NAPA VALLEY, CA – On Saturday, April 27, over 850 wine and food enthusiasts came together at HALL Wines in St. Helena to raise awareness for local charities at the 10th Annual Cabernet Cookoff. 13 Bay Area chefs teamed up with a charity of their choice to compete in a food and wine pairing competition by creating small bites paired with 2015 HALL Ellie’s Cabernet Sauvignon. The event was hosted by Craig and Kathryn Hall and was emceed by Natalie Morales, TODAY West Coast Anchor/Host of Access. In total, four winners were announced including two People’s Choice Awards and two Judges’ Choice Awards. In total, $106,000 stemming from 100% of event proceeds benefited Napa Valley non-profit organizations.
“On Saturday at the 10th Anniversary of the HALL Cabernet Cookoff, we were thrilled to announce that since the start of this event 10 years ago, over $1 million has been raised for Napa charitable organizations,” say Craig and Kathryn Hall. “We applaud the participating chefs and charities and all the generous guests who showed up on a beautiful sunny afternoon celebrating great food, wine and fun.”
Participating chef teams included Acacia House, Brix, Goose & Gander, Gran Electrica, Harvest Table, InterContinental Mark Hopkins, KAIYO, One Market Restaurant, Paula LeDuc Fine Catering, Press, Tarla Mediterranean Bar & Grill, Blossom Catering Company, and Bounty Wine Bar & Smokin’ BBQ.
Each chef team selected a charity to compete for. Non-profits involved in 2019 included Napa Humane, Soroptimist International of Vallejo, Hands Across The Valley, Swords to Plowshares, St. Helena Hospital, CIA Scholarship Fund, NEWS, St. Helena Farmer’s Market, Voices: Foster Care for Independence, Collabria Care, Napa Valley Food Pantry, Puertas Abiertas, Zero Prostate Cancer Napa Valley.
Natalie Morales, TODAY West Coast Anchor/Host of Access, served as the official emcee for the event. Morales helped keep the guests excited about the competition throughout the day and announced the winners alongside hosts Craig and Kathryn Hall at the end of the event. Additionally, ten-time Emmy award winner, NBC Bay Area News Anchor Raj Mathai served as the Charity Champion during the Main Event by encouraging guests to learn more about the deserving non-profit organizations participating.
The 2019 judging panel included actress Wendi McLendon-Covey, television personality Shep Rose, Michelin-rated Chef Ken Frank, La Toque, and wine critic Virginie Boone with Wine Enthusiast Magazine. The two 2019 Judges’ Choice Awards winners were:
• 2019 Judges’ Choice – First Place
Chef: Mark Dommen, One Market Restaurant
Dish: Roasted Lamb Loin; Braised Lamb Loin, Anson Mills Polenta, Charred Scallions
Charity: Collabria Care
• 2019 Judges’ Choice – Runner Up
Chef: Nate Smith, Blossom Catering Company
Dish: 1300 A.D. Roman Ribs
Charity: CAN-V Food Bank Napa Valley
Guests in attendance were tasked with selecting their favorite dish for the two 2019 People’s Choice Awards by using Microsoft Surface tablets. The two Peoples’ Choice Winners were:
• 2019 People’s Choice – First Place
Chef: Chad Bayless, InterContinental Mark Hopkins
Dish: Lamb Belly Tacos
Charity: Swords to Plowshares
• 2019 People’s Choice – Runner Up
Chef: Brandon Watts, Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin’ BBQ
Dish: Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Charity: Napa Humane
Event sponsors included The Microsoft Store at The Village at Corte Madera, Corkcicle, Colorescience, Nixon-Peabody, My Office Products, Bright Rentals, Cypress Grove Cheese, Alastin Beauty, Topo Chico Water, Signum Architecture, Benefit Marketing, Imprezziv, Print Inkorportated, LUX Productions, Barbier Security and ALKAR.
Prior to the Main Event, Kathryn Hall hosted a cooking demonstration as part of the VIP Preview alongside celebrity Chef Ari Taymor. The demo included Chef Ari preparing Beet-Cured Hamachi Toast paired with a selection of wines that included a library offering of HALL Jack’s Masterpiece Cabernet Sauvignon.
The 11th Annual HALL Cabernet Cookoff will take place on Saturday, April 25, 2020. Tickets are available now at 2020 Cabernet Cookoff. For more information contact HALL Wines at www.hallwines.com or 707-967-2626, and follow HALL Wines on social @hallwines #cabernetcookoff.
HALL Wines: The Art of Cabernet
HALL produces award-winning Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, available to taste and purchase at two properties in Napa Valley as well as at hallwines.com. Owned by Craig and Kathryn Hall, its vineyard collection features eight Estate Vineyards, of which five are Certified Organic (CCOF). Led by Vice President and Head Winemaker Steve Leveque, HALL’s portfolio includes 19 distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings highlighting the finest vineyards and sub-appellations of the Napa Valley. The HALL St. Helena winery was the first LEED® Gold Certified Winery in the State of California in 2009 and earned another LEED® Gold certification for its high tech production facility and tasting room in 2014, making HALL a leader in green efficiencies. HALL’s 2008 Kathryn Hall Cabernet earned the #2 spot in Wine Spectator’s Top 100. Two other bottlings, the Exzellenz and Rainin Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons have garnered multiple 100 point ratings in recent years. For more information about HALL, please visit www.hallwines.com or call 707.967.2626. @hallwines #artofcabernet.
