Seattle Wine & Food Experience Weekend

Way too much wine and food fun

People often say "time sure flies!" But never when they are referring to Seattle Wine and Food Experience (SWFE) or POP! Bubbles and Seafood. It's more like "is it almost time?"

In its eighth year, SWFE is still delighting its followers. It offers a single place to taste a large variety of beverages and food from the West Coast and beyond. It's always fun, but you learn a lot, too. You can compare varietals and terroir, experience great pairings you might not have thought of yourself, find new things coming on the market, and so much more. And if you can retain even a little of it, you'll sound really smart when you talk about food and wine.

Last year was the first for POP!, a pairing of seafood offerings along with Champagne and sparkling wines. "This year, I wanted to take it up a notch," explains Jamie Peha, event creator/organizer. "It will take place at McCaw Hall instead of the Center's Exhibition Hall tented courtyard. Top local culinary talent will prepare bites using fresh and sustainable seafood from Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute and local seafood companies. Seattle Caviar and Taylor Shellfish will present The Oyster Room with multiple oyster varieties to taste, new preparations, and recipes. Local cookbook author Cynthia Nims will debut her new book, Oysters! Recipes that Bring Home a Taste of the Sea. With more than 40 sparkling wines from around the world, you will get a true taste of the wide variety of sparklers: Washington sparkling, Spanish Cava, French Champagne, Italian Prosecco, Alsation Cremant. There will also be seafood-friendly white wines, local beer, and specialty cocktails with Glass Vodka. A new piece of the puzzle this year is the Reserve Red Room and Chocolate Salon by Cacao Barry." Plus you can dance to DJ Dubré Hayes' musical choices!

SWFE's Grand Tasting will have more than 190 leading wine brands, craft brewers, cider makers, distillers, and chefs. Gourmet bites from restaurants, farmers, and food purveyors show off the bounty of the Northwest. As always, experiences inside the overall Grand Tasting allow you to focus in on particular areas of interest, and get a little more in-depth information.

This year's experiences include the Ste. Michelle Riesling Challenge, Northwest Wine Academy Wine School, Heritage Meats Butchery Block, Nicky USA Wild About Game feature, and Brews and Ewes by Stella Artois and the American Lamb Board. In addition, Top Pot returns and you can honor the potato with Tim's Cascade Snacks and the Washington Potato Commission, and Acqua Panna/San Pellegrino. Find out more about agri-tourism in six Northwest regions through the Northwest Travel and Life Experience. This year's featured region is the Yakima Valley, and the Yakima Valley Tourism folks will be on hand to answer questions and share tastes of what they grow in their featured area, paired with handcrafted wine, beer, cider, and the latest eateries from the valley. The QFC Advantage Reserve Lounge will offer specially-selected reserve wines poured by knowledgeable QFC wine stewards, including wines from Col Solare, Erath, Spring Valley Vineyards, and others.

Chefs include Federico Ramos of Agave Cocina & Tequilas, Jennifer Izaguirre of Bell + Whete, Thoa Nguyen of Chinoise Café and Wabi Sabi, Aaron Willis of Delicatus, Bill Ranniger of Duke's Chowder House, Gavin Stephenson of the Fairmont Olympic Hotel, Adam Stevenson of Frol!k, Kaspar Donier of Kaspars, Stew Navarre of Local 360, Leslie Mackie of Macrina Bakery & Café, Harry Mills of Purple Café & Wine Bar, Wayne Johnson of Shuga Jazz Bistro, Zach Martinez of Sullivan's Steakhouse, and Brian Scheehser of Trellis, plus more. You know you're going to be tasting some pretty wonderful things.

Both POP! and SWFE benefit Les Dames d'Escoffier Seattle, a non-profit organization of women leaders in food, beverage and hospitality. Their purpose is to educate, advocate and give back. A number of talented authors, chefs, brewers, and winemakers from Les Dames will be featured at the events (including the aforementioned Cynthia Nims). The Les Dames D'Escoffier Alley will be their home base with Les Dames from Anthony's Pier 66, Gelatiamo, Gnocchi Bar, Hot Stove Society, Kaspars Special Events & Catering, Macrina Bakery, and Pike Brewing Company.

While it probably doesn't need to be said, this is a 21 and over only event. You must have a valid ID to be admitted. No children or babes-in-arms.

This is an entire weekend of culinary immersion that can't be captured in words. Just go experience it.

POP! Bubbles & Seafood
McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St
Seattle, WA 98109

Saturday, February 20, 2016
6-9 p.m.
Tickets are $75

Seattle Wine and Food Experience
Seattle Center Exhibition Hall
300 Mercer St
Seattle, WA 98109

Sunday, February 21, 2016
General admission, 1-5 p.m., $60
SWFE VIP, noon-5 p.m., $75 (includes early entrance, custom tote bag, VIP area)

To enjoy both POP! and SWFE VIP, weekend tickets are $140

Tickets can be purchased on SWFE's website: www.seattlewineandfoodexperience.com

Connie Adams/December 2015