Things are looking up for Virginia Wines
Washington Business Journal, By Eleni Kretikos
Friday, March 21, 2003

Last month, the Virginia State Assembly passed legislation that allows the direct shipment of wine to consumers in and out of the state.

The legislation has been applauded by the state's 80 wineries, which until now have been prohibited from shipping bottles to out-of-state consumers.

And, to draw even more attention to the growing marketplace in our backyard, Equinox on Connecticut Avenue will host a wine tasting featuring Virginia wines on March 23. Chef Todd Gray of Equinox, along with the chefs of Swiss Bakery, Ortanique, 15 Ria, L'Academie de Cuisine and Gabriel Archer Tavern will create canapes in pairings with wines from Virginia vineyards Horton, Williamsburg, Barboursville, Ingleside, Oasis, Breaux and Chrysalis. The event benefits the Capitol chapter of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs (http://www.chefnet.com/wcr). The cost is $30 for members; $40 for non-members.

The March 23 event is the first in a series of four tastings with Virginia wines.

"What I'm hoping is that other restaurants will catch on to Virginia wines," says Ellen Gray, the general manager and co-owner of Equinox. Gray is committed to hosting the wine tastings with Virginia wineries for a couple of years to start.

Virginia is the fifth largest wine producer in the country, according to the Virginia Wine Marketing Office (http://www.virginiawines.org).

In 1979, Virginia had just six wineries. By 2001, the state's industry had grown to 75 wineries.

"It really struck me when I was out in Napa Valley last month," Gray says. "There is a symbiotic relationship the wineries have with the food businesses. It's a huge partnership and they spur each other on.

"Virginia wines are where Napa wines were 20 years ago."

• More award nominations for area chefs means someone is paying attention to the Washington restaurant scene.

Four D.C. chefs have been nominated for the Best Chef from the prestigious James Beard Foundation (http://www.jamesbeard.org).

Todd Gray of Equinox, Ann Cashion of Cashion's Eat Place, Peter Pastan of Obelisk and José Andres of Jaleo will compete for the honors in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Fabio Trabocci of Maestro at the Ritz-Carlton in Tysons Corner was nominated for Rising Star Chef of the Year honors. Zaytinya was nominated for Best New Restaurant. Sommelier Michael Flynn at Kinkead's is up for the Outstanding Wine Service award. And Ann Amernick of Palena will vie for the Outstanding Pastry Chef award.

Winners will be announced May 5 at a ceremony in New York.

• Trendy retailer H&M debuted in the Washington area with an opening the week of March 10 at Dulles Town Center. The Swedish retailer also was scheduled to open March 21 at Potomac Mills.

H&M (http://www.hm.com) has also inked deals for stores in the former Woodies building at 11th and G streets NW; Manassas Mall; Arundel Mills; Tysons Corner Center; and The Shops at Georgetown Park.

Those stores should all be opening throughout the year.

After opening its first U.S. store on Fifth Avenue in New York in 2000, H&M has opened 52 more across the country.

• Pat Gaffney has returned to McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants, the company for which he opened the East Coast market seven years ago.

Gaffney has been named the director of community relations for the Portland, Ore.-based restaurant group, which owns 41 U.S. restaurants, six in the Washington/Baltimore market. From 1996 to 1999, he served as senior manager for McCormick & Schmick's, directing the company's first four restaurants in the D.C. area.

He left to open his own restaurant, Gaffney's Restaurant, Oyster & Ale House in the Ballston section of Arlington. He sold his interest in Gaffney's last year, and most recently was director of operations for Café Asia.

Copyright 2003, Washington Business Journal.

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