Chefs and Vintners Team Up For Lexus Culinary Classic

Photo Credit: Sherman Chu

Cavallo Point Lodge, tucked away beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, was the ideal setting for the 2015 Lexus Culinary Classic, which took place March 6-8. This three-day food and wine fest at this historic property in Sausalito brought 11 celebrity chefs together for culinary celebrations and wine pairings from premier California vineyards.

At the Grand Tasting, the culmination of the weekend’s festivities, the lodge’s lush greenery and shaded lawn tables provided a picturesque backdrop to the day’s sunny gathering as guests mingled, sipped and snacked in the gorgeous 70 degree weather. The secluded and tranquil environment of Cavallo Point only enhanced the haute food and drinks guests were invited to enjoy, thus rounding out what was praised as the ideal weekend getaway for those in need of a break from the bustle of city living.

Attendees to the stunning bayside resort came bedecked in vintage Chanel sun dresses, varicolored Ralph Lauren polos and an unquenchable thirst for the Sauvignon Blancs and Cabernets being showcased. Among the multiple amenities and offerings from the celebration, highlights were a Napa Valley wine tasting, a Sonoma winery dinner and an interactive cooking class demonstration with lunch.

While executive chefs from 11 Lexus hotel partners created specialty dishes for the Grand Tasting— we particularly loved Kyle Koenig’s decadent milk-fed porchetta—premier wines from 20 leading vintners in Napa Valley, Sonoma and Marin County were poured in curated pairings. Stand-outs within the multitude of tastings included the Ram’s Gate 2012 Carneros Chardonnay with subtle notes of vanilla and a selection of 1960s Charles Krug wines from Napa’s oldest winery, presented by Peter Mondavi and Master Sommelier Carlton McCoy.

This marks the first year Cavallo Point has worked with Lexus to put on this event at the property; hopefully there will be many more years to come.

Photo Credit: Sherman Chu