Take five Santa Fe chefs at the top of their game. Ask them to prepare one of their signature dishes, and then challenge five renowned sommeliers to find the perfect wine pairing to match. The idea was simple. Gather some of Santa Fe’s most beloved restaurants together with world-class wineries, for an afternoon bacchanal, and show that Southwestern cooking goes with more than salt-rimmed margaritas and icy cold beers.
And so in 1991, The Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta was born, the brainchild of Mark Miller, Al Lucero, and Gordon Heiss. Fast forward and this one-day event has grown to five, with over 70 participating restaurants and 90 winery partners welcoming over 4,000 guests for this one-of-a-kind party.
5 Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta Chefs Find Their Perfect Match
Chef-owner Hue-Chan Karels calls this take on a classic mille-feuille, “the Napoleon-effect.” Instead of traditional puff pastry, Karels and Executive Chef Erica Tai spread shrimp paste between layers of Vietnamese artisan rice paper. Then, they fry them, add juicy sautéed scallops and calamari, and finish with a drizzle of Vietnamese beurre blanc and Asian herb oil.
Wine Pairing: Hugel & Fils, Gentil, Alsace, France
Marika Vida-Arnold, Sommelier and National Fine Wine Brand Ambassador for Frederick Wildman & Sons, chose the wine, from Hugel & Fils, founded in 1639 in the beautiful town of Riquewihr, Alsace. It’s still 100% family owned and managed by the twelfth consecutive generation of the family. This Alsatian winner is a blend of white grapes from an underrated region that truly overdelivers. The spicy aroma of the Gewürztraminer and the floral nose of Muscat are complementary to the lemongrass and mild heat. The pinot gris provides body and the riesling, adds acidity and finesse. Rounded out by the freshness of the pinot blanc and Sylvaner, this is a solid seafood pairing.”
Kyzer Farms Pork Chop with Whole Grain Mustard Demi, Josper-roasted Broccolini, and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
The secret to a great pork chop? It all starts with the pork, says Josh Gerwin, chef-owner of Dr. Field Goods. He goes local with Kyzer Farm pork. “Robert Kyzer has been doing this his whole life. He cares about the pigs and he makes sure they’re happy,” Gerwin says.
Wine Pairing: Frank Family Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Los Carneros, California, 2022
Sommelier Gillian Ballance, MS DWS, and Education Manager at Treasury Wine Estates, found this to be a perfect pairing: “The juicy pork chop with savory mustard sauce accentuates the generous cherry/berry fruit of the pinot noir, while the silky tannins contrast with the richness of the pork and creamy mashed potatoes.”
Jose Montalvo — aka Chef Ziggy—knows a thing or two about wood-fire grilling. At El Nido, the beloved Tesuque restaurant, cooking on the custom wood-fire grill and in the Italian brick oven form the backbone of the menu. Their tomahawk steak is a customer favorite and at 40 oz. is a hearty meal for two.
Wine Pairing: Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2021
Sommelier Joseph Spellman, MS, JUSTIN Vineyards and Winery, Paso Robles and Lewis Cellars, Napa Valley, gravitated to Cabernet Sauvignon. “Lewis Cellars has been producing intense, expressive Cabernet Sauvignon for over three decades for exactly this kind of complex, richly-sauced, beef course. A ripe style of cabernet with high extract, mouth-filling structure, and judicious barrel notes helps resolve the richness of this luxurious cut, and the fruit intensity leavens the spiky heat of the chiles!”
Chef-owner Erin Wade vowed she’d never mess with a Waldorf salad. It’s perfect, so why bother? But she kept thinking of duck and grapes and suddenly the Walduck was born. Each ingredient plays a starring role: earthy duck, crisp duck skin, sweet and tart apples and grapes, crunchy walnuts, slightly bitter frisee, and then a duck fat dressing to counter the bitter. Perfection on a plate.
Wine Pairing: Domaine Dutron et Fils Mâcon Vinzelles ‘En Paradis’, Burgundy, France 2022
Missy Auge, Wine Director and Sommelier at Bishop’s Lodge, an Auberge Resort, recommends the wine. “This vineyard is in the heart of Pouilly-Fuissé showcasing vines nearly seventy years old,” she says. “The grapes are fermented in stainless steel, allowing the incredible complexities of these old vines’ grapes to shine through. Notes of Meyer lemon, honeysuckle, and wet stone, layered over a fresh and bright acidity, make Domaine Dutron ‘En Paradis’ an excellent balance to the decadence of the duck confit.”
Maryland Tempura Soft Shell Crab
Born in Zacatecas, Mexico, Chef-owner Eduardo Rodriguez finds inspiration everywhere from travel, to magazines, and dining out at other restaurants. His Maryland tempura soft shell is a case in point. “I love soft shell crab and this is a fusion using jicama, oranges, and tartar sauce. Something simple and different.”
Wine Pairing: 2022 Donnachiara Fiano di Avellino, Campania
Sommelier Tim Gaiser, MS, looked to Italy’s Campania region. “Fiano is an ancient Greek grape variety that’s been grown in the hills near Avellino in Campania for over 2,000 years. Donnachiara’s 2022 vintage has tart citrus and orchard fruits with pronounced minerality and vibrant acidity – a perfect match for Chef Rodrigez’s tempura Maryland soft shell crab.”
Story and Styling by Julia Platt Leonard / Photography by Daniel Quat / Dinnerware Courtesy of Wild Life Santa Fe
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