Slow Food San Francisco's 6th Annual Golden Glass Adds New Competition

 

We wrote about the Italy-originated wonderful Slow Food movement in another column.

This month, Slow food’s annual Wine event takes place in San Francisco:

The Golden Glass
Sunday, June 21 - Fort Mason Center, The Festival Pavilion

• Trade and media review: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
• General admission: 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. (including Slow Food Members)
• Entrance fee: advance purchase, $60 (Slow Food members, $55); $70 at the door; under 21 years of age, $20 (food only). All entry fees include 5 food tasting tickets. Additional food tickets can be purchased at $20 for 5 tickets.

The Golden Glass Event is open to press, trade, Slow Food members and consumers. 

On Sunday, June 21, 2009, The Golden Glass Event, Slow Food San Francisco’s annual fundraiser, will mark its sixth year with the introduction of its first-ever Golden Glass Wine Competition designed to honor and support  sustainable and terroir-expressive wines from around the globe.  This year’s event will again feature the popular Slow Food Plaza.  Focusing solely on food, this “plaza” pays homage to the open food markets found in Italy and other European countries where tasting the best and freshest foods, seasonal vegetables, salami, cheeses and breads directly from the hands of the purveyor is the rule instead of an exception. This year, over 50 local food purveyors are expected to showcase their most flavorful products in taste-sized portions.

Rounding out the event will be an impressive display of over 100 imported sustainable & regional wines, complemented by an exclusive sampling from the Bay Area’s top restaurants and artisanal producers. Originally an Italian wine event, Golden Glass now embraces sustainable and terroir-expressive wines from around the globe, namely from Spain, Greece, Argentina, Chile, Portugal, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and of course continue to showcase a collection of indigenous wines from Italy. The year's most talked-about international wines will be complemented by culinary delights from the Bay Area's top restaurants and artisan producers, including A16, Absinthe, Acquerello, Blue Bottle Coffee, Digs Bistro, Heaven's Dog, La Mar Cebicheria, RN74, Poggio Trattoria, SF Baking Institute, Slow Club, Stella Cadente, and Trattoria Corso, among many others.

The proceeds of the Golden Glass event benefit key Slow Food San Francisco initiatives, including the School Gardens Initiative and Slow Food USA’s Ark of Taste program.

Chaired by renowned sommelier and educator, Charlie Arturaola, and judged by over a dozen acclaimed national wine experts, the 2009 Golden Glass Competition will award golden glasses – as well as silver and bronze distinctions –  to the best “slow” wines the world has to offer.

Judging for the competition will encompass several varietal categories: white, mono red and a red blend, as well as sparking. Golden Glass awards (and bronze and silver distinctions) will be given to the best wines tasted in each of three price ranges: $8-$15, $15-$25 and over $25.  Participating wines reflect the Slow Food principles of “good, clean and fair” production practices – whether organic, sustainable or biodynamic. 

“In a time when the world is looking for ways to better care for our planet and our natural resources, the Golden Glass will identify and promote wineries that understand and practice these principles,” states Golden Glass Competition Chair, Charlie Arturaola. “With the Golden Glass event and competition, we believe by combining efforts with Slow Food USA, a leader behind the promotion and education of these core values, we can expand this very important message of conservation and preservation.” 

This year’s event will again feature the popular Slow Food Plaza.  Focusing solely on food, this “plaza” pays homage to the open food markets found in Italy and other European countries where tasting the best and freshest foods, seasonal vegetables, salami, cheeses and breads directly from the hands of the purveyor is the rule instead of an exception. This year, over 50 local food purveyors are expected to showcase their most flavorful products in taste-sized portions.

Winemaker Dinners
Week of June 15-21
Restaurant participants will pair up with winemakers to offer pre-fixe menus during the week of The Golden Glass. More information can be found here.

Wine Seminars
Saturday, June 20 – location and times TBD
This year Slow Food will be hosting 3 wine seminars on Saturday June 20th. Wine professionals will attend via invite, and there will be a limited number of tickets sold to the public. More information can be found here.