Iron Chef in a personal, intimate setting and take home an autographed copy of Guarnaschelli’s cookbook. Also included is admission to the Grand Tasting immediately afterward. Only 60 tickets will be sold for this exclusive event.

Wine & Rosecliff returns on Friday, offering guests an elegant evening at the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival. The chic Friday night kick-off event brings together high style paired with fine wines amidst seaside Gilded Age splendor. Also returning is the Collectible Wine Dinner at the Elmson Saturday night, where guests will taste and learn from the winemakers about a variety of rare, collectible wines while enjoying a perfectly-paired dinner.  Tickets are sold in advance only

Headlining the Saturday and Sunday Grand Tastings to cook on the Jenn-Air Master Class Culinary Stage will be Alexandra Guarnaschelli and Michel Richard. Chef Alex Guarnaschelli is a Food Network “Iron Chef” and executive chef of Butter Restaurant and The Darby in New York City. Chef Michel Richard, a James Beard Award winner and author, owns restaurants in Washington, D.C., Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Both Richard and Guarnaschelli will sign copies of their recent books, Happy in the Kitchen and Old School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to Cook, respectively. Several other local and regional guest chefs will be participating in the Grand Tasting as well as signings of their recent books.

Beginning Friday, three days of seminars by some of the industry’s most respected experts will allow visitors the opportunity to learn about wines from different regions of the world. The seminars encourage individuals to ask these specialists about tasting, pairing and buying wine.  Seminars are sold separately and do not require Grand Tasting admission.

The Presenting Sponsor of the 2013 Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival is Food & Wine Magazine.  Other sponsors include National Trust Insurance Services, Alex & Ani, United Airlines, Jenn-Air, Stella Artois, Goose Island, Marchesi Antinori, Dasani, Dave’s Fresh Marketplace, Wines of South Africa, Porsche of Warwick, Nespresso, Hyatt Regency Newport, Tequila Patrón, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, Blue Chair Bay Rum, Riedel,The Newport Daily News, Yankee Magazine and Design New England.

All proceeds from the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival benefit The Preservation Society of Newport County, a non-profit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and dedicated to preserving and interpreting the area’s historic architecture, landscapes and decorative arts.  It’s 11 historic properties—seven of them National Historic Landmarks—span more than 250 years of American architectural and social development.

For more information and to purchase tickets for the 2013 Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival, visit www.NewportMansionsWineAndFood.org, or call (401) 847-1000.  Tickets for individual seminars, as well as an array of other packages, are available for purchase now.

____________________

When the much-anticipated Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival returns September 20-22, the event will offer guests Grand Tastingsfeaturing hundreds of wines, a kick-off gala, Collectible Wine Dinner, exclusive Sunday brunch, and many celebrated speakers and chefs, includingAlex Guarnaschelli and Michel Richard.  In addition to the headline events, daily seminars will offer important wine facts and advice from leading experts in today’s wine industry. Without leaving the country, guests can experience some of the greatest wines from all over the world. From tasting and buying to pairing the perfect cheese, the seminars at this year’s Festival will cater to all guests.

Kicking off the Friday seminars is Niccolo Maltinti, speaking about The Antinori Family’s Interpretation of Sangiovese. Niccolo will discuss how the Antinori family revolutionized Italian winemaking at their Sangiovese vineyards, and showcase their wines from Tuscany. Next, Simon Barlow,proprietor of Rustenberg Wine Estate, will lead the Wines from South Africa seminar. Barlow will specifically focus on current trends in Chardonnay being produced there. Closing the Festival’s first day is Brian Smith, Chief Wine Officer of Club W, with Wine 101. Smith will take guests on a delicious journey through various kinds of wine while answering questions about how to taste, identify, buy and pair wines.

Epicurean Lou Di Palo wakes guests up on Saturday morning with an exploration of Tuscany’s bounty, gastronomic traditions and the importance of consortiums in his Tuscan Table Experience. Native foods including olive oil and honey will be available to taste at various stages of maturation, along with wine pairings. For those wanting to expand their horizons, Jordan Mackay, author of Secrets of the Sommeliers, is hosting Whiskey Camp in the afternoon, offering tasting of world-class whiskeys.

On the final day of the festival, Anthony Giglio, journalist, sommelier, educator, author and raconteur will help guests discover favorite wine and cheese pairings in Fresh, Aged & Textured –Italian Cheese UNCENSORED!. Jordan Mackay returns to wrap up the weekend’s seminars by discussing collectible wines with a panel of international winemakers.

Book signings at the Saturday and Sunday Grand Tastings will allow festival goers to meet many of this year’s celebrity chefs and other special guests. Saturday offers Giovanni Feroce, CEO of Alex and Ani;  Ben Sargent, host of Cooking Channel’s “Hook, Line & Dinner;”chef and restaurateur Michel Richard; Johnny Iuzzini, James Beard award winning pastry chef; and Christine E. Nunn, author of The Preppy Cookbook, all signing copies of their recent books. On Sunday, Cocktail Guru Jonathan Pogash; Boston-based writer, food blogger and recipe developer, Karen Covey (joined by Chef Paul Pearson); and Food Network star, Alex Guarnaschelli will all appear for signings as well.

The Presenting Underwriter of the 2013 Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival is Food & Wine Magazine.  Event underwriters include National Trust Insurance Services, Alex &Ani, United Airlines, Jenn-Air®, Porsche of Warwick, Nikon, Pedras, Italian Trade Commission, Toscana and Agriform.   Supporting Underwriters include Stella Artois, Goose Island, Marchesi Antinori, Dasani, Dave’s Fresh Marketplace, Wines of South Africa, Nespresso, Hyatt Regency Newport, Tequila Patrón, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, Blue Chair Bay Rum, Guittard, Meridian Printing, Atria Senior Living, Forty One North, Riedel, Chef Works, Arrow Prestige Limousine, The Newport Daily News, Yankee Magazine and Design New England.

All proceeds from the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival benefit The Preservation Society of Newport County, a non-profit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and dedicated to preserving and interpreting the area’s historic architecture, landscapes and decorative arts.  It’s 11 historic properties—seven of them National Historic Landmarks—span more than 250 years of American architectural and social development.

For more information and to purchase tickets for the 2013 Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival, visit www.NewportMansionsWineAndFood.org, or call (401) 847-1000.

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Interview with Michael Greenlee, Wine Director of The Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival, September 21 – 23, 2012

by David Dadekian
written by David Dadekian

Michael GreenleeThe 7th Annual Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival returns on September 21st through 23rd and this year it has a new company, Plate + Decanter, producing the event with The Preservation Society of Newport County. To help coordinate the most important aspect of the Festival—the wine—long-time wine professional Michael Greenlee has been brought in as Wine Director for the event. Coincidentally, Greenlee was raised in Rhode Island and has ties to the restaurant industry here as well. “Al Forno is an old favorite,” Greenlee told Eat Drink RI. “I’ve known George [Germon] and Johanne [Killeen] since I was a kid, back when they had the restaurant [on Steeple Street] before they moved down to the waterfront.”

This year’s Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival features the return of Chef Jacques Pépin who will not only be presenting a cooking demonstration with his daughter Claudine during Saturday’s Grand Tasting, but is also hosting a brunch, paired with wines by Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, in the Gold Room at Marble House. It is the first year that Chef Emeril Lagasse will be appearing at the Festival, doing a cooking demonstration and signing books at Sunday’s Grand Tasting.

Also appearing for cooking demos are local favorites Chef Matt Jennings of Farmstead & La Laiterie, Chef Karsten Hart of Castle Hill Inn, Chef Jake Rojas of Tallulah on Thames and Chef Kevin King of Fluke Wine, Bar & Kitchen. Other cooking demos are being presented by Intermezzo magazine’s Roseann Tully and Chef Jonathan Cartwright of White Barn Inn Restaurant and Muse at Vanderbilt Grace. In addition to the now traditional Wine & Rosecliff event on Friday evening, there will be a Collectible Wine Dinner on Saturday night at The Elms.

There are also seven wine seminars being given by some of the most accomplished names in the wine industry: Jerome Hasenpflug, Suzanne Pride Bryan, Stuart Bryan, Leslie Sbrocco, Sam Ramic, Sandy Block, Laura Maniec and Jordan Mackay. The full schedule of events can be found at newportmansionswineandfood.org. These exclusive events and seminars have limited availability, so it is highly recommended to purchase tickets in advance online.

Greenlee discussed some of the more wine-centric events and seminars when he took time for a phone interview last week. He talked at length about what to look forward to at this year’s Food & Wine Festival. Greenlee’s excitement for the growth and development of the event, now in it’s seventh year, was palpable, even over the phone. It was truly an interview where we could ask very few questions and just let Greenlee go on speaking. His passion and commitment to putting on a great event was evident.  This sounds like the fall wine event not to be missed.

Eat Drink RI: Please tell us about your role with this year’s Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival.

Michael Greenlee: The Preservation Society [of Newport] has been producing this event for a while and had been looking for something a little bit of a change of pace, a little of a different look. They reached out to a couple of different groups. One of which is Plate + Decanter, which is a company that I’m working in conjunction with under the Preservation Society. We went up and met with the whole team at the Preservation Society and really talked about how to improve upon the event and continue to grow it. I grew up in Rhode Island so I have a connection to the community up there, to the sensibility to the people up there. In a unique way, there’s this summer colony [in Newport].

We wanted to take the Festival and improve upon it and make it a little more intimate: really put more wines under the tent, create the ability for winemakers to have more intimate relations with the consumers that are there, to help better build the sort of relationships where they can capitalize on them later. People will remember them being at a seminar, being under the tent, being at Wine & Rosecliff, being part of the Collectible Wine Dinner. Help them [the wineries] create a memorable experience to create customers. Making the sort of strategy that if the winemakers and the wineries are happy, and successful, and participating, then the consumers that come will have an equally richer more intimate experience with the wineries.

We started by taking a look at the list of the people that have participated in the past, going through it and honoring those relationships that the Preservation Society has had over the years with those wineries, and increasing the talent a little bit by bringing in wineries that are part of my fold, or relationships that I have, or personal connections in the wine business, whether domestic or international. And starting to look at opportunities in 2012 where we can . . . curate a really high-end collection of wineries under the tent and really focus the event back on wineries. Still create a place in the tent for the spirits, but a lesser role in the future than they had in the past. Really give those spirits brands an opportunity to shine and focus them in things like Wine & Rosecliff and other ancillary events. So that it [the Grand Tasting] really becomes a high-end wine and food experience.

EDRI: What have you added new this year?

MG: With the Collectible Wine Dinner the idea was to create something high-end that would attract a higher-end consumer and also help to connect to the summer colony. So that’s something that we added this year. We’re doing a dinner for 40 people with 8 wineries at The Elms. We’re putting a winery representative or winemaker at every table so that people attending really get an opportunity to interface with the winery owners or principles to really understand more, get a richer experience for the consumer. Bringing in someone like Jacques Pépin to do a brunch, and bringing in a champagne producer to really pair [with the brunch] to create a celebratory brunch experience prior to the grand tasting. We’re curating it for 20 people—small, intimate, experiential.

That’s some of the things that we’re looking to do this year that are a little bit different. For me it’s like a restaurant experience or the Dean & DeLuca curating experience. [Greenlee was Dean & DeLuca’s Executive Vice President of Wine, see his complete bio.] Everything in the store at Dean & DeLuca was hand-picked by someone who had a tremendous level of expertise in their field so [consumers] didn’t have to wonder [about products]. We’re creating an event where there are 100 really well selected, hand-chosen wineriers under the grand tasting tent that represent a really broad palate, and give people the opportunity to have really great high-end experiential time.

This event is amazing. The raw materials are there. The clientele is there. The spaces are ridiculous, these beautiful, historic facilities. I’ve attended it in the past and it’s always been a really nice event. The idea is how do we make it nicer? What do the clientele want after doing this for so many years? The buyer today is a different buyer. The attendees have different needs, wants and desires. The millenials that are coming in, the 25, 30, 35 year-old people that are really passionate about wine and food. They’re very experiential. They like experiences, they like to discover things on their own. They don’t want Parker to tell them what’s good. They want to find out what’s good on their own. So you have to create a different environment.

You’ve got to also create opportunities for people that want to learn about wine that don’t know very much. There are neophytes. They’re very excited about it, very passionate, but really are still learning that Chardonnay is a white grape and Cabernet [Sauvignon] is a red grape, that Cabernet and Merlot are different and why. And you should be able to produce something that gives them the opportunity to grow at the event and learn something. But then you’ve also got a group of people that know a lot about wine. What sort of opportunities do you give them? [So there’s] the Collectible Wine Dinner. “I know a lot about wine, what’ve you got for me?”

EDRI: Can you tell us about some of the wine seminars you’ve helped put together?

MG: We’ve got some seminars like Leslie Sbrocco with “Thirsty Girl’s Wine 101.” Very basic, very simple, very introductory, but really, really great. She’s super dynamic she’s got tons of energy. She does a really great job of “this is the way you go through a tasting” and “how do you pace yourself” and all that sort of stuff, so people can have a really rich experience. Then you have someone like Jerome Hasenpflug, a Rhodes scholar, he got his PhD at Cambridge, a Masters from Harvard in History and Anthropology, leading us through Burgundy. Who better? I had to cut him back from 18 wines to 12! You could spend a lifetime on just studying Burgundy. So how do we give somebody that wants to understand it better an opportunity to do that?

Laura Maniec, a Master Sommelier, lives in New York and co-owns Corkbuzz Wine Studio, ran all of [B.R. Guest Restaurant Group’s Wine and Spirits Director] for years. [She’s] the youngest person to get her Master Sommelier in the history of the Master Sommelier program. [Laura’s] leading a champagne seminar, [“Bubbles for Breakfast”], on 10 a.m. on Sunday. That’s where I’ll be! Jordan Mackay is doing a seminar “NXNW: New by Northwest” wines, an area that’s really emerging and really dynamic and really exciting. Jordan has been writing for The New York Times and Food & Wine magazine and wrote Secrets of the Sommeliers with Rajat Parr and won a James Beard [Foundation] award for his writing. [Jordan’s] coming and talking about an appellation that’s really interesting and emerging and gets the geek factor going a little bit. People who really want to learn something new about a place that’s not Napa Valley. I’ve been to Napa Valley. I know all about Napa Valley. This is about something different and unique.

EDRI: You sound very excited about the event.

MG: We’ve got lots of great ideas. This is 2012. Wait until ’13, ’14, ’15. It’ll all be really, really fun to watch this thing evolve and grow. It’s really fun to be part of.

EDRI: How do you feel about an event like this in Newport?

MG: This is our first year producing it. We’re trying to engage the local community on the restaurant level and on the wine distributor/supplier level as well. Weekends are still very busy in Newport into late September. The Preservation Society has always been really excited about the fact that of the 3,500 or 4,000 attendees, there are lots of fresh faces. It’s not the people that they normally see at the rest of their summer events. Saturday we get a lot of out-of-town [attendees], a little broader demographic, and then Sunday they tend to be more local. More local Rhode Island people, more people coming down from Massachusetts. So it’s a bit of a mix. We’re starting to watch that happen this year with ticket sales. And this is our invitation to the summer colony to stick around a couple extra weeks and come support this event with us.

EDRI: So what’s your connection to Rhode Island?

MG: I grew up in North Kingstown and graduated high school there. My parents moved away when I went to college but I really consider Rhode Island my home. All my close friends are there. I go back two or three times a year. For Amedeo‘s business [Greenlee’s wine consulting company] the accounting team is still in Rhode Island. It’s an excuse to go up and spend some time. I spent a good part of my youth there. I brought Marissa [Ain], the owner of Plate + Decanter, up for a meeting in February. On the way out I took the local road down through Narragansett to go eat lobster and clamcakes at Champlin’s and I was disappointed it was closed. Champlin’s is always on my cruise when I’m in town.

Last couple of visits I’ve been checking out some of the new spots. Jeff [Callaghan, co-owner of Fluke Wine, Bar & Bistro] is an old friend of mine so I went there the last time I was in town. It’s sort of surprising to see how much even downtown Newport has changed since my time there. I spent a lot of time in Newport when I was a kid. I used to work on sailboats and race sailboats. So it was a big part of my youth. There’s good food in downtown Providence. It used to be you went to Federal Hill and had the Italian red sauce spots. I’m really excited to go to Aquidneck Lobster Bar, so that’s high on my list of things to do when I come up for a site visit. I ate at Tallulah. It’s exciting. There was none of this stuff when I grew up.

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