The Hall family and Halls Chophouse were hosts to one of the premiere beginning events for the BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival® with a Wine Maker Luncheon paired with Sonoma County’s Pellegrini Vineyards.

The sold-out event featured a four-course meal prepared by Executive Chef Matthew Niessner that began with a scallop and lobster mousse sandwich paired with a nicely light Olivet Lane 2008 Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley. Next was a sumptuous cream of asparagus and crab soup paired with Pellegrini’s 2009 Pinot Noir.

The main course was Hall’s Carved Beef Tenderloin, excellently prepared shrimp, whipped potatoes and broccolini florets paired with a very interesting 2007 Merlot.

The finale was a 14-layer caramel cake with a warm banana foster paired with an equally flavorful Russian River Valley Zinfandel.

The annual BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival®, March 3-6, 2011, has been praised as one of the top five food and wine festivals in the U.S. by Forbes Traveler. The four-day event infuses home-grown flavor with the most celebrated chefs, culinary professionals and winemakers in the world.