Trying out Food Network’s brand new wine line; Entwine set to arrive in Knoxville next week

Bear Stephenson and Mickey Mallonee trying the new wine last night.

Bear Stephenson and Mickey Mallonee trying the new wine last night.

Talk about a good idea — and the right folks to bring it to market!

The folks at Food Network want to make wine more accessible to more people. They want to teach Americans how wine and food go together and complement one another. And they want us to feel comfortable selecting wines to go with our everyday in-home meals.

To that end, Food Network has partnered with Wente Vineyards of California, America’s oldest continuously operated family-owned winery, to create four new wines. The wines are named entwine to signify the entwined relationship between food and wine. There is a pinot grigio, a chardonnay, a merlot and a cabernet sauvignon. They will be priced between $10 and $15 and will arrive in three Knoxville liquor stores next week, according to Scripps Networks exec Chris Powell, with whom I shared dinner last night. Powell said the wines will be available at Ashe’s Wine & Spirits, Bob’s Package Store, and Campbell Station Wine and Spirits.

When I saw these cocktail napkins, I knew it would be fun!

When I saw these cocktail napkins, I knew it would be fun!

Powell said the partnership between Food Network and Wente has been in the making for about two years and culminated in April during a meeting in San Francisco. “The power of the brands resulted in an authentic strategic partnership that connected good folks who shared a good idea,” Powell said.

The entwine marketing team is making every effort to de-mystify both wine and the art of pairing wine with food. On the back label of each of the four bottles is a simple listing of foods — and situations — that might go well with the particular wine. And the foods are items we all consume every day. For instance, here are the suggestions for the pinot grigio: salty cheeses, guacamole, Asian takeout, tropical fruit, ham, white fish, and hors d’oeuvres on the porch. (Love that!)

One of the entwine labels

One of the entwine labels

The occasion last night was a wine tasting fundraiser held at Ruth’s Chris Steak House to benefit the Knoxville Area Urban League’s Walter Hardy Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships for minority students entering health care fields. (Both Chris and I serve on the board of the Urban League.) The Urban League Young Professionals organized the event, along with Scripps Networks folks, and it was a huge success, with the $50 per person tickets selling out almost immediately. They are sure to cost more next year!

Powell said Food Network and Scripps plan to partner with Urban League Young Professionals and Ruth’s Chris in Chicago, Houston, Dallas and Atlanta for similar evenings as the entwine roll-out continues. It’s the perfect target audience if you are trying to reach young, upwardly mobile folks who like to try new things. If they start thinking of wine as an everyday addition to their dinner table now, they’ll be wine lovers the rest of their lives.

Here’s a look at some of the fun last night:

Server Sarah Wolfe and others greeted guests with pinot grigio as they entered the bottom floor of Ruth's Chris.

Server Sarah Wolfe and others greeted guests with pinot grigio as they entered the bottom floor of Ruth's Chris last night.

The Johnson Swingtet provided mellow music on the patio as we noshed on cheese and fruit and bid on silent auction items.

The Johnson Swingtet provided mellow music on the patio as we noshed on cheese and fruit and bid on silent auction items.

Inside where it was much cooler, Chris Powell, left, chatted with Wanita Niehaus and Tori Griffin.

Inside where it was much cooler, Chris Powell, left, chatted with Wanita Niehaus and Tori Griffin.

The evening's auctioneer, Bear Stephenson, and Lydia McCoy of the News Sentinel.

The evening's auctioneer, Bear Stephenson, and Lydia McCoy of the News Sentinel.

Urban League board member Al Pirie, right, shared a table with Donna and Lamar Warren.

Urban League board member Al Pirie, right, shared a table with Donna and Lamar Warren.

Former Urban League board chair Annette Winston, left, brought Courtney Wright as her guest.

Former Urban League board chair Annette Winston, left, brought Courtney Wright as her guest.

Ruth's Chris executive chef, T.J. Saunders, introduced the food courses.

Ruth's Chris executive chef, T.J. Saunders, introduced the food courses.

First course was breaded goat cheese on toast rounds with mixed greens in house vinaigrette. It was paired with chardonnay. (I loved it, even though I normally don't like goat cheese OR chardonnay!)

First course was breaded goat cheese on toast rounds with mixed greens in house vinaigrette. It was paired with entwine chardonnay. (I loved it, even though I normally don't like goat cheese OR chardonnay!)

Veal osso bucco ravioli was then paired with entwine merlot. I tasted the sauce and drank the merlot. (I don't eat veal because of animal cruelty concerns.)

Veal osso bucco ravioli was then paired with entwine merlot. I tasted the sauce and drank the merlot. (I don't eat veal.)

The filet and shrimp were served wtih garlic mashed potatoes and wild mushrooms. The entwine cabernet sauvignon was a perfecct complement.

The filet and shrimp were served with garlic mashed potatoes and wild mushrooms. The entwine cabernet sauvignon was a perfect complement.

Our friend Thom kept the wine coming.

Our friend Thom Habecker kept the wine coming.

Dessert was this mini cheesecake with fresh berries.

Dessert was this mini cheesecake with fresh berries.

"The definition of an auctioneer is a man who picks your pocket with his tongue!" declared Bear Stephenson, here with Stephanie Halouma of Scripps. (He sure picked mine!)

"The definition of an auctioneer is a man who picks your pocket with his tongue!" declared Bear Stephenson, here with Stephanie Halouma of Scripps. (He sure picked mine!)

Damon Rawls, here with his wife Carmanelette, is president of the Urban League Young Professionals.

Damon Rawls, here with his wife Carmanelette, is president of the Urban League Young Professionals.

Urban League board member Gwen Brown and her work colleague Chris Delgoetz.

Urban League board member Gwen Brown and her work colleague Chris Delgoetz.

From left, Gloria Carter, Angela Murray and Fanesha Powell seemed to be having fun.

From left, Gloria Carter, Angela Murray and Fanesha Powell seemed to be having fun.

From left: Bret Maser, Ashley Miller, Romey Gutierrez, Liz Young, Jen Zonar, Chris Wall, Jeremy Sachanarski, and Juliana Hoskins

From left: friends from Brunswick Boat Group Bret Maser, Ashley Miller, Romey Gutierrez, Liz Young, Jen Zonar, Chris Wall, Jeremy Sachanarski and Juliana Hoskins

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9 Responses to Trying out Food Network’s brand new wine line; Entwine set to arrive in Knoxville next week

  1. Ellen Robinson, on August 26th, 2011 at 2:55 pm said:

    Sounds wonderful — we love Wente! It’s a great vineyard that makes great wines and has a fabulous restaurant. Can’t wait to try entwine! Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

  2. Annette Winston, on August 26th, 2011 at 4:12 pm said:

    We were trying to get seconds of that veal ravioli. Wow! That was good stuff.

  3. Cynthia Moxley, on August 26th, 2011 at 4:19 pm said:

    Annette: If I had only known, you could have had mine! Fun, wasn’t it?

  4. BeccaV, on August 26th, 2011 at 4:39 pm said:

    So jealous! Sounds like a great evening!

  5. Mickey Mallonee, on August 28th, 2011 at 4:35 pm said:

    The wine and food were outstanding. So much of an evening is your table mates. We laughed the entire evening.

  6. Cynthia Moxley, on August 28th, 2011 at 10:05 pm said:

    Agree, Mickey! My face hurt from grinning!

  7. Glo, on August 31st, 2011 at 4:31 pm said:

    I was hoping that you would say that Food Network would be opening a wine bar — like the one in Hilton Head! And I am still dying laughing at the definition of an auctioneer – whatta classic!!!

  8. Mark Right, on August 31st, 2011 at 4:59 pm said:

    I loved this one.

  9. Pingback:Blue Streak » Knoxville Cork Savvy wows with its success

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