HARVEST WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL

November 7, 2021

Harvest Wine Festival: Grand Tasting pours once more!

By Michelle Farnham
Nov. 7, 2021

WATERCOLOR – The fifth annual 2021 Harvest Wine & Food Festival Grand Tasting was a celebration of wine, a celebration of food, but it also celebrated a return to normalcy. After public health concerns canceled the weekend’s premier event in 2020, wine lovers turned out by the hundreds to WaterColor’s Cerulean Park Nov. 6 for an afternoon of sunshine and fall flavors.

Two gals — The Harvest Wine & Food Festival was back for its fifth year.

Guests enjoyed samples from 51 tables, including food, wine and spirits tents, and the beer garden.

Fox Bros. B-B-Q owners Jonathan and Justin Fox were back, this time collaborating with fellow Atlanta restaurateur Craig Richards of Lyla Lila. The trio rolled out a multi-course menu, starting with burnt ends and provolone arancini with pepperoni sausage. Later in the day, they offered tasters of cacio e pepe agnolotti over smoked beef cheeks, then pit-smoked porchetta with giardiniera.

Seagrove hotspot Old Florida Fish House was on hand, as Chef Michael Sichel brought the flavors of fall with his crab and butternut squash risotto. He was energized to see the sold-out crowd out enjoying food and wine again.

“It’s lovely to see everyone, everyone feels safe and comfortable in their environment,” Sichel explained. “The hospitality world is all about making people feel good about themselves, so to be able to have this event today and have everyone feel so free, I just love to be a part of it.”

Those lucky enough to score a VIP ticket were treated to a set from local up-and-comer Skylar Capri, singing her “Maybe We Should Run Away From Here.” VIPs also enjoyed bites from Alys Beach newcomer The Citizen, The Henderson and Sunquest Catering. Roy Estates was pouring alongside Purlieu Wines and local favorites Idyll Hounds.

Representing The Citizen, Chef Drew Dzejak plated Calabrian shrimp with homemade focaccia – heralded by many as the best bite of the day.

“To be out here, it feels like normalcy again,” Dzejak said with a smile as he stirred a pan of shrimp. “It feels normal to get back to the food, and the VIP tent is always the best place to be!”

Other food offerings included goat cheese crustini from Perfect Pig, tuna poke bowls from Jackacuda’s, and tuna dip from Destin Ice Market 30A.

Among the capacity crowd was Cathy Perschbacher of Dallas, who has been bringing her family to the 30A area for years, but she and her girlfriends recently were thrilled to learn about the Harvest Wine Festival.

“It’s a totally different experience from coming with your family, you know, a girls’ trip. We’re having a great time,” she said.

Her strategy was to ditch the tasting guide, not worry about bottle prices, and let her tastebuds do the deciding.

“I take pictures of my favorites with my phone, and that way I know what I want to buy on my way out!” Cathy explained, pointing to the retail tent.

Table — Wine lovers turned out by the hundreds to WaterColor’s Cerulean Park Nov. 6 for an afternoon of sunshine and fall flavors.

The Harvest Wine & Food Festival is presented each year by the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, benefitting Northwest Florida children’s charities. The weekend includes private winemaker and celebrity chef dinners, a Sunday brunch, and virtual silent auction. The DCWAF’s next event is April 22-24, 2022, as part of the South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival.

For more photos, follow us on Instagram at 30afoodandwine

Photos by Michelle Farnham

July 10, 2018

DESTIN CHARITY WINE AUCTION FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES THE RETURN OF HARVEST WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL OCTOBER 25-27 2018

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Special Contribution to 30a Food & Wine

After a wildly successful inaugural year, Harvest Wine & Food Festival is returning to South Walton October 25-27 for three eventful days that are sure to delight wine and food aficionados alike. Produced by Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF), Harvest Wine & Food Festival has been labeled one of the premier fall festivals in the southeast that provides patrons the opportunity to sip and savor over 250 world-class wines paired with the best in regional Gulf Coast cuisine, all while enjoying the beautiful beach town of WaterColor.

CHECK OUT OUR COVERAGE FROM LAST YEAR AT THE INAUGURAL HARVEST WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL

“We are thrilled to bring Harvest Wine & Food Festival back to the South Walton community,” said DCWAF President, John Russell. “We felt that our first year was a huge success, and are excited to continue to grow the event in an effort to offer our patrons the perfect experience to compliment a beautiful fall weekend at the beach. We’re thankful for the continued support of our friends at WaterColor as venue and lodging sponsors for this extraordinary event benefiting children in need in Northwest Florida.”

Ticket prices vary based upon event day and go on sale to the public July 1 at 10 am online at www.HarvestWineandFood.com. Weekend passes and lodging packages are also available through the WaterColor Inn and 360 Blue.

Currently ranked number three “Top Charity Wine Auction in the US” by Wine Spectator Magazine, Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF) is one of the nation’s premier fundraising organizations, raising money for 15 Northwest Florida children’s charities that assist at-risk youth in the local community by tackling a variety of issues including homelessness, food insecurity, mental health, education, medical care, and much more.

Harvest Wine & Food Festival features some of the world’s premier vintners, proprietors, and award-winning chefs showcased throughout three separate days of events. The festival kicks off Thursday evening with three highly anticipated wine dinners held throughout South Walton, each featuring a celebrity winemaker. Jean-Noel Formeaux, proprietor of VGS Chateau Potelle, will headline a dinner at Seagar’s Prime Steaks and Seafood presented by Krueger, Fosdyck, and Associates Merrill Lynch. Elton Slone and Rachel Miller of Robert Craig Winery will headline a dinner at the new Vin-tij Wine Boutique and Bistro location in Grand Boulevard presented by Crystal Collins Spencer, Attorney at Law, Spencer Law PA. The third celebrity winemaker dinner will be announced later in the summer.

On Friday, October 26, the Al Fresco Reserve Tasting held on WaterColor’s Butterfly Lawn will offer festival-goers a selection of library wines that feature rare vintages not easily accessible in the marketplace. An array of perfectly paired hors d’oeuvres and live music all set to a breathtaking star-filled sky will make for a memorable and elegant evening.

The Grand Tasting, held from 1 to 4 pm Saturday, October 27 in Cerulean Park is the main event and is designed to highlight harvest season at the beach. Large seafood, barbeque, and provisional stations manned by celebrity chefs from throughout the southeast and complimented by the best restaurants along the Emerald Coast are combined with tasting stations featuring over 250 wines from around the world. Craft beer and spirit tents and an exclusive VIP experience will also be available.

“We’ve created a new tradition for festival-goers along the Emerald Coast,” Russell said. “Guests should be prepared to taste their way through every staple of coastal cuisine ranging from freshly caught seafood to farm fresh vegetables and cheeses all the way to traditional smoked barbeque prepared by the south’s finest pit masters.”

It wouldn’t be a DCWAF event without the opportunity to bid high and bid often. A silent auction featuring a variety of rare wines, staycations and unique experiences will open Friday, October 26 and will run through Sunday, October 27 at noon. The opportunity to purchase wine and other merchandise on-site will also be available throughout the duration of the festival.

Additional festival events and participants will be released throughout the summer.