A TREND AND A TWIST
Author: Carolyn Koenig
October 2007
Food + Beverage
According to futurist and trend-spotter Faith Popcorn (real name Faith Plotkin, in case you’ve ever wondered), three makes a trend. See or hear it once, it’s an exception. Twice are a couple of anomalies. But three—that’s a trend.
And the trend we’re buzzing about lately is hotel wines. Not the ubiquitous house pour, but wines connected to the brand in interesting ways.
Take Waldorf=Astoria, for instance. This top-tier brand has long had an equally top-tier sparkling wine crafted for its landmark property in New York. The cava is now produced by Freixenet, the Spanish sparkling wine producer with a renowned family history. Pronounced “fresh-en-net,” the wine is made in the classic methode champenoise tradition and is available in the brut style at its restaurants and events.
An unexpected entry is Marriott’s “trashy” wines—available only at the San Francisco Marriott, near Moscone Center. Talk about terroir! In a very green, ecologically prudent plan, all of the hotel’s compacted food scraps (over a half-million pounds a year) are trucked to Jepson Prairie Organics, a compost facility in Vacaville, where they are converted into a nutrient-rich soil amendment used by several local vineyards. Working with the vintners, Marriott offers a selection of premium wines for sale at the property’s View Lounge and Atrium Bar. Among the reasonably priced choices are Luna’s pinot grigio, Bouchaine’s chardonnay, Saintsbury’s pinot noir and B.R. Cohn Silver Label’s cabernet. They’re perfect for those who are passionate about the environment—or who just enjoy a nice robust red or a crisp white. (One man’s garbage is another man’s vintage, as they say!)
The newest bottling on the block is Hyatt Corporation’s signature Canvas Wines, named to reflect “the art of living.” This is a brand-wide initiative, rolling out at properties throughout the U.S., including San Francisco last spring and, just launched last month, the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort and Spa. The three handcrafted wines—a 2005 California chardonnay, a 2004 California cabernet sauvignon, and a 2005 Califoria merlot—were developed in partnership with Folio Fine Wine Partners, a Napa Valley-based company owned by the Michael Mondavi family. All three can be enjoyed on their own or paired with a meal.
AND NOW, THE TWIST
Hotels, restaurants—even wineries—have hopped on the “winemaker dinner” bandwagon. At these events, specific wines are paired with a special four-course meal. The winemaker speaks to the group about the winery’s history, the vineyard, the growing season for that vintage and the nuances of the wine itself. Often the chef will come out and talk about the pairings as well.
What hasn’t happened until last April is meeting attendees being able to hop on a boat for the experience. But last spring, Hornblower Cruises & Events in San Francisco quietly launched their version of winemaker dinners—at sea. These are being held in partnership with some of Northern California’s top wineries, such as Beaulieu Vineyard, Edna Valley, Sterling Vineyards and Solaris Wines.
Guests are greeted with champagne (or sparkling wine or white wine, depending on the winery), along with passed hors d’oeuvres; as the sit-down dinner progresses, they’re treated to heavy-body chardonnays and then to reds. The cruise, on San Francisco Bay, allows magnificent views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the city. “It engages all the senses,” says Todd Crain, Hornblower’s food and beverage director.
Winemaker dinners can also be arranged in several of Hornblower’s other ports: San Diego, Newport Beach and Berkeley. For more information about the dinner, contact the company through their reservation site.
