Washington winemaker Charles Smith teams up for a ‘wine-centric pop-up’ in L.A.

This story originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register (February 11, 2016) Winemaker Charles Smith looks like a rock star, and in many ways he is one. In less than 15 years, he has made quite a name for himself in wine. He was named “Winemaker of the Year” by Food & Wine magazine in 2009 and “Winemaker of the Year” by Seattle Magazine in 2010. With his head full of long wavy hair, he looks like he should be standing on stage in front of millions of fans. Well, he wasn’t standing in front of millions, but rather approximately 40 people, who eagerly showed up for a “pop-up” event at chef Roy Choi’s Commissary at The Line Hotel in Los Angeles. Charles Smith paired five of his wines with five courses of Mediterranean food prepared by guest chef Zoi Antonitsas of Seattle. This was a rather rare outing as Smith is not a big fan of traditional wine dinners and rather prefers more interactive, casual events. “Creating memorable and fun experiences is one of my favorite things to do, and working with Roy Choi to create the first wine-centric pop-up at Commissary was a no-brainer,” Smith said. “Roy and I take a similar approach when it comes to food and wine — celebrate, enjoy, and make things approachable. This event showcased delicious wine and fun food in a lively, uncomplicated way.”