Third Time’s a Charm 

Having just returned from the first ever Sun Valley Food & Wine Festival in Idaho, I find myself looking forward very much to the Third Annual Park City Food & Wine Classic. Being their first go-’round, the Sun Valley affair was a little rough around the edges and a bit weak on wine, focusing as it did on Idaho vino. The Park City Food & Wine Classic organizers were wise not to build their event around Utah wines, which would have been a nonstarter to say the least.

Each year the Park City Food & Wine Classic gets a bit better and this year’s schedule looks especially promising; it usually takes two or three tries to get these things right. And with the demise of Snowbird’s Winterfeast a few years ago, the PC Food & Wine Classic has become Utah’s premier food & wine event.

It would take the rest of this paper to list all of the winemakers’ dinners, tastings and wine seminars for the PC Food & Wine Classic, but here are a few highlights. The whole shebang gets underway at Deer Valley’s Silver Lake Lodge on Thursday, July 12 with a Mountain Kickoff Celebration'a chance to informally sample an international array of wines along with Deer Valley’s fabulous finger food. This year’s Kickoff has a Southern theme, with Southern-style cocktails and an after-party Southern soiree for those looking for more than just wine. Notable events on Friday the 13th include the Annual Park City Food & Wine Golf Tourney as well as a “Wines of Piedmont” seminar hosted by certified sommelier Zev Rovine at the Spotted Frog.

Saturday, July 14 will be a busy one for attendees of the Food & Wine Classic. Most events that day take place at The Canyons, and include seminars like “New Zealand Discovered,” “New World vs. Old World,” “Australian Wines” and “The Ultimate Decadence”'a wine and chocolate seminar that’s sure to sell out. And speaking of decadence, you won’t want to miss the Toast of Park City Grand Tasting at The Canyons, featuring more than 100 domestic and international wines, gourmet foods, a Viking Steel Chef competition and live jazz. I’m told that 1500 attendees are expected; I didn’t realize there were that many wine drinkers in Utah!

The Park City Food and Wine Classic wraps up in high style on Sunday, July 15 at the Spotted Frog with a Champagne and caviar tasting. In addition to seminars and tastings, the winemakers’ dinners at Jean Louis, 350 Main and Chez Betty will feature Floral Springs Winery, Rodney Strong Wines and Dusky Goose Wines. For more information and to purchase tickets for individual events and VIP packages go to ParkCityFoodAndWineClassic.com.

Sips: If you’re swift you might still be able to get in on Fleming’s “Down Under” wine dinner which is this Friday, June 29 at 6:30 p.m. Hosted by Sarah Waring from Foster’s Wine Estates, the dinner will feature Australian wines from Rosemount Estate, Yellow Glen, Penfolds, and Seppelt paired with a four-course dinner. Dishes include a quail confit salad, seared lamb carpaccio, a “brie blanket” filet mignon with Gorgonzola, and fig-infused chocolate Napoleon. The cost is $50 for the dinner and $35 for the wine, plus tax and tip. Phone Fleming’s in the Gateway at 355-3704.

Benihana is combining Latin and Japanese flavors by introducing their new specialty drink: the Sake Mojito. The ingredients include rum, sake, mint syrup, sour mix, lime, mint leaves, and club soda. Sounds like a perfect start to a teppanyaki dinner. Benihana is in Arrow Press Square at 165 S. West Temple.