In mid-March, Galveston Island’s 3rd annual Food & Wine Festival kicked off with the “Man vs. Wine-Blind Tasting” event. The competition resulted in selecting and subsequently toasting the three best reds and two best whites. On Thursday, Galveston Island will follow up with a spectacular four-day food and wine festival spread across several indoor and outdoor venues. Chief among the locations involved is “The Strand,” also known as the Uptown Entertainment District in historic downtown Galveston. The fun begins with La Chaine des Rotisseurs dinner at Shearn’s at Moody Gardens Hotel, Spa and Convention center. Moody Gardens is a fun-filled paradise with an aquarium, rainforest, 3D theater and museum. The invitation-only dinner is for members of La Chaine des Rotisseurs, the oldest and largest food and wine society worldwide. Based within lush Moody Gardens, Shearn’s restaurant chef, Urs Schmid, will prepare an exquisite menu for LCR members. These wine connoisseurs will pick the festival’s Grand Champion red and white wine winners. The red competitors are: 7 Deadly Sins, Boudler Bank Pinot Noir, Goldschmidt Cabernet, Alexander Valley Cyrus and Morgan Pinot Noir. White competitors LCR members will judge include: Castello Del Poggio Rose Moscato, Laetitia Brut Rose Sparkling, Joffre Grand Chardonnay, Alexander Valley Chardonnay Codorniu Anna Brut and Laetitia Brut Sparkling. Galveston Island is situated just 45 minutes south of Houston. Summer tourism usually attracts thousands to the island for its 32 miles of sandy beaches, restaurants, hotels and other popular forms of water-inspired entertainment. During low season, however, Galveston is a windswept source of serenity. Except for the noisy Mardi Gras festival, the island is calm. So the food and wine festival was conceived to attract oenophiles and haute cuisine lovers during calmer times. “It all started three years ago when we noticed that now, particularly at this time of the year, we had a notoriously slow weekend,” said Galveston-based Yaga’s Entertainment Company Marketing Director Erin Dhonau. “So the owner of our company decided to start a food and wine festival, since we already put on the annual Mardi Gras Festival, Shrimp Festival and other festivals throughout the year,” added Dhonau. Nearly 25 wineries will offer more than 100 national and international wines during the four-day event. Celebrity chefs representing more than a dozen of Galveston’s finest restaurants will prepare and serve unique edible creations. This year’s theme, “Wines from Around the World,” offers a Premium Wine Tasting and Gulf Seafood Showcase from 6 to 8 pm Friday, April 20 on The Strand. Chef Chris Lopez of Yaga’s Café will prepare seafood hors d’oeuvres to pair with one of many wines. From 2 to 5 pm on Saturday, April 21, a Grand Tasting is on tap at Saengerfest Park. Wine lovers will have a passport stamped as they graze and sip on myriad Texas, national and international wines at this event. Live music and art exhibits and a souvenir wineglass make the outdoor event the highlight of the festival. Galveston’s annual food and wine festival culminates Sunday, April 22, at restaurant brunches paired with wines or champagne featured at all the previous events. The historic Wyndham’s Galvez Hotel will host a Sunday brunch at its renowned Bernardo’s restaurant. The M&M Restaurant & Bar is the other venue for the final day of the festival. Event sponsors include Galveston Island Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, The Tremont House, Mitchell Historic Properties, Stella Artois beer and Glazer’s. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Galveston College of Culinary Arts and Galveston County Resource and Crisis Center. Galveston Island’s Food & Wine Festival is produced by Yaga’s Entertainment Company, a local firm that hosts some of the island’s best festivals and cook-offs. Yaga’s Entertainment, which also owns Yaga’s Café in downtown Galveston, also produces and hosts the annual Chili Quest & Beer Festival. Festival organizers said there is a food and wine tasting event to fit any budget. Ticket prices for two and three-hour tastings are available. Packages that include early admission Premium Wine Tasting Only tickets and VIP Tickets are also available. Wine-pairing dinner tickets may be purchased at Luigi’s or the 901 Post Office restaurant. For more information go to: www.galveston.com/foodandwine.
