Food, wine provide perfect pairing at festival
The connoisseur and the novice will get a chance to connect over music, cooking demos and 200 fine wines from all over the world this Friday and Saturday during the fifth annual Naperville Wine Festival at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St.
It's an opportunity to taste, purchase and learn about the world of wine at all levels. Area restaurants will serve specialties to compliment the samples of wine from 32 vendors.
Chad Tennant is one of the organizers from inPlay Events who began the festival five years ago in Naperville. The group offers a full tasting ticket as well as a designated driver ticket to make sure patrons sample responsibly.
Q. What can festival guests expect this year?
A. In addition to the fine wines, we will have music that includes Michael Heaton, which is a cross between rock 'n' roll and jazz; Anne Harris, who has a unique jazzy rock 'n' roll sound and is an up-and-coming young artist; and the New Invaders, a band that takes rock 'n' roll from the '60s to the '90s and is a ball to watch.
Shields Hood is a speaker who takes all the mystery out of the wine-tasting experience; you'll learn about wine in a relaxed and understandable way.
Q. What do the restaurant chefs do at the festival?
A. They pick one or two of their favorite recipes and share their cooking secrets with the audience.
Q. What is a highly versatile wine to pair with food?
A. With any food, I would say a merlot in the red wine category. It is a smooth wine that would not overpower food. In white wine, a chardonnay is always a good choice with food.
Q. What hype and fuss is well-deserved over a new wine?
A. The prosecco are Italian sparkling wines that well deserve their hype and fuss. The other is rosés that are growing in popularity because they used to be very, very sweet, but now winemakers are taking some of the sweetness out. There now are semi-sweet and even dry rosés that people are beginning to enjoy, and rightly so, because the wines go with any occasion and any food.
Q. What areas in the world are up and coming in wine production?
A. The areas that have exploded in the last few years are all in South America -- Chili, Argentina and Peru. In the states, the Northwest is bringing in different kinds of grapes, for instance, the Riesling grapes are growing in popularity. Missouri wines also are becoming world class.
Q. Can all wines be stored for aging or are there specific ones that can and others that will spoil?
A. As a general rule, red wines can be held for 10 to 15 years. However a red wine, a Beaujolais, is meant to be drunk in the first couple years. White wines are best used in the first four or five years; they do not hold up as well.
Q. What wine would you uncork for a special celebration?
A. Champagne and sparkling wines are usually reserved for that so I'd go that way since it is so traditional and fun.
Q. Is the 2007 grape crop destined to be a good vintage?
A. It's hard to say because the quality of grapes and production is entirely dependent on the weather. It has been a mix between very wet and very dry in California so it can be a little iffy. But I have been told France should be a great vintage.
Q. If you want to impress someone, what wine would you bring as a gift?
A. As a gift, I might bring something new that they haven't tried before like perhaps a Malbec from South American, which is a very nice, new and interesting red wine.
Q. How does the Naperville Humane Society benefit from the festival?
A. We donate a portion of the festival receipts to that fine organization.
Q. Do you use volunteers?
A. Yes, we do. A volunteer can work a couple of hours at the festival for us for either day and we give them a ticket to enjoy the day they are not working. We have regular volunteers who come each year. Volunteers can call (630) 420-8989 to sign up.
If you go
What: Naperville Wine Festival
When: 4 to 10 p.m. Friday and 3 to 10 p.m. Saturday
Where: Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville
Tickets: $20 if purchased before 8 p.m. today or $25 at the gate for the 10 sample tasting ticket; $5 for an additional 10 tastings; $10 designated driver/no wine sample ticket until 8 p.m. today and $15 at the gate
Details: Due to licensing, wine sales and samples stop at 9:30 p.m. and the festival ends at 10 p.m.
Info: (847) 382-1480 or www.napervillewinefestival.com
Schedule
Friday
6 p.m. Shields Hood, Bordeaux Wine Bureau
6:35 p.m. Dan Huebschann, executive chef of The Clubhouse Restaurant in Oak Brook
7:30 p.m. Michael Heaton Band
Saturday
4 p.m. Shields Hood
4:50 p.m. Anne Harris Band
6:45 p.m. Terrell Cole, executive chef at Sullivan's Steakhouse in Naperville
7:45 p.m. The New Invaders Band