Museum Of Art | Fort Lauderdale Continues “Art Of Wine And Food” Series At Jan. 20 Wine Tasting With Celebrity Hosts Paul Castronovo And Chef Allen Susser
Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale
One East Las Olas Boulevard at Andrews Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
www.moafl.org

Thursday, Jan. 20
The Museum’s galleries are open at 5 p.m. for a complimentary viewing of the Tom Wesselmann Draws exhibition. The wine tasting will take place from 6-7:30 p.m. The Museum closes at 8 p.m.

$35 per person (credit cards accepted)
Reservations are required; seating is limited. To RSVP, please call 954-262-0249 or email gvilone@moafl.org. For general information about the Museum, please call 954-525-5500 or visit www.moafl.org.

Castronovo to Launch Castronovo Vineyards’ Montepulciano D’Abruzzo –
The Official Wine of the Museum’s “Vatican Splendors” Exhibition; Chef Allen to Present Delicious Cuisine

The Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale, Nova Southeastern University, continues its “Art of Wine and Food” tasting series on Jan. 20 with celebrity hosts Paul Castronovo, proprietor of Castronovo Vineyards and co-host of the popular South Florida radio show, the “Paul and Young Ron Show,” and James Beard Award recipient Chef Allen Susser, who owns the renowned Chef Allen’s Seafood Grill in Aventura, Florida, who has joined the Museum of Art in creating a new café.

At the event, Castronovo will launch his Montepulciano D’Abruzzo as the official wine of Vatican Splendors: A Journey through Faith and Art, one of the largest collections of art, documents and historically significant objects from the Vatican to ever tour North America, on view at the Museum from Jan. 29-April 24, 2011.

Montepulciano D’Abruzzo is the first offering from Castronovo Vineyards, located in Abruzzo, Italy and part of the Galasso family’s San Lorenzo winery. An Italian red, the wine has flavors of bilberry, mulberry and plum followed by spicy and rich balsamic tones of vanilla and coffee. It is available through Shaw-Ross Distribution and Southern Wine & Spirits, and at many select restaurants and fine wine shops throughout South Florida.

The event will provide attendees with a social, fun and educational opportunity to learn about delicious wines and foods as well as the chance to enjoy the Museum’s current exhibitions. Castronovo will discuss three wines; Chef Allen will describe the food experience and how the accompanying dishes, artfully prepared using the highest quality food and freshest ingredients, was created and how it pairs with the wine. During and after each presentation, guests are encouraged to discuss the wines and pairings and will have the opportunity to ask questions; then socialize before moving on to the next wine. Wines will be available for purchase following the event.

Paul Castronovo, co-host along with Ron Brewer of the “Paul and Young Ron Show,” a popular South Florida radio show for 20 years, is proprietor of Castronovo Vineyards. His love affair with wine began early in his radio career at Chef Allen’s restaurant in Aventura, when he attended business dinners with record executives. He’s been involved with the South Beach Wine and Food festival for several years, and through the “Paul and Young Ron Show” annual food drive with Taste of the Nation, he helps raise millions of pounds of food for the hungry each year.

Chef Allen rose to prominence in 1986, when he opened his eponymous Aventura restaurant showcasing fresh, regional ingredients. In 2009, he modified the restaurant to become Chef Allen’s Seafood Grill, a more accessible, local-friendly restaurant, and continued to garner rave reviews. In 2008, he was named consulting chef for Jade Resort in St. Lucia and for Chef Allen’s 2Go and Burger Bar by Chef Allen at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport. A longtime chairman of Taste of the Nation/Share Our Strength, Susser has helped raise millions of dollars for South Florida’s less fortunate.

Chef Allen’s accolades and awards include Food & Wine magazine’s “One of the 10 Best New Chefs in America” in 1991, the James Beard Award as Best Chef in the Southeast in 1994, the “Top Table” award from Gourmet magazine in 1997 and 1999, and many more. Chef Allen has been featured in Bon Appetit, The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, and Food Arts, among many other publications. He is a frequent guest on NBC’s Today, the CBS Early Show, PBS and the Food Network. Chef Allen is the author of New World Cuisine and Cookery (Doubleday, 1995), The Great Citrus Book (Ten Speed Press, 1997) and The Great Mango Book, (Ten Speed Press, 2001). He publishes a monthly e-newsletter Savvy at www.chefallens.com.