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Aug 4, 08 - 11:38 AM |
Artisan Wines and Cuisine of Baja California, Mexico
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Artisan Wines and Cuisine of Baja California, Mexico
"Vino-Tourism" by Steve Dryden and Carlos Travesi Bosch
· La Cofradia Hosts Gourmet Food and Wine Event
One of the most exciting events for the annual Fiestas de la Vendimia
wine harvest celebration in Baja California, Mexico is the "Noche de
Cofradia en Ensenada," to be held on Tuesday, August 12th at 6:00
p.m. The event will take place at Ensenada's Cruise Ship terminal in
the waterside plaza, and is sponsored and hosted by La Cofradia, a
dedicated group of food and wine lovers who formed an association 21
years ago to further enhance their knowledge of high quality wine and
gourmet food.
The "Noche de Cofradia en Ensenada" event pairs up wine from 29
wineries with gourmet samples of culinary delights from 29
restaurants in the region from Tijuana to Ensenada. Chefs and
winemakers carefully select gourmet food and Mexican premium wine and
match their favorites for the event competition. This event allows
you to sample Baja California's premier wines and the best gourmet
entrees from the top culinary wizards in our region. During this
event international judges pick the three best matches (food and
wine), and the public (People's Choice) picks their three favorite
matches. Tickets for this event are US$50.00 each from
http://www.fiestasdelavendimia.com.
Several weeks ago members of La Cofradia met with regional chefs,
restaurant owners, winemakers and winery owners to pick which
wineries would be matched with which restaurants. This event took
place at Cavas Valmar winery in Ensenada, and turned into an
incredible gourmet cuisine extravaganza itself! This preview brought
together some fantastic culinary delights paired with the artisan
wines of Fernando Martain of Cavas Valmar winery. In addition, La
Cofradia served their own unique blends of wine and matched them to
roasted pork, prime beef, traditional Mexican side dishes, and a
delicious assortment of American gourmet desserts including fresh
apple pie and cheese cake. During this evening celebration a drawing
took place with the selection of restaurants to be matched with
regional wineries.
According to Carlos Travesi, chef and owner of Capricho's Restaurant
and Wine Bar, "these types of events have given this region a serious
advantage when it comes to pairing wine and gourmet cuisine in
Mexico. For example, we have daily contact with members of the wine
industry, an abundance of fresh seafood, Mexico's most advanced
cheese aging caves, and many of the country's best chefs, all here,
interacting, exchanging ideas and working together to make this
area 'the food and wine capital of Mexico.'"
Come to the event on August 12th and you'll discover exactly what
Carlos is talking about as you sample wine and gourmet food from the
region's best winemakers and chefs.
Chabert's Restaurant to Feature New Roganto Wine on April 15
Chabert's Restaurant in the Rosarito Beach Hotel is a hidden jewel
that is shining brightly in Mexico's surging food and wine
renaissance. The date of the August wine dinner has been moved to
Friday, August 15th and will mark their 19th wine dinner event with a
new release of an elegant Sauvignon Blanc from Roganto winery of
Ensenada.
This newest premium 2007 Sauvignon Blanc is not a traditional herbal
and grassy tasting wine typical of this varietal, but an elegant wine
with tropical fruit, guava, pineapple and pear on the nose,
refreshing, crisp, well balanced and delicious. The production was
limited to 550 cases, fermentation in stainless steel tanks with no
oak barrel aging and retailing for about US$25.
Roganto Wine or Vides y Vinos Californianos, S.P.R. de R.L, is
considered by experts to be one of the top wineries in Mexico. In
fact, last year a special wine tasting event organized by Mexico's
top independent wine experts and specialists was held at 13,200 feet
in elevation (creating superior tasting conditions) where they chose
2005 Roganto Tempranillo as the second best wine in the country. The
point spread between their Tempranillo and the first place wine (L.A.
Cetto Platino) was less than one point.
Currently only about 100 cases of the Tempranillo (US$65.00) are
available for purchase from this Ensenada winery located near
Walmart. The 2005 Tempranillo was aged in a combination of various
new oak barrels for ten months and is a prime example of a top
quality Mexican wine. In 2005 the winery also released a superb blend
of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon.
About 80 cases of the Temp/Cab blend (aged in new oak for twenty-two
months) remain at US$32 and 300 cases of the Cabernet (twenty-two
months in new French oak) are available at US$65 bottle.
Even though Roganto winery is technically a boutique winery in size
and production, it could classify as an artisan winery due to the
high quality and individual attention focused on each vintage of
wine. Their state-of-the-art winery facility is a true hidden
treasure of Ensenada, located behind a well drilling and commercial
pump business – just a few miles south of downtown on Reforma Avenue.
Two wine enthusiasts, Rogelio Sanchez and Antonio Luis Escalante,
have teamed up to create the remarkable Roganto wines. It's almost
a "top secret," and access to the tasting room is limited to serious
wine lovers and those with inquiring palates. These two dedicated
local winemakers also create two distinct Chardonnay wines, one with
stainless steel fermentation and no oak barrel aging (US$22) and
another excellent Chardonnay aged in new French oak for twenty-two
months at US$28 bottle. To arrange a private tasting, get directions
or purchase wine  646) 176-6185.
Chabert's wine dinner will also include an "organic" reserve Merlot
from Doña Lupe winery, and a Rosa de Peru from Tanama winery in
Tecate. The dinner includes three glasses of wine matched with three
gourmet entrees. The cost is US$40 per person. Reservations can be
made at (661) 612-1111 or http://www.rosaritobeachhotel.com/.
——————————
Steve Dryden, a MexiData.info guest columnist, writes about wine,
food, travel, Native Peoples, and history. He lives in the Guadalupe
Valley of Baja California, Mexico, where he guides private wine tours
for individuals and small groups. Carlos Travesi Bosch is chef and
owner of Capricho's Wine Bar and Gourmet Cafe, located directly
across from the original Hussong's Cantina in Ensenada.
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