NEW ORLEANS (press release) – The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience (NOWFE) announces its 2024 Labs & Experiences Series as part of its 32nd annual event set for June 5 – 9. Throughout the extended 5-day event, NOWFE will present more than a dozen wine and food labs and unique, hands-on experiences. NOWFE will also host its main stage events—Vinola, Tournament of Rosés, The Grand Tasting, and Burlesque, Bubbly & Brunch.”We are excited about the variety of wine and food education that we are presenting this year,” said Aimee Brown, NOWFE’s executive director. “There is something for every level of wine and food knowledge. Two of our previous experiences were so popular that we have brought them back for an encore presentation. So, if you missed it in the past, here is your chance to check it out in 2024.”
2024 Labs & Experiences:
All LABS will take place at the New Orleans Marriott Warehouse Arts District Hotel, 859 Convention Center Blvd.
Friday, June 7, 10 – 11 a.m.
LAB:Amplify American Wines: Oregon, $75
When Oregon’s wine pioneers looked out across the state’s varied landscape in the 1840s, they saw what others didn’t: a perfect place for wine. Not only has Oregon established an international reputation for its production of world-class wine, but it also ranks fourth in the United States. With dozens of micro-climates and soil types throughout the state, Oregon’s wine varieties are distinct and delicious. Explore the brilliance of these wine varieties from the most appealing appellations and discover what makes Oregon’s wines so special. Carton Hill Vineyard Owner and Winemaker David Polite will be on hand to pour his wines (AVA Yamhill Carlton) and discuss Oregon growing and winemaking. Poured alongside will be Willamette Valley Wines from La Crema and King Estate Winery, the largest Biodynamic® certified vineyard in North America.
Friday, June 7, 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
LAB:Knights Valley: Terroir and the Sequence of Intentional Winemaking, $75
Join Knights Bridge Winemaker Derek Baljeu to discuss the defining characteristics of Knights Valley, one of Sonoma County’s first five AVAs. Baljeu will also share how Knights Valley terroir and winemaking with intent drive decisions in the vineyard and winery, from grape to bottle. Situated at the foot of Mount St. Helena, just north of Calistoga, beautiful Knights Valley holds a special fascination. Located in a narrow valley bordering the Mayacamas mountain range that divides Sonoma and Napa Counties, this easternmost Sonoma County appellation, known for its warm days and cool nights, is the warmest viticultural region in the county. This special place continues to enshrine the rough beauty and ambition of the West but contains a classic finesse and style that makes this one of the most unique wine-growing regions in the world.
Friday, June 7, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
LAB:Vino, Vida, Vici, $85
Take a tasting tour of Italy with veteran Sommelier Marika Vida. Learn about the iconic wine-producing regions (Piedmont, Tuscany, Puglia, oh my!) and discover some lesser-known along the way. Currently, 334 DOCs and 74 DOCGs produce wine across the country, from the cool northern reaches of Piedmont and Alto Adige to the sunbaked southern regions of Puglia, Calabria, and Sicily. The range of diversity in Italian wine is broader than ever as winemakers work to revive, preserve, and share Italy’s indigenous grapes with the world. It’s La Dolce Vita in the Big Easy!
Friday, June 7, 1:45 – 2:45 p.m.
LAB:Riedel: How the Glass Affects Wine, $120
Join us for a unique sensory experience of a comparative Riedel Wine Glass tasting. Riedel will guide you through an enjoyable and educational event that will show the effect the shape and size of a glass have on our perception and enjoyment of wine. You will also be introduced to the new Riedel Veloce collection, which is made by machine but with the look and feel of handmade glass! Wine pairings by Rombauer Vineyards. Participants will each take home a set of four Riedel glasses.
Friday, June 7, 2 – 3:30 p.m., Current Crop Roasting Shop, 3931 Magazine St.
EXPERIENCE:Coffee Roasting, $75Join us at Current Crop Roasting Shop– we will welcome you with a specialty Coffee Cocktail, then settle in to learn about the general roast levels of coffee and how to achieve those roast levels with a Fresh Roast air roaster. Each guest will try a light roast, medium roast, and dark roast from three different regions of the world and will take home all the coffee you roast in the class and a swag bag.
By the end of this class, you will:· Know the differences in roast levels & common terms· Be able to achieve your favored roast level· Understand the basics of using an air roaster
Friday, June 7, 2:30 – 4:00 p.m., Picnic Provisions & Whiskey, 741 State St.
EXPERIENCE: Old-Fashioned Cocktail Masterclass with Picnic Provisions & Whiskey, $175
Back by Popular Demand!This hands-on demo will teach attendees how to make a classic Old-Fashioned and a Black Old-Fashioned, including details regarding whiskey, bitters, and syrups. A family-style picnic to pair with the cocktails will follow, featuring Picnic’s Craveable Crawfish Boil Fried Chicken and other tasty treats like Campfire S’mores. Guest speakers will give insight into the inspiration for the dishes on the menu.
Friday, June 7, 3:30 – 5 p.m., Plates Restaurant & Bar, 1051 Annunciation St.
EXPERIENCE: Tempranillo & Tapas, featuring wines from Enriquez Estate Winery, $150
In Spain, during the evening, locals stroll the cobblestone streets, gathering in tapas bars and bodegas to eat and drink, flirt and debate, and revel in simple pleasures. An evening eating tapas is like a courtship; it should be long, leisurely, and tantalizing. The cadence of culinary life in Spain is slow-paced, and like the food — the wine, especially Tempranillo — tastes rich and lusty. Tempranillo is food-friendly and plays nicely with big flavors, so it is perfect to pair with tapas. Join Owner/Winemaker Cecilia Enriquez of Enriquez Estate Winery for a leisurely afternoon tasting of her limited production Tempranillo, accompanied by an array of tapas crafted by Executive Chef/Owner Farrell Harrison at Plates. Qué delicioso!
Saturday, June 8, 10 – 11 a.m.
LAB: Masterclass: Winemaker for a Day Blending Lab with Marietta Cellars, $100
Our wine blending lab, led by Bryan Lynch of Marietta Cellars, lets you become the winemaker and become a participant in the winemaking process. During this hands-on lab, we will break down the components of barrel samples while discussing the origins of the wine, review the varieties of grapes, and take a step-by-step look at the delicate blending process. Next, with a blending kit in hand and four different varietal samples from the winery, we will work independently and have an opportunity to blend your own California Rhone-style wine. Finally, taste our Marietta Christo and compare it to your final blend. Become more adventurous and knowledgeable about the art of blending, understand why soils and climate change tastes and aromas, and leave with a greater understanding of what’s in your glass at home.
Saturday, June 8, 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
LAB: Pét Nat – The Laid Back Libation, $75
Pétillant Naturel wines (aka pét-nats) popped onto the wine scene within the last decade, along with other natural, organic, and orange wines. But to some degree, they’ve become a part of the everyday wine world; you can find a pét-nat at your local wine store just as easily as you can at a shop focusing solely on esoteric natural vintners. Pét-nats are sparkling wines made in a manner that predates the “traditional method” used in Champagne (and for other sparkling wines). Rather than induce a second fermentation in the bottle to create the bubbles, as Champagne producers do, makers of pét-nat simply bottle the wine before the initial fermentation has ended. The result is softly fizzy, sometimes lightly sweet from residual grape sugars, and sometimes hazy with unfiltered yeast particles. According to Food & Wine Magazine, pét-nats are casual. “They’re easy going. They didn’t brush their hair when they got up, and they threw on yesterday’s jeans. Some pét-nats are downright funky. On the other hand, some are as clean and precise as can be.”Come as you are – casual and natural are “de rigueur” to taste through selected Pét Nats and other natural wines paired with organic snacks.
Saturday, June 8, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm, Galatoire’s, 209 Bourbon St.
EXPERIENCE: Goûter at Galatoire’s, $215
Let us introduce you to the cultural tradition of le goûter – the noun of the verb “to taste,” and a cultural afternoon tradition in France dating back to the 19th century, perhaps even as far back as the Renaissance. Executive Chef Philip Lopez will serve up a tasting of demi-portions of Galatoire’s favorites that have won the hearts of New Orleanians for over a century including Soufflé Potatoes with Béarnaise, Turtle Soup, Crab Maison, Shrimp Rémoulade, Oysters en Brochette, Oysters Rockefeller, Canapé Lorenzo and Crêpe de Canard. Galatoire’s Sommelier Morgan Fouss will select wines to pair with the goûter groupings.
Saturday, June 8, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
LAB: Drink French Fluently, $85
Enjoy French wine but would like to know more? French wines serve as the foundation for most people trying to understand the wines of the world. After all, the French created the first nationwide appellation system that has since become the model for the European Union. Join veteran Sommelier Marika Vida on a wine-tasting tour through some of France’s most famous wine regions: Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhône Valley, Loire, and Alsace.
Swirl, smell, and sip like a Somm at this Tour de France!
Saturday, June 8, 1 – 2:30 p.m., Reginelli’s Pizzeria, 930 Poydras Street
EXPERIENCE: Italian Fare with New Orleans Flair: Interactive Pizza Making Class & Wine Pairing at Reginelli’s Pizzeria, $150
Back by Popular Demand! Try your hand at tossing freshly made dough, craft your own pizza, then take a seat and enjoy a trio of Reginelli’s signature appetizers as you await your masterpiece from the pizza oven. Your meal will be paired with Murphy-Goode wines and capped off with tiramisu. Mangia!
Saturday, June 8, 2:30 – 4 p.m., Current Crop Roasting Shop, 3931 Magazine St.
EXPERIENCE: Cupping Class with Pastry Pairing, $75
In this class, we will taste various coffees from around the world in order to evaluate the nuances of coffee flavor, aroma, fragrance, acidity, aftertaste, and body. Coffee cupping (also known as coffee tasting) is the globally standardized method for evaluating coffee quality and flavor profiles. Whether you’re a first-time coffee drinker or a seasoned connoisseur, this class is perfect for those interested in learning more about the wide world of coffee production and flavor. Current Crop Roasting Shop will go through three completely different coffees set by set, talk about what you smell and taste, and help you get more specific about what tasting notes you experience in each coffee. Enjoy a delicious pastry selected to pair with each coffee cupping.
Saturday, June 8, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m., Bacchanal, 600 Poland Ave.
EXPERIENCE: La Fiesta Sud Americana at Bacchanal, $215
Join us for a Bacchanal of an evening filled with South American cuisine prepared by los mejores cocineros Joaquin Rodas from Bacchanal, Alfredo Nogueira from Cane and Table, and Wilfredo Avelar from Mawi Nola. Wine pairings will be poured by Flambeaux Wine – a winery with deep connections to New Orleans that crafts limited-production artisan wine celebrating the rich diversity of Sonoma County, California terroirs.
