Contest Winners Receive the Ultimate #KJExperience

Last Winter, Tarah Finn and Cristal Spencer entered our “Friends are like family because…” contest and won a trip for two to Sonoma Wine Country including a tour of the new K-J Wine Estate & Gardens and a culinary experience at Partake by K-J in Healdsburg!

After months of eager anticipation and preparation, they landed in San Francisco airport and headed up to Sonoma County to partake in the ultimate #KJExperience.

Tarah and Cristal couldn’t have chosen a more beautiful time to visit the Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens. It was a sunny Spring day filled with blooming flowers and singing birds.

The ladies purchased a glass of our new AVANT Chardonnay and began their sensory tour through the gardens with Chef Matthew and our Culinary Gardener Tucker Taylor.

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With a little help from Tucker, they picked out some fresh fruits and vegetables to cook for lunch.

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And wouldn’t you know it, Chef Justin was showing Chef Douglas Keane and Chef Sang Yoon the garden? You may recognize them from Top Chef Masters.DSC_0056 copy After their garden sensory tour, Tarah and Cristal headed into our new kitchen to learn how to prepare their delicious garden findings with Chef Justin.

And wouldn’t you know it, Chef Justin was showing Chef Douglas Keane and Chef Sang Yoon the garden? You may recognize them from Top Chef Masters.DSC_0056 copy After their garden sensory tour, Tarah and Cristal headed into our new kitchen to learn how to prepare their delicious garden findings with Chef Justin. They met our wonderful culinary team, helped Chef Justin prepare the vegetables and even scored duck meat for the first time. They were a bit nervous at first, but quickly found their groove in the kitchen.DSC_0080 copyDSC_0076 copy After all the ‘hard work’ was finished, our guests sat down to enjoy the meal they had prepared, along with our delicious food and wine pairing … followed by our devilishly good chocolate and wine pairing created by none other than Chef Buttercup.

Pictured above: Chef Justin’s Libery Farms duck with fava beans, Morel mushrooms and cherries, topped with shaved summer truffles.

DSC_0081 copy Roberto pouring wine and educating the ladies about each pairing.

DSC_0093 copyChef Buttercup taking some time to present and explain his amazing chocolate creations

Pictured below in order, from back-to-front: beehive- white chocolate infused with orange and honey, white chocolate infused with lavender, french chocolate macaron with bittersweet chocolate ganache, mendiants with hazelnut, dried cherry and cocoa nib, and chocolate rosemary ganache.

The next day the ladies took time to relax and stroll around downtown Healdsburg, CA. They visited a local art show, got massages and headed to Partake by K-J for some bites and flights!