five local chefs ... one local pig from Bev Eggleston and 4 from wherever ... zero local wines.
Cochon 555 sounds like a great event but it's just one more food event that forgets we have a couple of decent wines to offer in the Mid-Atlantic. I'm not suggesting that all five of the wines should be from a local winery ... just one would at least recognize that there are family wineries in the back yard of your traveling fundraiser. I think coming here with five California wineries is insulting ... but they are not alone ... I've gone to several local farm-to-table dinners where you are supposed to swoon because the local dirt is still attached to the roots of the local plant and the pig for dinner just ran by the kitchen door, but we can't find one wine to serve from one of our family wineries.
Bravo, Michael! Too many of these events - and restaurants that tout their local ingredients - forget that wineries are "local farms", too. Remember those dinners Alice Waters did in DC during the Obama inauguration to trumpet the cause of local foods and her idea of an organic garden at the White House? All California wines, and not even organic ones ...
Keep up the good work!
Posted by: Dave McIntyre | May 29, 2009 at 09:41 AM
A pet peeve of mine as well, but on the other hand, the local wine industry seems to lag behind other places when it comes to sustainability efforts. Doubt the cold shoulder is the way to inspire them to make changes, though.
Posted by: Colleen | June 08, 2009 at 03:32 PM
in what way do they lag ... I know with organic and chemical issues they have a hard way to go with keeping the vineyards productive with the humidity here ... but I would like to hear where you're coming from ... I have no problem with taking issues directly to the industry
Posted by: MICHAEL BIRCHENALL | June 08, 2009 at 03:38 PM