Kitsap Wine Festival

Once again the Kitsap Wine Festival proved to be a tasty benefit for the Harrison Medical Center Foundation of Bremerton. It is held annually in August at the Harborside Fountain Park (photo at right) located at the west end of that city's ever-growing waterfront. With the Park so close to the ferry terminal, it is easy to walk there after the fifty minute boat ride from Seattle.

Attending this year proved to be a marvelous way to spend a sunny, and very hot, summer afternoon. With temperatures soaring into the mid-90s every bush and tree became overly important for any small amount of shade they could provide, along with the colorful umbrellas that brought relief to the wine tables. The only problem with the latter was that tasters tended to linger longer.

Water gushing and cascading randomly from the four fountain towers and live music playing in two locations brought cooling sounds and a relaxing ambiance to the proceedings. Wine and food tables were arranged in bunches along the walkways and around open areas of the park; none so close to the fountains as to get splashed, although considering the heat of the afternoon, many wished they might.

Anthony's at Sinclair Inlet offered a trio of tastes: steamed Mediterranean Mussels marinated in ginger sauce, Tenderloin Oscar Bruschetta with fresh Dungeness crab, and Tropical Nachos consisting of taro chips with a salsa of mango, pineapple and kiwi mixed in a creamy wasabi aioli.

Photo: Anthony's Restaurants Regional Chef Randy Bergau (left), Chef Paul Jensen (3rd from left) and kitchen crew from Anthonys at Sinclair Inlet

The Kitsap Conference Center at Bremerton Harborside showed four selections: endive leaves topped with a sweet potato and bacon mix, red pepper wrapped with prosciutto, pita rounds topped with caramelized onions on Boursin cheese, and crostini topped with goat cheese and diced fresh peaches.

CJ's Evergreen Catering served nova cured salmon strips with wasabi and red onion, some deliciously outrageous Mexican meatballs, and mini lemon kisses (tarts) topped with fresh raspberries. Boston Pizza and Deli had garlic pizza and assorted calzone, and the Greek Salad from The Clubhouse at McCormick Woods' was a crisp and refreshing bowl of field greens, kalamata olives, cucumber, pine nuts, feta cheese and shrimp.

For dessert Bella Bella Cupcakes came up with several very different offerings: Very Vanilla, Lemon Raspberry, and the unusual Irish Kiss flavored with Panther Lake Porter from Silverdale's own Silver City Brewing Company, and dark chocolate cream with Irish Cream frosting.

With over 30 wineries from Washington and Oregon pouring over 120 wines, there were many good pairings to be found. Favorites included Thurston Wolfe's Petite Syrah 2007, Northwest Totem Cellars Late Harvest Viognier 2007, Chinook Wines Cabernet Franc Rose 2009, Chatter Creek Pinot Gris 2008, DiStefano Meritage 2005 and Argyle Winery Brut 2006.

Photo (l-r) Gordy Rawson (Chatter Creek), Jerry Rockhold (Chatter Creek) and Clay Mackey (Chinook Wines)

The date for the Third Annual Kitsap Wine Festival has not been decided yet, but it will definitely be in August. Check their website for updates, www.kitsapwinefestival.com, and mark your calendars now as this is a fun and enlightening afternoon not to be missed in 2011.

Penny Rawson/October 2010

All photos courtesy of Jim Rawson

Penny Rawson is a long-time Northwest food writer and owner of Penny Rawson Public & Media Relations.