MinnSomm–Crasqui Restaurant
- kmrockstad
- Aug 10
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 1
August 10, 2025
Karin Rockstad, Spanish translator, WSET Educator, DipWSET Candidate, SWS, FWS, IWS, Certified Rioja Educator, Certified Advanced Cava Educator, Certified Sherry Wine Specialist, Albariño Ambassador, Sommelier 1
@garbanzo.grrl
Vine Lab Wine & Spirits Academy and Winebow Fine Wines teamed up with St. Paul's Crasqui to host another edition of MinnSomm on Sunday, August 3. Talk about Sunday Funday! This is not just another evening out, nor is it just another food and wine competition.
MinnSomm is an event where six wine professionals pair a wine with a three-course meal that Crasqui prepares. The restaurant GUESTS choose the winner of each course! There is also a wine to be tasted blind and our judges create the baseline. The wine pros and guests write their notes and then guess what it is and where it comes from.
Crasqui has Venezuelan roots, so the food and wine were Latin-themed. If you haven't had a chance to taste chef Soleil Ramirez's dishes (she's been on Chopped), go now! Check out MinnSomm's menu below:
Two wines are served with each course and the aim is to choose the best pairing, not necessarily the wine the guest likes the best. For example, in the photo below, I liked the rosé best as a wine to sip, but I thought the red actually went better with the salad. Wine can surprise you! In this dish, the bitter watercress and plumsicles (a cross between a plum and an apricot) along with the buffalo mozzarella needed the extra oomph from the red wine.
Photo credits: Lisa Venticinque
The blind wine was a Malbec from Argentina:
Who guessed it? Well, none other than one of Vine Lab's instructors, Nicole Collins-Kwong!
Chef Soleil spoke about each dish and how personal they are. Her great anecdotes about how food and family are so intertwined in her life charmed the crowd. She continues that connection by mentoring her staff and supporting other Latin chefs in the Twin Cities. Watch for more events at Crasqui where you can eat locally and internationally at the same time!
After dinner, dessert was served and the MC, Nikki, crowned the winner. Literally!
This edition's winner was Nico Giraud, of The Tasting Room in Minneapolis. The all-around winner was based on winning a pairing (or two) along with table service and a true personality for hospitality.
Other great shots of the event:
Photo credits: Lisa Venticinque and Karin Rockstad
¡Gracias! to all the competitors, guests, and especially to the Crasqui family. We love shining a spotlight on the great food and wine that can be had in the Twin Cities!
The next MinnSomm event will be held at Pink Ivy in Hopkins in October. Watch our social media for updates! And if you'd like to dig further into wine and spirits, see our website for upcoming classes!
P.S. Like the photos? Check out our photographer's website: lisa25.com
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