Those in search of some of the finest wines and gourmet foods should head to the third annual Wine and Food Festival of New Paltz from April 22 to 24 at the Mohonk Mountain House. Hosted by International Wine Masters, the three-day festival gathers wine enthusiasts and food critics from up and down the east coast for a weekend with some of the most prestigious winemakers, renowned wine experts, and respected chefs in the Hudson Valley.
Events range from wine seminars and demonstrations to a silent auction to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The Wine and Food Gala, which kicks off on Friday, offers live entertainment, wine sampling, and food prepared by Mohonk chefs.
On Saturday, celebrity chefs perform live demonstrations for some of their original recipes. Sara Moulton (of Sara’s Weeknight Meals on PBS) prepares her signature cream biscuits with butter from her newest cookbook, Home Cooking 101. Also on Saturday, Valley darling and Hudson Valley restaurateur Peter X. Kelly (Xaviar’s at Piermont, The Freelance Cafe and Wine Bar, Restaurant X, X2O) shows off his wild mushroom risotto with grilled ramps.
Other Saturday highlights include the Grand Tasting and Red Carpet Cru, which offer guests a chance to sample quality vinos and even meet some of the winemakers from France, Italy, and Argentina. Gourmet dishes from local restaurants — like Le Express (Poughkeepsie), Huckleberry (New Paltz), and Aroma Thyme Bistro (Ellenville) — will accompany the wine tastings.
The festival wraps up on Sunday with food seminars, a Champagne brunch, and an awards ceremony.
Parking — and a free 30-minute shuttle to and from the nearby Ulster County Fairgrounds — will be available on Saturday, April 23.
If you go…
Wine and Food Festival of New Paltz
When: Fri., Apr. 22 from 2-10 p.m., Sat., Apr. 23 from 9 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Sun., Apr. 24 from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Where: Mohonk Mountain House, 100 Mountain Rest Rd., New Paltz
Cost: $30 per seminar, $75 Grand Tasting, $120 Red Carpet Cru, $135 Wine & Food Gala, $295 weekend pass
Details: 855-801-8250; www.internationalwinemasters.com
