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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™, 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 8^thyear 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 75^th 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.

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The Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival returns for its 8^th 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.

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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.