Fresno State hosts the annual Fig Festival. This was my second year in attendance, and the 9th year running. For 10$ you can sample fig inspired eats from local restaurants and eateries, and for 15$ you can sample those eats and delicious local wines with a bonus fig fest wine glass!
This year we sampled delicious bites from Fleming's (a fig, artichoke, onion, and mushroom flatbread), P*DE*Q (amazing mini pão de queijo BLT's with crumbled bacon and butter leaf lettuce and a cream cheese fig jam that was out of this world with the bacon), Whole Foods (vegan fig and date brownie with a cashew cream and raspberry garnish), Dusty Buns + Enzo Olive Oil ( crostini with figs, olive oil, and duck), Love and Garlic ( ah-MAZ-ing fig spread) and lastly, some sweets with Rosetti Fine Foods + Biscotti House ( mission fig with white chocolate and biscotti crumbs).
Oh yeah, Trelio made some BOMB fig glazed pork tacos with pickled jalapeños.
It's local festivals like this that showcase local eats and major creativity from these restaurants and eateries.
Paired with wine, and it's an experience out if this world.
We stopped at the Birdstone Winery booth where they were tasting the Syrah, Tempranillo, and Pinot Noir. While the folks at Birdstone know what they are doing with their wines, and you really can't do wrong with any, the Syrah was my favorite. Slightly sweet, with berries and a little bit of spice and leather, the Syrah paired extremely well with Fleming's flatbread.
Cru is another Madera winery that does it right. I sampled a nice dry Rosé of Pinot Noir, a Albrino that was crisp and smooth, and a delicious Chardonnay.
Quady is hands down my favorite moscato-maker. It may be the sparkle, but red or the signature orange blows me away every time; sweet, bubbly, with that Thompson grape sweetness and light citrus notes. I was floored to try Quady's Essensia, a syrupy, orange & apricot bomb. But the Elysium, a black muscat wine, sweet and berryish, may have blown the others out of the wine barrels so to speak: it was delicious and decadent.
Lastly we sampled San Joaquin Wine Co. They make a mean Green Eyes Moscato, and a pink version as well. Moody Press Cellars is their other label , so we sampled their Cabernet Sauvignon. OMG. I wish they were selling, I would have bought a bottle. I think it was the pomegranate Sangria that won my heart though. It was the best pomegranate wine I have ever sampled.
It is unfortunate they don't sell wine at this event. But I guess it is safer for my wallet...
Living in the Central Valley, we are fortunate to have Vinters of two wine trails (Fresno & Madera) so close together, growing & producing so many different and delicious wines.
This year we sampled delicious bites from Fleming's (a fig, artichoke, onion, and mushroom flatbread), P*DE*Q (amazing mini pão de queijo BLT's with crumbled bacon and butter leaf lettuce and a cream cheese fig jam that was out of this world with the bacon), Whole Foods (vegan fig and date brownie with a cashew cream and raspberry garnish), Dusty Buns + Enzo Olive Oil ( crostini with figs, olive oil, and duck), Love and Garlic ( ah-MAZ-ing fig spread) and lastly, some sweets with Rosetti Fine Foods + Biscotti House ( mission fig with white chocolate and biscotti crumbs).
Oh yeah, Trelio made some BOMB fig glazed pork tacos with pickled jalapeños.
It's local festivals like this that showcase local eats and major creativity from these restaurants and eateries.
Paired with wine, and it's an experience out if this world.
We stopped at the Birdstone Winery booth where they were tasting the Syrah, Tempranillo, and Pinot Noir. While the folks at Birdstone know what they are doing with their wines, and you really can't do wrong with any, the Syrah was my favorite. Slightly sweet, with berries and a little bit of spice and leather, the Syrah paired extremely well with Fleming's flatbread.
Cru is another Madera winery that does it right. I sampled a nice dry Rosé of Pinot Noir, a Albrino that was crisp and smooth, and a delicious Chardonnay.
Quady is hands down my favorite moscato-maker. It may be the sparkle, but red or the signature orange blows me away every time; sweet, bubbly, with that Thompson grape sweetness and light citrus notes. I was floored to try Quady's Essensia, a syrupy, orange & apricot bomb. But the Elysium, a black muscat wine, sweet and berryish, may have blown the others out of the wine barrels so to speak: it was delicious and decadent.
Lastly we sampled San Joaquin Wine Co. They make a mean Green Eyes Moscato, and a pink version as well. Moody Press Cellars is their other label , so we sampled their Cabernet Sauvignon. OMG. I wish they were selling, I would have bought a bottle. I think it was the pomegranate Sangria that won my heart though. It was the best pomegranate wine I have ever sampled.
Living in the Central Valley, we are fortunate to have Vinters of two wine trails (Fresno & Madera) so close together, growing & producing so many different and delicious wines.
