What wine pairs best with vegetarian meal?

Veggies & Vino! will spotlight the incredible agricultural riches of harvest season in the Hudson Valley—from great wines to a veritable cornucopia of fabulous vegetables. The event is the result of a partnership with volunteer students from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), who will design the recipes and prepare the food. The event will take place at Whitecliff in Gardiner, NY on Sunday, September 26, 2010.

Yancey Stanforth-Migliore, owner of Whitecliff, presented a selection of wines this summer to some of the students in the nutrition class of Jennifer Stack. Jennifer, who is Nutrition Instructor at the Culinary Institute, is volunteering to partner with Whitecliff on the event. Wines were chosen for variety of style, and include a range from dry to fruity, and light to full bodied. Five student teams have each select a specific wine, and are developing recipes to complement the wine based on foods that are fresh and in season in the Hudson Valley. Just before the September event, Stanforth-Migliore will take the students to meet with local farmers at Four Winds Farm and Talliaferro Farm, two fine local organic growers, to buy produce directly from the farm. At the event, the public will be invited to move between the various tasting stations to taste each wine with its paired recipe, and to speak with the students who designed them.

Jennifer Stack is Assistant Professor in Liberal Arts at the CIA, and is proprietor and executive chef of Cedar Hill Bed and Breakfast, right next door to Whitecliff in Gardiner. Whitecliff Vineyard is an eleven-year old Hudson Valley Winery with a 26-acre vineyard and a strong emphasis on grape-growing. Its European-style wines are featured in some of the region's best restaurants, including the CIA, Gramercy Tavern, and Xavier's, and its Riesling just won Best White Wine in Show at the prestigious San Francisco International Wine Competition.

Tickets at $19 in advance and $21 at the door are available for either of two seatings, at 2 pm and 4 pm. They include tapas sized food portions and tastes of five wines. Weather permitting, lawn seating will be available for the afternoon for $25. Whitecliff is located at 331 Mckinstry Road in Gardiner. For further information, call 845-255-4613.