Hundreds of wine lovers attended The Grand Tasting at the Sugar Land’s 9th Annual Wine & Food Affair. An elegant ballroom at the Marriott Hotel Sugar Land, just south of Houston, set the stage for an extraordinary soiree Friday night. This affair will go down in my monthly “wine” diary as an affair to remember. It was billed by organizers as “the hottest ticket in town,” and it was that and more. The distribution of wines from around the globe left me speechless. Dozens of celebrity chefs from the best restaurants worked diligently throughout the evening to prepare dishes paired with the huge selection of wines. Texas wines took their place among the wines from Sonoma, Napa, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, Australia, Italy and Spain to name a few. The silent auction attracted many wine aficionados who wanted to invest in keepsake wines, trophy wines or bottles of wine as tall as I am. Clos Du Bois was one red wine I savored. I was told it was from Sonoma. It was high in tannins and rather dry for my palate. I didn’t waste too much time before I moved to the next table. Here I sipped a Pinot Noir from Oregon. It tasted exactly the way I expected. It was light, fruit-forward and had a satisfying finish. I do not consume a drop on an empty stomach. So I had already tasted a mouth-watering petit pate from a nearby restaurant stand. There were so many restaurants in fact, that I cannot mention them all. So suffice it to say that Sugar Land’s fine array of Houston-based eateries felt like it must feel to be invited to a United Nations conference. The Sugar Land Wine & Food Affair kicked off on Wednesday with a private Buen Provecho dinner hosted by Michael and David Cordau. The father and son dynamic duo are contenders for the prestigious James Beard award. They will travel to New York for the nomination and festivities. The dinner was a prelude to the five-day annual food and wine event. Friday’s event had impressed me enough that I really wondered if I should return for the Sip & Stroll on Saturday. But I’m glad I did go. The setting was the building that once housed the Imperial Sugar Company. The giant red brick building and ancient surroundings looked as if it may have been abandoned for years. Then the Sugar Land committee resolved to breathe new life into it by holding their second wine and food event in and around the premises. All the people I talked to loved being there. Wine in hand, they strolled around gazing at the architecture of the Three-Bay Warehouse. Texas wines flowed freely at this event, along with a number of others. One Texas wine that I like is from Becker Vineyards in the Texas Hill Country. The owner is a working physician in San Antonio. But the story is that he bought some land and learned to make wine. I plan to pay him a visit soon. There were more than 40 tables featuring culinary creations from area chefs, along with a large array of hand-crafted artisan beer. Imperial Sugar headquarters in Sugar Land was the most unique setting I have experienced at any food and wine event. A band outside of the sugar warehouse played to crowds sitting beneath the hot sun. White wine was my beverage of choice. Sunday was the final day of Sugar Land’s 9th Annual Food & Wine Affair. It too will go down in my wine diary as an unforgettable pleasure. The “International Bistro Brunch” was held outside Sugar Land City Hall. An enormous water fountain with a sculpture of a horse drew camera-toting wine lovers. This is also Town Square, flanked by upscale boutiques, restaurants, cafes, and hotels like the Marriott. The brunch was truly a global affair that included a Salsa band and multicultural wines, including wines from Lebanon, Greece and other countries. I had missed out on Thursday’s “On the Rocks Bartender” challenge and Friday’s “Sommeliers Secrets” featuring wine educator, Marnie Old, MS. I also missed “Prestige Whiskey Collection from the Highland and Island,” a high-end Scotch tasting seminar. But the three days I enjoyed were more than enough to say it was well worth the trip. One especially memorable aside is Rioja, a Spanish restaurant represented at the brunch. Rioja attracted a throng of spectators by cooking in a mammoth paella pan to prepare paella. The seafood and rice dish-the national dish of Spain-was paired with wines from the Rioja region. Next to the Spanish stand were wines from the south of France. The champagne was an award-winning one selected by Wine Spectator. Drinking wine and then switching to champagne usually brings on a headache. But after I considered the occasion, I relented in favor of toasting to Sugar Land’s annual event. This food and wine festival is going to be at the top of my list next year!
