By The Glass David Ellis

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Big Isle event was a delight

THE FOURTH annual Big Island Festival, held at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Nov. 9-12, showcased the culinary and cultural diversity of the Big Island, and featured some of Food and Wine magazine's Best New Chef winners.

This year the wine program reached new heights with the addition of world-class wineries and wine personalities. The wines were presented in seminars and cooking demonstrations by Steve Olson, one of the most respected educators in wine and beverages. Joining him were master sommelier Andrea Immer and Doug Frost, who is one of only three people in the world to hold the titles of both master sommelier and master of wine.

One of the special winery guests was Leonardo LoCascio, founder of Winebow Italian Imports. Leonardo is one of the most influential personalities in showcasing the diversity of wines from all of Italy. He conducted an Italian Lifestyle Seminar featuring 15 wines. Highlights were the earthy and rustic Regaleali Rosso Nero d'Avola from Sicily ($15.99), the rich and delicious Falesco Pesano Merlot from Umbria ($14.99) and Maculan Pinot and Toi ($13.50) from the Veneto -- a delightful blend of pinot gris, pinot blanc and tocai. We ended that seminar ready to catch the next flight to Italy!

The wines of Allegrini Winery from the Veneto were presented by Maralisa Allegrini at a dinner prepared by chef Daniel Humm of Campton Place at Donatoni's Restaurant. The ripe and rich Allegrini Palazzo della Torre Single-Vineyard Valpolicella ($19.99) was featured, along with the winery's showcase Amarone Classico ($75), served with herb-roasted venison.

Johannes Selbach of Weingut Selbach-Oster made the trek all the way from the Mosel in Germany to showcase his truly amazing 2004 Estate Rieslings. During a morning cooking demo with chef David Myers from Sona in Los Angeles, Selbach gave the attendees a sampling of riesling from dry to sweet.

Both his citrus-laden Selbach Riesling "Dry" ($12.99) and his Estate Riesling Kabinett ($18.99), with its layered apple and mineral flavors, were served with ahi sashimi, marinated in fresh basil, with pickled papaya, daikon and lilikoi.

Demo Course No. 2 was shrimp ceviche with Big Isle hearts of palm and passion fruit, which paired beautifully with Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese ($29) and the seductive Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese ($35).

Highlights of other seminars included one on single-vineyard pinot noirs with Immer, and such wines as Foxen Winery Bien Naicido "Block 8" ($45) from winery owner Dick Dore and the elegant, rich and spicy Quail Hill Vineyard from Lynmar Winery in Russian River ($48).

"Spain Goes Native" featured hot new Spanish wines presented by Frost, one of the foremost authorities on the subject. Great values were Vina Naia (100 percent verdejo), with bright mineral and citrus notes, great for seafood ($12.99) and Finca Luzon (monastrell and syrah), rustic with ripe berry fruit from organically farmed grapes ($10.99).

If you weren't there, you missed out! Mark your calendars for November 2006. A must for wine enthusiasts and all you foodies.

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