The second Del Mar Wine and Food Festival was a huge success, surpassing its impressive debut. San Diego native and Food Network star Troy Johnson, known as a lead judge on Guy’s Grocery Games, set a high standard with last year’s event and exceeded expectations this year.
The six-day festival featured immersive culinary experiences and sold-out dinners across San Diego, concluding with a two-day Grand Tasting. The lineup included top local chefs, Food Network and Top Chef favorites, and sports stars like Drew Brees, Alex Morgan and Rob Machado.
The event also raised funds for Feeding San Diego, continuing last year’s tradition, which generated $25,000 for the hunger relief organization.
In addition to the Grand Tasting, Frank and I attended a seminar called “A Perfect Wine,” led by Ted Glennon, the curator and sommelier for the entire festival. Glennon, a sixth-generation Californian who transitioned from a top sommelier to a winemaker with Vinos Finos de California, brought his extensive festival experience to San Diego, ensuring the seminar’s engaging atmosphere.
Attendees blind-tasted wines and shared their impressions, which were transformed into a crowd-sourced word cloud. Then, they scored each wine.
The panel featured legendary winemaker David Ramey, known for pioneering modern American winemaking techniques and affectionately called “Professor Chardonnay” by Wine Spectator. Ramey, who has shaped California winemaking since the 1970s, provided invaluable insights into what makes a wine truly great.
Joining him were Jonathan Cristaldi, Napa Valley correspondent and critic for Decanter magazine and Editor-at-Large for The SOMM Journal, and Femi Oyediran, co-owner of Graft Wine Shop and Wine Bar in Charleston.
Oyediran, recognized as Food & Wine magazine’s 2019 Sommelier of the Year, brought a fresh, relatable perspective to the discussion. The panelists defended their scores and offered their expert analysis, creating a lively and educational debate.
The highest-rated wine of the seminar was a 2021 Paul Hobbs Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon. This engaging seminar was a highlight of the festival for me.
The Grand Tasting was the main event of the festival, featuring more than 100 wineries and beer/kombucha breweries, mostly from California. Additionally, about 100 restaurants were in the general admission and high-end VIP sections. Both the wine and food were exceptional.
On our way to the VIP pavilion, we encountered chef Dominic Cagliero of Full Send BBQ, who was serving melt-in-your-mouth brisket. The brisket was incredibly flavorful, and so tender it almost seemed to melt like liquid.
As Frank put it, “I want to have this at my funeral.”
For those in the Carson, California, area, you’re lucky to have Full Send BBQ nearby. Just across from Full Send was Tanner’s Prime Burgers. Last year, I learned their only location was at Del Mar Racetrack, but now they have opened a new store in Oceanside. North County San Diego burger fans, you’re in for a treat!
After enjoying our beef delicacies, we made our way to the VIP pavilion, stopping by some of our Paso Robles favorites: Austin Hope, Booker, Daou and J. Lohr. At the Austin Hope booth, CJ and Kylie poured tastings of grenache, malbec, cab franc, and reserve cabernet sauvignon, which is aged for 30 months — 15 months in 50% new French oak, followed by 15 months in once-used French oak. Carson and Anela served Perl (91% syrah, 9% grenache) and Cublie (56% grenache, 24% syrah, 20% mourvèdre) at the Booker booth.
Daou’s Eryn Schnitzler offered tastes of sauvignon blanc, rosé, reserve cabernet sauvignon, and the Pessimist red blend. J. Lohr showcased Arroyo Vista Chardonnay and Fog’s Reach Pinot Noir from their Monterey vineyards, as well as Hilltop Cab Sauvignon and Pure Paso from Paso Robles vineyards.
The VIP pavilion food tastings were exquisite. Fairmont Grand Del Mar Amaya’s executive chef Bryn McArthur and chef de cuisine Roman Garcia served a Croque Madame with ham hock, comté espuma, brioche, and cured ham in an eggshell for sustainability.
The standout of the day was The Marine Room Executive Chef Michael Vaughn’s Savory Charcoal Macaron, featuring cold-smoked beet-cured Scottish salmon, Twarog cheese, lemon verbena, anise hyssop, and ikura, topped with 23-karat gold caviar.
My favorite wine booth of the day was Napa Valley’s Ramey Wine Cellars, where Jeff Boyer, Western U.S. sales manager, treated guests to a tasting of the 2021 Fort Ross Chardonnay, 2017 Roger’s Creek Syrah, 2019 Claret red blend, and a Pedregal Cabernet Sauvignon vertical featuring 2013, 2014, and 2017 vintages.
The Fort Ross Chardonnay offered bright minerality from its high-elevation vineyard. The syrah, grown in the fog-covered Petaluma Gap, delivered savory smoked meat and white pepper notes. The Bordeaux-based Claret blended cabernet sauvignon with syrah, malbec, petit verdot, merlot, and a touch of cab franc.
The Pedregal vertical was a standout, showcasing concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon fruit from the rocky soils of Oakville’s eastern hillside, where neighbors include Screaming Eagle, Tench, and Tierra Roja vineyards. Thank you, Jeff, for this exceptional tasting experience!
After the VIP tent, we stopped by the Amalfi Cucina booth for some Neapolitan pizza and visited a few Temecula Valley booths, including Falkner Winery and Cougar Winery.
Congratulations to Troy Johnson, Ted Glennon, and the rest of the team for creating a second-year wine and food festival that keeps getting better and for supporting Feeding San Diego. More info at delmar.wine.
— Story by Rico Cassoni
Wine Bytes
The Lodge at Torrey Pines hosts Beyond the Cellar: A Fall Wine Collector’s Tasting Experience from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 16. Guests will enjoy exclusive reserve vintages from top California wineries, curated culinary stations with charcuterie and artisan cheeses, and live entertainment. This intimate event offers the chance to engage with winemakers and fellow enthusiasts. Featured wineries include Hundred Acre, Patrimony Estates, Paul Hobbs Winery, and Ramey Wine Cellars. Tickets are $306 per person, inclusive of fees. Purchase at bit.ly/beyond-cellar.
Rico Cassoni, executive producer for Taste of Wine and Food, and founder/advisor Frank Mangio, a renowned wine connoisseur certified by Wine Spectator, are two of the leading reviewers on the web. You can reach them at [email protected].
