Appellation St. Helena's 13th Annual bASH Event a Spectacular Display of Wine and Culinary Talent
The Californer/10342882

ST. HELENA, Calif. - Californer -- Over 200 people attended the Appellation St. Helena (ASH) 13th Annual bASH event on Saturday March 28th, 2026 at The Culinary Institute of America Greystone, in St. Helena. bASH is the annual wine and food pairing competition where this year the wines from 22 ASH member wineries were paired with savory bites prepared by teams of 'rising star' students at the CIA.  The event was spearheaded by Chef Dan Kedan, with Theya Fosset as Emcee, and professional judges Traci Dutton, Megan Myers and Christopher Sawyer, with the ongoing stellarsupport of numerous CIA crew members into the wee hours.

Attendees were hands-on and voted for their favorites in the Popular Vote category.

Participating wineries were Anomaly Vineyards, AXR Winery, Battuello Vineyards, Beringer Winery, Chase Cellars, CourAvant, Crane Assembly, Davies Vineyards, Gibbs Napa Valley, Hall Wines, Mending Wall, Patent Wines, Pellet Estate, Raymond Vineyards, Saint Helena Winery, Salvestrin Vineyard & Winery, Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery, Taplin Cellars, Titus Vineyards, Varozza, Vineyard 29, and Young Inglewood.

One highlight of the event is how meticulously the food 'bites' are presented, using edible flowers, 'smoke' (from dry ice!) and deep spoons with long handles. "Our students look forward to bASH every year," said Chef Daniel Kedan, Assistant Professor of Culinary Arts, CIA. "It is an amazing opportunity for them to challenge themselves, build relationships, network and just have some fun. This year was one of the best yet," he added.

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"This annual event featuring St. Helena area wines and tomorrow's star chefs draws guests from all over the U.S. as well as neighbors from our own community," commented Lesley Russell, Board member of Appellation St. Helena and General Manager, Saint Helena Winery. "It's one of the most entertaining, delicious and inspiring wine and food events I've experienced. The CIA students are incredible to work with," she added.

CIA Chef-Emeritus Lars Kronmark, who retired in 2025, was the founding chef of this event when it began in 2012, and the legacy continues and evolves as bASH becomes more creative and exciting each year.

The winners in the Professional Category as selected by The Professional Judges are:

First place: Varozza Vineyards with 2019 Varozza Vineyards Bloodline Red Blend paired with Bloodline Beef (Vietnamese Shaking Beef) prepared by Krystle Montgomery of Lancaster, CA, and Celeste Derry of Pawtucket, RI.

Second place: Salvestrin Vineyard & Winery with 2024 Salvestrin Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc paired with Scallop Crudo Tart with Lemon Koji and Daikon Salad prepared by Odin Alto of Portland, OR, Ayden Obrien of Ayden Obrien, andTillman Yowell of Duvall, WA.

Third place: Taplin Cellars with 2023 Taplin Terra 9, Cabernet Sauvignon paired with Smoked Maitake at Midnight prepared by Shamar McDaniel of Fort Worth, TX, Theresa Thomas of Atlanta, GA, and Nicholas Graves of Mobile, AL.

The winners of the Popular Vote are:

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First place: Battuello Vineyards with 2021 Battuello Vineyards Valdiguié paired with Smoked Venison Takaki with Blackberry Compote prepared by Zachary Dunker of Providence, UT, Cole Smith of Avon CT, and Zachary Thiesen of Thousand Oaks, CA.

Second place: Hall Wines with 2021 HALL Coeur Cabernetpaired with Steak Frites with Blackberry Compote prepared byWilliam Yungbluth of Milwaukee, WI, Aidan Tilden of Santa Rosa, CA, and Lauren Alexander of Queen Creek, AZ.

Third place: Crane Assembly with 2023 G.B. Crane Vineyard George Red Wine paired with Braised Oxtail Panisse with Pickled Blackberry prepared by Leah Madrigal of Sacramento, CA, Jed Anezil of Petaluma, CA, and Hayden James Santa Ana, CA.

ASH partnered with the Culinary Institute of America, and ASH thanks Sunshine Market, Staub Premium French Cookware, and Le Creuset for their generous donations and support. Proceeds from the evening go to Appellation St. Helena and the scholarship fund of the Culinary Institute of America.

APPELLATION ST. HELENA

Appellation St. Helena focuses on promoting the quality of grapes grown and wines produced in the St. Helena AVA.

Appellation St. Helena is comprised of roughly 12,000 acres, of which approximately 6,800 are planted to grapes, more than any other AVA in the Napa Valley. More than 400 different vineyards are located within the appellation and the Association has 40 members, listed at https://www.appellationsthelena.com

Board members are Torey Battuello, James, Day, Emily Glusic, Myriah Mutrux, Deven Paniagua, Eric Risch, Lesley Keffer Russell, Hannah Salvestrin, Katie Simpson, Sylvia Taplin and Dave Yewell.