edible notables
LAKE DINNERS
Thunderbird Lodge events are sellouts.
WRITTEN BY ANN LINDEMANN
PHOTO BY VANCE FOX (COURTESY THUNDERBIRD LODGE)
Imagine strolling the stone paths of an iconic Lake Tahoe estate while the late afternoon sun casts a riot of glittering gems upon the cobalt blue waters. Now add this to the daydream: you’re sipping exquisite wine and one of the region’s top chefs is inside conjuring up a memorable meal that you’ll enjoy as you watch the sun dip behind the mountains leaving this corner of paradise awash in alpenglow.
This luscious dream becomes reality for those who attend the 2012 Winemakers’ Dinner Series, a fundraising event for Lake Tahoe’s Castle-in-the-Sky and the Thunderbird yacht. The evening starts in the Old Lodge with select wine and appetizers and culminates in the Lighthouse Room for dinner and a lively auction.
“The evening is truly a unique fundraiser,” explains Barbi Mooberry, Thunderbird Preservation Society director of operations, sales, and marketing. “We also invite the winemaker or owner to participate and share their winemaking stories. In our intimate setting, guests get one-on-one experiences with both the chefs and the winemakers.”
Built in 1936, Thunderbird Lodge is the historic East Shore home of eccentric entrepreneur George Whittell Jr. It’s now cared for by the Thunderbird Preservation Society and the dinner series is the organization’s principal fundraiser.
Be warned the $195 per person tickets do sell out quickly. To up the extravagant evening ante, consider the $1,000 VIP dinner tickets that also include a Thunderbird Yacht cruise and a private wine tasting among other elegant extras. For details, visit www.Thunderbirdtahoe.org.
RESOURCES
Sunday, July 8
Cliff Lede Vineyards with winemaker Kale Anderson and Chef/Owner Douglas Dale of Tahoe City’s Wolfdale’s Cuisine Unique
Sunday, Aug. 12
Elyse Winery’s Winemaker/Owner Ray Coursen and Chef/Owner Charlie Soule of The Soule Domain of Crystal Bay
Sunday, Sept. 9
Petra and Greg Martin, proprietors of
Martin Estate Winery, and Chef Rick Koplau of Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino’s Lone Eagle Grille in Incline Village
Sunday, Oct. 14
Dave Miner, founder/owner of Miner Family Wines, and Chef Ruben Garcia of The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe
