 |
| "Clouds and Water" by Arthur Dove, Geneva's Foremost Artist |
Our very first Wine Symposium of the Finger
Lakes, which takes a serious, global view of cool-climate winemaking,
is slated for March 23. I’ve been actively involved with the conceptual
planning
of this event and currently serving as an advisor. We have a great
line-up of seminars, led by top-flight experts and a five-star lunch
planned. Here’s a breakdown of the day’s schedule:
Overall, the event is aimed at the serious wine enthusiast ready to learn more about this great
American region, and stellar regions abroad, famous for their cool-climate
bottlings. The event is a terrific collaboration
between Geneva Growth and the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance, with support from the
New York Wine and Culinary Center, Hobart and William Smith
Colleges, the City of Geneva and the Geneva Area of Commerce. Held
at the beautiful Scandling Campus Center
at Hobart and William Smith
Colleges, it’s a great
opportunity to really delve into what makes a cool-climate wine tick. Iconic
wine expert Dan Berger and New York sommelier
Thomas Pastuszak will demystify northern reds and whites, including those from Italy, France
and Germany. We will also mix it up with classical and
innovative wine and food pairings, led by James Treadwell, one of Canada’s top sommeliers, and co-owner of
Treadwell Farm-to-Table cuisine in Port Dalhousie, Ontario.
In the early afternoon, awards will be presented for the
Finger Lakes AVA Riesling Challenge.
Following the ceremony, a culinary star from the White
House, Chef Walter Scheib, together with five top chefs from the Finger Lakes, will present a five-course luncheon menu,
expertly matched with wines selected by
our team of wine professionals. Chef Scheib will also share his personal
experiences at the White House, over a span of 11 years, and serving under two
presidents.
The
day will end with a Finger Lakes Grand Tasting, offering up exciting
new releases from the area's finest wineries. Winemakers and proprietors
will be on hand to give an in-depth look at their wines and technique.
And fitting to have it all take place in Geneva, an historic
lakeside city, that well-known wine writer Alice Feiring (recent Wine
Personality of the Year from Imbibe magazine) referred to as the future Napa
of the East Coast. With its historic districts and sweeping views of Lake
Geneva, home to the early modernist artist Arthur Dove, and the Smith Opera
House, one of the oldest operating theaters in the United States, it’s a city experiencing a renaissance.
Tickets and further information can be found at: www.winesymposiumfingerlakes.
Scott Osborn, Proprietor
