Partida And Mondavi: Partners In Pairing

MICHAEL MONDAVI AND GARY SHANSBY PRESENT:
A NEW CONCEPT IN PAIRING DINNERS - TEQUILA & WINE WITH AMERICA'S TOP CHEFS

San Francisco, July 7, 2010 - From June 2010 through January 2011, Gary Shansby, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Tequila Partida and Michael Mondavi of Folio Fine Wine Partners (and a Partida board member) are presenting a series of dinners co-hosted by some of America's top-rated chefs in San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, Dallas, Los Angeles and New York. The dinners will bring together press and restaurant industry professionals to explore the surprising relationships between fine wine and tequila. Many of the things that have been taught about wine such as terroir are equally true for fine tequila, which can also be paired successfully with a variety of foods.

To those in the worlds of fine wine & spirits and business, Gary Shansby and Michael Mondavi are legend. Gary is renowned for his skill in brand building, having turned premium brands like Famous Amos Cookies, Voss Water and Mauna Loa Macadamia Nuts into household names. And Michael has had tremendous personal success as the producer and importer of some of the world's best wines. These pairing dinners are a way for Gary and Michael to showcase their commitment to their brands and their deep connections to the gastronomic world in an intimate setting. Michael will present his family's wines including: M by Michael Mondavi, his signature Cabernet Sauvignon from the Animo Vineyard in Napa Valley; Emblem Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon; and a selection of Isabel Mondavi wines. Gary will pour all four Partida marques: Blanco, Reposado (rated the best tequila in the world by Paul Pacult), A�ejo and the Elegante Extra A�ejo.

The first dinner took place in San Francisco on June 22 with co-host Traci Des Jardins at Jardini�re restaurant. Additional events will take place in Chicago on July 13 with co-hosts Paul Kahan and Mike Sheerin at Blackbird Restaurant; in Miami on August 3 with Philippe

Ruiz of La Palme d'Or Restaurant at the Biltmore Hotel; and in Dallas in September, Los Angeles in October and New York in January. Each dinner is a collaboration between Gary, Michael, and the chef to create a unique menu that is specially suited to enhancing the flavors of the wines and tequilas.

At Jardini�re, renowned chef Traci Des Jardins relished the challenge of creating a special menu to meet this pairing challenge. "Not only am I a fan of fine wines like those from Michael Mondavi, but tequila is my favorite spirit," said Chef Des Jardins. "I enjoyed the opportunity to match Jardini�re food with Partida Tequila and Mondavi wines and created a tasting menu that ranged from seared scallops, braised pork, crispy sweetbreads and roasted porcini mushrooms, to cr�me caramel and peanut brittle - all paired of course with the wonderful flavors of Partida tequilas and Mondavi wines."

The private room at Jardini�re was filled with a mix of notable press, chefs, sommeliers and mixologists who were impressed by the connections made between fine wine and tequila. Nick Peyton, Ma�tre d'H�tel and owner of the renowned Cyrus restaurant commented, "The uniqueness of drinking tequila with food kept me going back to the glasses all evening. For me, the presence of fats in the pork dish provided the 'palate slip' needed to carry the heat of the alcohol in the accompanying tequila. I especially enjoyed the Pork Belly with Partida Reposado, and the pairing of Elegante with the Cr�me Caramel was inspired!" Chef Donna Scala of Bistro Don Giovanni offered further praise of the pairings, saying "the scallop was delicious with the tequila and then the wine with Trio of Pork followed by Elegante with the Flan... it was a celebration on your tongue!"