A series of cooking competitions between Woodinville winemakers raised $10,000 for Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center to benefit children and adults through equine-assisted therapies.
Pictured left to right: Brennon Leighton of EFESTE, Darby English of Darby Winery, Barking Frog Chef Bobby Moore, Tim Stevens of Stevens Winery, and Mark McNeilly of Mark Ryan Winery.
DARBY ENGLISH was the winner of the lst Iron Vintner Challenge, a series of cooking competitions between Woodinville winemakers, announced Willows Lodge this week. After three weeks of competition that paired contenders Mark McNeilly against Brennon Leighton, and Darby English against Tim Stevens, Darby English came out victorious against Mark McNeilly in the final Championship round.
“We knew these winemakers could make great wine, but we didn’t know they were such talented cooks,” Rhanda Rosselot, marketing manager of Willows Lodge, told Tasting Room Magazine. The event culminated with all four winemakers at a dinner held on Wednesday, June 23, 2010 at the Barking Frog restaurant. The event raised $10,000 for Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center through small auctions of signed magnums each week of the Challenge and overnights at Willows Lodge.
Plans for the 2nd Annual Iron Vintner Challenge in June 2011 are already underway with the possibility of pitching Woodinville winemakers against a Napa winemaker.