{"id":100429,"date":"2015-02-06T20:21:11","date_gmt":"2015-02-07T01:21:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/?p=100429"},"modified":"2015-02-10T08:05:26","modified_gmt":"2015-02-10T13:05:26","slug":"bnts-wine-art-festival-exceeds-expectations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/2015\/02\/bnts-wine-art-festival-exceeds-expectations","title":{"rendered":"BNT’s Wine & Art Festival Exceeds Expectations"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u201cThe Birds and The Bees\u201d starred at the 24th Annual\u00a0 BNT Wine and Art Festival held Saturday at The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) Retreat Garden on Village Road.<\/p>\n

\"bnt-wine-art-festival--rashad-penn-psnews-features\"\u201cA new, gently sweet wine called \u2018The Birds and The Bees\u201d was a tremendous success,\u201d reports Bristol Wine and Spirits Wine Director Rusty Scates.<\/p>\n

He added, \u201c This year\u2019s BNT Wine and Art Festival went very well indeed. Everyone had a good time. The record breaking 53 wines we offered were well received.\u00a0 And, the weather was perfect. \u00a0 The feedback was excellent.\u201d<\/p>\n

The most popular white wine of the day was Italian Chardonnay ‘Bramito del Servo” by Antinori.<\/p>\n

The popular event, originally scheduled for October but cancelled by weather, seemed to vibrate with new life, colour, art and action in the new time slot. \u201cThe BNT\u00a0 organizers stepped up the game. It was really great fun,\u201d said Mr. Scates.\u00a0 Bristol Wines and Spirits have been the major sponsor for the event for each of its 24 years.<\/p>\n

\"bnt-wine-art-festival-28-psnews-features\"BNT Membership Officer Katrina Cartwright, agreed, reporting, \u201c The feedback was excellent!\u00a0 People loved members\u2019 night,\u00a0 the circus,\u00a0 the costumes, the culinary demonstrations, the food, the music, and of course…the wine, the art and the weather!<\/p>\n

She added, \u201c All of the food vendors sold out as many people who attended the event stayed a while because there was so much to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

New to the Wine and Arts Festival this year was Chef Carvison Pratt’s fusion cuisine. He drew a large crowd of foodies who lined up to learn and sample. What’s his secret to amazing and sophisticated creamy conch chowder?<\/p>\n

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“I put in a Caribbean twist with coconut rum and the roasted papaya brings out the bold flavors.” Such culinary demonstrations were new to the Wine & Art this year, in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism. Chef Pratt\u2019s \u201c Cream of Conch with Essence of Coconut\u201d and \u201cRoasted Papaya Chowder\u201d paired with Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay, $23.95\/bottle at Bristol Wines & Spirits.<\/p>\n

Among the firsts at the 24th Wine and Art Festival was a \u201cBest In Show Art Competition\u201d won by Artist Sue Bennett-Williams in the 2-D section and Silver Smith Peter Bradley\u00a0 and Jewellery Designer Nadia Campbell in the 3-D section.<\/p>\n

Musical performances included \u201cWe Love to Play\u201d,\u00a0 \u201cTropical Depression,\u201d Bahamas\u00a0 Junkanoo Carnival Festival Semi Finalists Preston \u201cPuzzle\u201d Wallace, Bodine Johnson, Ian Alleyne-Mc Quay, and Tyrone \u201cPlati Dread\u201d Bartlette.<\/p>\n

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Costumed characters posed and pranced in the gardens, even on stilts. Performers from Emanji Circus Arts made colourful appearances and models from Explosion and Vindi Dynasty, costumed for Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival, fluffed their feathers and smiled for photos.<\/p>\n

The Wine and Art Festival is a major fund raiser for The Bahamas National Trust.<\/p>\n

This 24th Anniversary Year featured wines from 10 countries, a record 53 wines, many of which are on sale at Bristol Wines and Spirits shops at Gladstone Road and East Bay ST., near the Paradise Island Bridge.<\/p>\n

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More than 40 artists participated,\u00a0 including: Sue Bennett-Williams,Toby Lunn, John Paul, Trevor Tucker, Marco Mullings, Jonathan Bethel, Quentin Minnis, Lemero Wright, Chris d\u2019Albenas, Attila Feszt, Nadia Campbell, Moya Strachan, Dion Lewis, \u201cThe Current\u201d Bahamar, Kirk Deal, Allan P. Wallace, Peter Bradley, Rashad Penn, Judith Papilion, Rosemarie Laing and Holly Parotti.
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\nArt collectors mingled with the wine lovers, all enjoying the bright balmy day.\u00a0 Lee Winters bought four paintings: two large paintings from Judith Papilion and two small ones \u201cfrom my good friend Toby Lunn, because I liked them. They speak to me.\u201d\u00a0 Toby\u2019s \u201cThe King\u201d and \u201cThe Queen\u201d now hang out in her dining room.<\/p>\n

By P.S. News Features<\/p>\n