WINEMAKERS AND SPECIAL GUESTS
Celebrity Winemakers, Chefs, Craft Beer Brew Masters and Special Guests
2019 celebrity winemakers, chefs, craft beer brew masters and special guests are being confirmed and will be posted at a later date.
Stay tuned!
CULINARY VILLAGE
The Food
The 2018 Savor South Walton Culinary Village and Nosh Pavilions offered an array of food tastings, food and wine pairings and access to the people who make these amazing dishes. During the festival weekend, enjoy food prepared by South Walton chefs and local favorites including Scott Plumley, Culinary Director, The Craft Bar FL / The Wine Bar FL, Chef Wesley True, Executive Culinary Director, The Gulf Restaurants, and the venerable Yoshie Eddings of Harbor Docks.
2018 Chefs and Special Guests Included:
Scott Plumley, Culinary Director, The Craft Bar FL / The Wine Bar FL and South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival
Chef Wesley True, Executive Culinary Director, The Gulf Orange Beach, Alabama, The Gulf Okaloosa, Florida and Season 13 Top Chef Contestant
Chef Yoshie Eddings, Harbor Docks
Chef Ted Morrison, Barefoot’s on the Beachside Bar & Grill, at Hilton Sandestin Beach
Mona B. McGee, Mac Farms
VIP Tastings
VIP Tasting guests enjoyed delectable small plates prepared by favorite local Chefs and sipped the award-winning, prized wines presented and poured by our celebrity winemakers.
A Taste of Grand Boulevard
Another Broken Egg Café
Cantina Laredo Modern Mexican Food
Emeril’s Coastal Italian
everkrisp
Grimaldi’s Coal Brick Oven Pizzeria
Kilwin’s Chocolates, Fudge & Ice Cream
P.F. Chang’s China Bistro
Tommy Bahama’s Restaurant & Bar
The Wine Bar
2018's Scrumptious Cuisine Included:
Craft Beer & Spirits Jam: Friday
Enjoy scrumptious small plates on EATS STREET at this year’s Craft Beer & Spirits Jam provided by local favorites, including:
Brotula’s Seafood House & Steamer
Cabana Café
Café Rico
Cantina Laredo Modern Mexican Food
Cuveé Kitchen & Wine Bar
Jackacuda’s Seafood & Sushi
Roux 30A
Slick Lips Seafood & Oyster House
The Bistro at the Courtyard Marriott Sandestin at Grand Boulevard
The Craft Bar
Culinary Tent: Saturday & Sunday
Presented by The Wine Bar
Alabama Goat Cheese Fritters, San Marzano Tomato Sauce
Avocado Sourdough, Marinated Baby Tomatoes, Aleppo Pepper
Presented by The Craft Bar
Heureux Beef Slider, Aged Gouda, Tomato-Bacon Marmalade, Coastal Blue Farms Micro Arugula
Low Country Shrimp & Grits, Conecuh Sausage, Shellfish Nage, Collard Greens
Rosé All Day Garden: Saturday & Sunday
Presented by Chef Wesley True
Beets with whipped blue cheese, onions, cucumber and thyme in a lemon vegetable broth
2018 WINE & FOOD SEMINARS INCLUDED:
Enjoy a preview of our 2018 Seminars. The 2019 Seminars are being planned as we speak so check back for exciting details as we are able to announce them and purchase your tickets today!
Entrance into the Tasting Seminars is included with your Grand Tasting ticket. Seating is first come, first serve.
Anthony & Olive Hamilton Russell, Hamilton Russell Vineyards,
Saturday, April 28
1:30 - 2:15 p.m.
Anthony and Olive Hamilton Russell
Hamilton Russell Vineyards – Cape Wine and Classic Cuisine
On Saturday, April 28, Anthony and Olive Hamilton Russell of Hamilton Russell Vineyards, as well as Southern Right and Ashbourne wineries, kicked off the festival Tasting Seminars. Anthony presented his spectacular South African wines while Olive, a successful cookbook author, shared exciting food recommendations with which to pair their wines.
The tasting seminar covered their renowned Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines produced by Hamilton Russell Vineyards, located in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, South Africa. In addition, attendees tasted their lauded white wines produced at Southern Right and Ashbourne wineries.
Wines that were poured and tasted included:
Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir 2017
Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay 2017
Ashbourne Sauvignon Blanc/Chardonnay 2016
Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc 2017*
*2018 GOLD Medal Winner/South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival International Wine Competition
Rob Samuels, Maker's Mark,
Saturday, April 28
2:45 - 3:30 p.m.
Rob Samuels
Maker’s Mark: The Samuels Family Legacy
Master Distiller, COO and grandson of the founders of Maker’s Mark, Rob Samuels, led an educational tasting seminar on Saturday, April 28 from 2:45 – 3:30 p.m. Samuels walked participants through a unique whisky flight, including White Dog (unaged bourbon), Maker’s Mark, Maker’s 46 and Maker’s Mark Cask Strength, while sharing stories of his family’s rich bourbon history.
Bourbons that were poured and tasted includes:
Makers Mark Bourbon 90
Makers 46 Bourbon 94
Makers Mark BBN Cask St 110.7
White Dog Unaged Bourbon
Michael Landis, Institut de Fromage,
Saturday, April 28 and Sunday, April 29
4:00 - 4:45 p.m.
Michael Landis
Pairings Across the Board
Michael Landis has more than 11 years experience in teaching and writing about Specialty Cheese and has been an American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional since 2012. He has been awarded the exclusive title of Garde et Juré as designated by France’s Guilde Internationale des Fromagers Comfrérie de Saint-Uguzon in 2011 and has participated seven times as a World Cheese Judge at both the World Cheese Awards in Birmingham, England, Global Cheese Awards in Cheddar, England and the International Cheese Awards in Nantwich, England.
Michael conducts cheese seminars along with beer, wine, food and cheese paring seminars around the country. He is a frequent guest on NBC’s Daytime, CBS’s Morning Show, teaching cheese 101, at the Great American Beer Festival, American Cheese Society Conference, Craft Brewers Conference, and the California Artisan Cheese Festival and has been teaching food and beverage pairings at Cooking Schools since 2001 and involved in the Food and Beverage industry since 1995. Michael writes training manuals, pairing guides and the CheeseWire for the Institut du Fromage.
Mathieu Pouchan, Salon Delamotte,
Sunday, April 29
1:30 - 2:15 p.m.
Mathieu Pouchan
Four Important Bruts of Great Charm
On Sunday, April 29 from 1:30 – 2:15 p.m., Mathieu Pouchan of Salon Delamotte led an educational tasting seminar on the timeless classic, Champagne.
House of Delamotte has been a benchmark in Champagne since 1760 and remains a highly sought-after and respected Champagne. Its sister, Champagne Salon, is regarded as one of the greatest champagnes on the market. It was originally the product of one man, Aimé Salon, from one single region, the Cote de Blancs, from one single cru, le Mesnil-sur-Oger, from one single grape variety, Chardonnay, and from one single vintage, with no blending. The result is a critically-acclaimed Champagne made in the blanc de blanc style.
Champagnes that were poured and tasted included:
Delamotte Brut
Delamotte Blanc de Blancs
Delamotte Blanc de Blancs 2007*
Delamotte Brut Rose**
*2018 BRONZE Medal Winner/South Walton Beaches Wine& Food Festival International Wine Competition
**2018 SILVER Medal Winner/South Walton Beaches Wine& Food Festival International Wine Competition
David Adelsheim, Adelsheim Vineyard,
Sunday, April 29
2:45 - 3:30 p.m.
On Sunday, April 29 from 2:45 – 3:30 p.m., David Adelsheim of Adelsheim Vineyard took attendees through the integral role he played in the success of the Oregon wine industry. He discussed the roots of Adelsheim Vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains. Finally, Adelsheim discussed the stellar trajectory of Willamette Valley Chardonnay.
Wines that were poured and tasted included:
Staking Claim Chardonnay
Ribbon Springs Chardonnay
Breaking Ground Pinot Noir
Elizabeth’s Reserve Pinot Noir
