‘Meet The Masters Wine Dinner’ to Kick Off ‘For The Love Of Cocktails’ Three-day Mixology Festival Feb. 12
For The Love Of Cocktails, a three-day mixology event presented by BACK BAR USA, will kick off with ‘Meet The Masters Wine Dinner’ from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12 at Aureole at Mandalay Bay (Pictured: Tony Abou-Ganim and Mixologists at 2014 For The Love Of Cocktails event).
Tickets are priced at $250 per person and are available at http://www.fortheloveofcocktails.com. Guests will also experience a special, rare and high-end surprise at the end of dinner.
The dinner will begin with a mixer with champagne and wine cocktails prepared by master mixologists Tony Abou-Ganim, Dale DeGroff and Francesco Lafranconi, followed by a five-course meal wine pairing by Las Vegas’ most distinguished sommeliers including Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino and Delano Las Vegas’ Harley Carbery; Bellagio’s Jason Smith, MS; Charlie Palmer’s Steven Geddes, MS; and ARIA’s Nick Hetzel, MS.
Abou-Ganim, DeGroff and Lafranconi will greet guests with signature wine and champagne cocktails crafted using 2011 Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, Red Diamond Temperamental Red Blend and a Michelle Sparkling wine.
Following the cocktail hour, attendees will enjoy a five-course meal prepared by Aureole Executive Chef Vincent Pouessel. Exquisite selections include:
- Fine Potato Galette of Fluke Sashimi and Bulgarian Osetra Caviar with a fennel polen cream;
- Scottish Langoustines, lightly-seared, and served with a minute ratatouille basquaise and confit lemon;
- House-Made Ricotta Cheese, Cavatelli Pasta and Confit Rabbit served with porcini mushrooms and perigord truffles;
- Duo of Grilled Waygu Rib Cap and Slow Braised Beef Cheek with garlic enoki, wilted greens, celeriac puree and truffles jus;
- Orange Cream Semifreddo Flambé with a passion vanilla reduction and a honey toasted rice crisp; mignardises and handcrafted chocolates.
Each course will be paired with a rare, reserve wine from the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates portfolio, expertly selected by Carbery, Smith, Geddes and Hetzel. Wine selections will include a 2002 Nicolas Feuillatte “Palmes d’Or” Brut Champagne, a 2005 Marchesi Antinori Castello della Sala “Cervaro della Sala” Umbria; a 2000 Marchesi Antinori “Pian delle Vigne” Brunello di Montalcino; a 2005 and a 2011 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Estate “S.L.V.” Cabernet Sauvignon; and a 2013 Eroica Ice Wine.
“Meet The Masters” wine dinner will mark the beginning of a nationwide Chateau Ste Michelle wine cocktail contest, open to participants throughout the nation. Finalists will be flown back to Las Vegas to experience For The Love Of Cocktails in 2016.
For The Love Of Cocktails is a three-day event celebrating the art of mixology, hosted by BACK BAR USA in partnership with world-renowned mixologist and author Tony Abou-Ganim and the United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG). Through a series of events held in Las Vegas, attendees will come together to experience great cocktails, celebrate mixology as a craft and support an incredible charitable foundation, The Helen David Relief Fund for Bartenders Affected by Breast Cancer.