Byline: FRED LeBRUN Staff writer
On Saturday just before noted wine expert Kevin Zraly was to begin the live auction at the third annual Saratoga Wine and Food Festival, he abruptly stopped his animated speech and froze into one of his signature dramatic poses, his face deadly serious.
``I need a glass of wine.''
Those of us within proximity froze as well, but cocked an ear. What would the bestselling author of ``Windows on the World's Complete Wine Course'' chose from among the 200 premier wineries exhibiting under the tent on the grounds of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center?
There were top-end reds and whites and sparklers from Spain and Italy, exceptional boutique offerings from California, and big name French labels being uncorked as well. Even a few of the best of New York.
``A Stag's Leap cabernet,`` he stated authoritatively, straining his eyebrows, as if there was divine inspiration at work. Kevin Zraly is great, unending theater.
Eyebrows went up in approval. The wine knowledgeable had been murmuring about the Napa Valley Stag's Leap table all afternoon, especially over the raspberry-scented cabernet marked ``Fay,'' which wholesales for approximately $80 a bottle. But the truth is Zraly could just as easily have chosen from dozens of others, particularly from among an exceptional tasting field of fine Italian barolos and barbarescos.
What a beautiful event with perfect weather. A postcard afternoon. Soft late summer sun highlighted SPAC's grounds.
This grand wine tasting event with appetizers from among the best area restaurants has emerged as the most important and certainly the most elegant in the region, leaping ahead of the venerable Desmond tasting of American wines every February.
In addition to the auction, Zraly held a seminar on wine tasting. There were others on wine and pork dishes, Latin-American cuisine and how to make ricotta cheese, start to finish.
On the two previous evenings of the festival, there were sold-out food and wine pairings at area restaurants Thursday, and a backstage wine and music party on Friday. These were primarily social events with wine while the grand tasting on Saturday, for which patrons paid $60 a ticket, was a serious display of commanding wines dominating a socially delightful afternoon. A real treat for wine lovers.
From last year to this, attendance numbers for the event, which is a fund-raiser for SPAC, doubled to approximately 1,500. The number of high-end wineries participating rose from 150 to 200.
Kathy Chesbrough, SPAC's director of development, credits Michael Yurch, president of the prestigious New York wine merchants Sherry-Lehmann, with making the right things happen.
Yurch owns a home in Saratoga Springs, and has taken an abiding interest in this wine festival.
``Mick put us in touch with key people,'' she said, those in the wine trade, the wholesalers, distributors, wineries. Now they're calling her the day after to make sure to be included next year. ``People are confident this is going to become something special.''
Prime among those is Yurch himself. For the second year Sherry-Lehmann is a sponsor, and Yurch says he's going to make this event a memorable if not essential stop on the Northeastern wine tasting circuit.
``We were pleased to double the attendance this year. Our goal is about 2,000 for next year. This event proves that the Capital Region can support this kind of event,'' he said. ``I saw such a receptive, unpretentious audience here. It's great.''
Among the items Zraly auctioned off were vacations in the $1,500 to $2,000 range, artwork in the same class, and several bottles and cases of very nice wines valued at $600 and up, way up. It all sold.
WINE FEST GETS A TASTE OF POPULARITY.(LIFE & LEISURE)Byline: FRED LeBRUN Staff writer
On Saturday just before noted wine expert Kevin Zraly was to begin the live auction at the third annual Saratoga Wine and Food Festival, he abruptly stopped his animated speech and froze into one of his signature dramatic poses, his face deadly serious.
``I need a glass of wine.''
Those of us within proximity froze as well, but cocked an ear. What would the bestselling author of ``Windows on the World's Complete Wine Course'' chose from among the 200 premier wineries exhibiting under the tent on the grounds of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center?
There were top-end reds and whites and sparklers from Spain …
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