The inaugural Orlando Wine Festival and Auction benefitting the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation took place the weekend of March 15, 2019.
Here’s a video of some of the weekend’s highlights.
The weekend began with a series of dinners at private homes throughout Central Florida, including one at the Isleworth residence of Robert and Tricia Earl, with Iron Chef Morimoto in the kitchen.
During the cocktail reception, guests nibbled on sushi rolled by the Iron Chef himself. Then we were seated for a five-course dinner that included Mizuhiki Salad; Smoked Sakura Masu poached in olive oil; Kinmedai Nitsuke, or simmered fish; and A-5 wagyu beef that the chef cooked in front of the guests.
Accendo Winery provided the pairings.
On Saturday afternoon, a grand tasting was held at the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes Resort.
An auction with some pretty big prizes followed. The Ultimate Super Bowl Experience package brought in $40,000. A trip to Bordeaux netted $38,000 and a luxury stay in Paris and London brought $28,000. Two lots, a visit to Oregon’s Alexana Winery ($20,000) and New York Fashion Week with Pamella Roland ($22,000), sold twice.
The weekend finished on Sunday with a Magic game against the Atlanta Hawks. The Magic won, thanks to my table mate from the Friday night dinner.
