The 31st Annual Kapalua Wine and Food Festival: June 8-10, 2012

The 31st Annual Kapalua Wine and Food Festival, June 8-10, 2012
Kapalua Resort, Maui


It’s that magical time of year again, summer--when the sun shines brighter, the tropical flowers bloom and our days last a little bit longer.  Summer is also when the Kapalua Resort hosts Maui’s premier epicurean event: the Kapalua Wine and Food Festival.

While the festival is known for its big tastings on Friday and Sunday nights, there are many smaller, more intimate events, including winemaker’s dinners and educational panels that should not be missed. In fact, until I began to write this post (and saw how long it was), I didn’t realize quite how many events were really taking place here in our little seaside resort. The events begin Wednesday, June 6th, with festivities culminating at the famed Seafood Festival on Sunday, June 10th.

Wednesday, June 6th
The Banyan Tree with Fantesca Winery
at the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua
Fantesca Winery is a boutique winery just outside of St. Helena. This estate vineyard is known for it’s passion for artful winemaking. (Hint: pick up one of Fantesca’s stellar wines and start your own collection of Fortune Corkies)

Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar, Multi-Course Gastro Pub Dinner
For the beer lover, Maui’s most beloved sushi restaurant will pair an inspired menu with hand crafted micro brews from Maui’s own Maui Brewing Company and the mainland for a “gastro-pub” event. I had to look this up--while it’s long been said that pubs aren’t known for their food (I can attest to this having tried more than one ploughman’s sandwich in my college days in London), recently many pubs have upped the ante, and you’ll now find gastronomical delights paired with artisan beers.

Thursday, June 7th
Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar, Chef Masa’s Kaiseki Dinner
This formal, multi-course dinner will showcase the talents of Maui’s master sushi chef, Masamichi Hattori

The Banyan Tree with Plumpjack Winery
at the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua
The winemakers at Plumpjack believe that wine is one of life’s greatest pleasures, and should be enjoyed often. And there’s no better way to enjoy wine than with great food. The Banyan Tree is one of Kapalua’s finest restaurants, and the pairings look nothing short of delectable.

Friday, June 8th
Pinot Superstars Wine Seminar
The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua 2-3 pm
Featuring a dazzling selection of Pinots from Williams Selyem, Domaine Carneros, Pisoni Vineyards, Native 9, and Scherrer Vineyards. Hosted by Master Sommelier, Michael Jordan.

The Grand Tasting
The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua--The Beach House Lawn, 6:30-9:30 pm
Featuring local entertainment, wines from around the world, and pupus from Kapalua’s restaurants: The Banyan Tree, Kai Sushi (my favorite!), Merriman’s, Pineapple Grill, Sansei, and the Plantation House.

Saturday, June 9th
Organic Vines Make Better Wines Seminar
the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua 11:00 am-12:30 pm
Featuring Bob Cantisano, Organic Agricultural Advisor, along with panelists from Frog’s Leap, Plumpjack, Quintessa, and Master Sommeliers Michael Jordan and Patrick Okubo.

Cooking Demonstration with Celebrity Chef Ron Siegel
The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua 1:00 pm-3:00 pm
Ron Seigel is the chef of Parallel 37 at the Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco, and will feature wines from Pisoni Vineyards, David Arthur, Illumination and World Wines.

A Tasting of the Wines of Heidi Peterson Barrett
The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua 3:00 pm-4:30 pm
I’ve heard this is a don’t miss--Heidi Barrett is a superstar of the wine world, who became famous for her wines at Screaming Eagle and other wineries, and will be showcasing her own La Sirena Wines.

Sparklers by the Spa Wine Tour
Kapalua Spa 4:00-5:30 pm
Who doesn’t love sparkling wine and spa treatments? At this special tasting, you can sample a variety of wines from Domaine Carneros as well as enjoy “mini” treatments from the Kapalua Spa, along with chocolates and truffles. Sounds heavenly!

Merriman’s Restaurant Dinner with Gary Pisoni of Pisoni Vineyards
at Merriman’s Kapalua
Merriman’s is a jewel of Kapalua--located on Maui’s famed Kapalua Bay, there isn’t a prettier setting on the island. You’ll enjoy farm to table fare paired with Pisoni Vineyard wines in a spectacular setting. I’ve had the opportunity to attend one of Pisoni’s dinners and seminars before, and Gary is a boisterous and gifted story-teller.

Pineapple Grill--Ramey Wine Cellars with Winemaker, David Ramey
at Pineapple Grill, Kapalua
The Healdsburg Winery of Ramey Wine Cellars boasts rave reviews for its Chardonnay, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Winemaker David Ramey will be pairing his wines with creations from one of Maui’s most creative and popular chefs. I’ve sneaked a peek at the menu, which includes a Shave Ice tasting of Poisson Cru, Oyster Shooters, and Hamachi Poke to start (you’ll have to check the rest of the dinner out yourself!).

The Banyan Tree with La Sirena Wines
The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua
Fabulous fare from the Banyan tree paired with Heidi Barrett’s very own La Sirena wines. I’ve had a chance to try one of the featured wines “La Sirena Pirates TreasuRED” in the past. It was fantastic, and I anticipate this will be one of the festival’s most anticipated events.

The Plantation House Restaurant, “Come Join Our Table,” with Fred Scherrer of Scherrer Winery
at The Plantation House, Kapalua
The Plantation House is home to one of Kapalua’s most beautiful views, overlooking the Plantation Course out toward the neighboring islands of Molokai and Lanai. Sunsets here are breathtaking, and their incredible dinner will be thoughtfully paired with wines from Scherrer Winery

And finally, for those of you looking for a night out, Sansei will host an after hours session with blues and folk music from Fred Scherrer, Master Sommelier Michael Jordan, and friends.

Sunday, June 10th
Viva Espana! A tasting of Premium Spanish Wines
The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua 11:00 am-12:30 pm

Wine Tour
The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua 1:00 pm-3:00 pm
Sample a variety of wines at various locations around the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua resort.

Kings of Cabernet Wine Seminar
The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua 3:00 pm-4:30 pm
Join winemakers from Plumpjack and Cade, Frog’s Leap, Ramey Wine Cellars, David Arthur Vineyards, and Hill Family Estates for a showcase of the Kings of Cab.

Seafood Festival
The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua--Beach House Lawn, 6:30-9:30 pm
This is the granddaddy of the festival, and will feature a competition between some of Maui’s finest restaurants for the Best of the Fest. The new 100 Wines, will join veterans such as The Banyan Tree, Capische?, Hali’imaile General Store, Honu, Hula Grill, I’o & Pacific’O, Japengo, Kai Sushi, Leoda’s, Makena Resorts, Maui Culinary Academy, Monkeypod Restaurant, and Roy’s.

Times and Events are subject to change, so for event information on seminars, dinners and tickets to the festival visit www.kapaluawineandfoodfestival.com