A 2011 James Beard “Best New Restaurant” nominee, Girl & the Goat has been praised by high-profile publications such as Saveur, New York Times, Food & Wine, Better Homes and Gardens and others. Little Goat, Stephanie’s highly successful follow-up to Girl & the Goat, encompasses a diner, coffee shop, bread shop and bar. An outpost of Little Goat Bread opened at the Chicago French Market in Spring 2013.
Izard was the first woman to win Bravo’s Top Chef (Season 4/2008) and is the only winner of the original version of the show to take the title of “Fan Favorite.” Among other recent accolades, Stephanie was appointed to the Macy’s Culinary Council and was named celebrity chef of “CMT Artists of the Year.”
Stephanie is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the Scottsdale Culinary Institute and has worked in some of the most respected kitchens in Chicago including La Tache, Spring and Vong. She previously owned the highly-acclaimed restaurant Scylla, which she sold just prior to appearing on and winning season four of Bravo’s “Top Chef.” Izard’s first book, “Girl in the Kitchen,” was released in the fall of 2011 (Chronicle). Izard also has a newly launched product line called "The Flavor, By Stephanie Izard," consisting of sauces and rubs available for purchase for the home cook.
www.stephanieizard.com
DOUGLAS FLETCHER - VP OF WINEMAKING FOR THE TERLATO WINE GROUP
When I discovered Pinot Grigio in Italy, I was taken by its fresh aromas, its crispness, freshness and the way it paired effortlessly with foods. It was virtually unknown when I brought it to the United States in 1979. Not surprisingly, an entire nation of wine drinkers embraced Pinot Grigio for the same reasons I did. Today Pinot Grigio is the most requested wine in fine restaurants, and Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio is the quality leader for the varietal. The U.S. was introduced to a new wine, as well as a new level of quality from Italy. I still feel about it today the same way I did the first time I tasted it.
The Syrah from the Rhone Valley, dense, rich and aromatic, immediately captured my fascination as well. It was a wine that could stand alongside the best of another classic, Cabernet Sauvignon, because the taste profiles were similar: dense, rich and aromatic. We have fashioned our Syrah along those same lines.
Of course, like most wine lovers, I’ve had a lifelong love affair with Bordeaux, the aristocracy of red wines, a blend of classic varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Angels’ Peak is the first of three blends we will introduce.
When we decided to become vintners, our winemaking team found the right soil, and climate conditions that suited our needs. We planted some vineyards, bought others and Terlato Family Vineyards was born. It is small venture, but a sincere tribute to the wines and winemakers who have inspired us for decades.
My regard for these winemakers is as artists and dreamers. I know this is true because now as a winemaker myself. I want Terlato Family Vineyards to stand among the finest wines in the world, with those crafted by my friends.
About Doug Fletcher: A rarity among winemakers, Doug Fletcher is as comfortable in the vineyard as he is in the cellar. He has worked with Stags Leap District fruit for more than two decades and in the process has become a leader in growing and crafting wines from the District. Fletcher began his career as a winemaker in the mid 1970s. He arrived at Chimney Rock in 1987 and oversaw the replanting of the original estate vineyard, as well as 65 acres of additional plantings done under the Terlato Family’s leadership in 2001.
In 2006, Fletcher was appointed Vice President of Winemaking for the Terlato Wine Group. He oversees all aspects of winemaking at the Terlato properties - including Episode, Chimney Rock, Rutherford Hill and Terlato Family Vineyards in Napa Valley, Alderbrook and Terlato Family Vineyards in Sonoma and Sanford in Santa Barbara County. Additionally, Fletcher serves as a senior consultant to the Terlato Family's joint ventures throughout the world.
TerlatoVineyards.com