My trip to Salt Lake was worth it for the Park City Wine Festival alone

Every October, wine lovers descend on the scenic region to indulge, relax and take in some impressive mountain views

By Adam Waxman

Autumn drapes itself over the mountains like a soft felt patchwork of copper and yellow and serenity. Clusters of white aspens with leaves of shimmering gold coins stand in silent prayer to a blue topaz sky, crested by snow-capped peaks that crown the valley below.

Pan-seared trout at Powder. Photo by Adam Waxman/Dine and Destinations Magazine
Pan-seared trout at Powder. Photo by Adam Waxman/Dine and Destinations Magazine
The braised Wagyu short rib at Powder. Photo by Adam Waxman/Dine and Destinations Magazine
The braised Wagyu short rib at Powder. Photo by Adam Waxman/Dine and Destinations Magazine
Wine and s’mores. Courtesy of Park City Tourism
Wine and s’mores. Courtesy of Park City Tourism

The goal of wine pairing is the synergistic effect of combined gastronomic elements. In our second wine session, “Portuguese Paradise Lunch,” Sommelier Kellie Martin shares with us her pairing principles.

Martin explains that structurally, wine has acid, which our palates perceive as sour. It has alcohol, which we perceive as heat. It has tannin (if it’s a red wine), which we perceive as bitterness. What enables balance is the fruit of the wine. When we smell fruit, our brains think “sweet.” However, in wine pairings, like cancels like, so the lesser of the two sweet components will have its sweetness cancelled out, making a wine taste completely unbalanced.

Diver scallops, celeriac puree, blood orange, pistachio, and a micro salad. Photo by Adam Waxman/Dine and Destinations Magazine
Diver scallops, celeriac puree, blood orange, pistachio, and a micro salad. Photo by Adam Waxman/Dine and Destinations Magazine

If the only inherent sweetness to the wine is the aroma of fruit, and we pair that with something that has actual sweetness to it, it’s going to cancel the sweetness and leave us with the sour, bitter, heat. If we want to pair a wine with something sweet, the wine must be sweeter than the food.

Martin tells us that tannins bind with fat and proteins, so just as the wine changes the complexion of the dish, so too does the dish change the complexion of the wine. Sure enough, the Prats & Symington Prazo de Rorizfrom the Douro Valley that, for me, is too grippy and peppery on its own, completely changes with the pairing of herb-crusted rack of lamb and shoulder with Port wine risotto, lamb jus and caramelized fig, and immediately becomes silky.

Herb-crusted lamb, port wine risotto, lamb jus, and caramelized fig on a plate
Herb-crusted lamb, port wine risotto, lamb jus, and caramelized fig. Photo by Adam Waxman/Dine and Destinations Magazine

When in doubt, Martin suggests the traditional method that sparkling wines pair with anything. They can do it all, because acid goes with acid, and acid cuts through fat, so the high-acid sparkling wines with a little bit of sugar and complexity can take us from our salad to our dessert.

People raising their glasses to cheers. Photo by Scott Warman/Unsplash
People raising their glasses to cheers. Photo by Scott Warman/Unsplash

Re-entering the Pendry, I join other wine sleuths for the “Wine is Blind” event. Armed with a glass and a checklist, I make my way across the 26 concealed wines on display to guess their identity. The only hint we’re given is that each one is rated 90+. All my note taking is in vain, since I guess every single one of them wrong. But, the cheese and charcuterie boards and the dessert tables are all scrumptious, a DJ is spinning tunes, and everyone is celebrating like it’s New Year’s Eve. We may not solve the mystery of wine tonight, but we’ve happily discovered the Dionysian spirit that flows with joie de vivre in this majestic valley of Park City.

The Grand Tasting at the Park City Wine Festival. Courtesy of Park City Tourism
The Grand Tasting at the Park City Wine Festival. Courtesy of Park City Tourism

Time for the main event: The Grand Tasting. The sun is shining and the cabriolet whisks us up the mountain to the inviting aroma of charcoal-grilled burgers, pastas and a colourful array of wine, beer and spirits. I think cowboy hats are sexy, so I’m wearing mine.

Someone pouring wine at the Park City Wine Festival. Courtesy of Park City Tourism
Someone pouring wine at the Park City Wine Festival. Courtesy of Park City Tourism

The joy and ease of the Park City Wine Festival is that like-minded enthusiasts have assembled in the most gorgeous setting to share and appreciate new wines from the most renowned wineries and wine regions, as well as it being a forum for emerging wineries to showcase what they have to offer. Park City is model of sustainability. Seeing the world through swirling rosé-coloured glasses, I can appreciate that this is the most beautiful time of year for a delicious taste-of-place amidst spectacular scenery and warm Park City moments.

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