Tahoe Vacation News

(TAHOE CITY, Calif.) – Every fall wine lovers and culinary adventurers flock to North Lake Tahoe for four days of food and wine festivities all topped off with the Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival’s Grand Tasting and Culinary Competition.

This year nearly 35 area restaurants paired their innovative creations with California wineries at the Grand Tasting event, held October 1 at the Resort at Squaw Creek in Olympic Valley, California, which hosted more than 800 guests. Some 2,500 guests attended the four-day of festivities, and continued in the special event’s tradition to showcase some truly unique foodie creations.

Judged by a panel of culinary and wine experts, top honors (gold medal), Best Marriage of Food and Wine, went to Coyote Moon of Truckee, California and Morgan Vineyard Pinot Noir (2004). Coyote Moon served smoked duck proscuitto, mission fig arugula and pecorino cheese. The silver went to Five Mile House, of Nevada City, California, and Lucchesi Sierra Foothills Cabernet (2003), and the bronze to West Shore Café, of Homewood, California, and Keller Estate Oro de Plata Chardonnay (2005). Five Mile House served rosemary-seared leg of venison on polenta and West Shore Café served butter poached Malpque Oysters/Meyer lemon with crème fraiche and sevruga caviar.

The Best Food gold medal was awarded to Coyote Moon, the silver to Five Mile House and the bronze to West Shore Café.

Best White Wine Gold went to Van Ruiten Lodi Pinot Gris (2004), the silver to Keller Estate Chardonnay (2005) and the bronze to ZD Napa Valley Chardonnay (2005).

Best Red Wine was awarded to Mt. Vernon Cabernet Franc (2003) the silver to Handley Anderson Pinot Noir (2004) and bronze to Lucchesi Sierra Foothills Cabernet (2003).
Lahontan Golf Club, of Truckee, won Best Dessert for their Gianduja milk chocolate truffle.

The prestigious People’s Choice Awards, voted on by Grand Tasting attendees, are (Best Marriage of Food and Wine) D’Lish Catering, of Tahoe City, California, and Ironstone Symphony Muscat and Grenache Gris Hybrid (2005). The two also took home the Best Table Presentation. D’Lish served crispy furikake rice cake, kalua pork, and unagi sauce and wasabi cream. Best Food went to D’Lish Catering and Best Dessert was awarded to Lahontan Golf Club.

Ironstone Symphony Muscat and Grenache Gris Hybrid (2005) won Best White Wine and Wente Murrieta’s Well Livermore Zarzuela (2003) took home Best Red Wine. Bano’s Ice Works, of Truckee, was awarded Best Ice Sculpture.

North Lake Tahoe is a 45-minute drive from the Reno Tahoe International Airport, two hours from Sacramento International Airport and just over three hours from San Francisco International Airport. For lodging reservations, contact the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association’s Lake Tahoe Central Reservations department, the area’s largest reservation center, at 1-877-949-3296 or visit www.PureTahoeNorth.com. The North Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Information Center also provides recreational activity, dining, retail and special event information. Their direct line is 530-581-6900.