MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif.—Tickets are now on sale for the Santa Lucia Highlands Wine Artisans 12th annual Sun, Wind & Wine Gala Saturday, May 19 at Mer Soleil Winery in Monterey wine country.
The Gala celebration is a strolling wine tasting through the barrel cellar of Mer Soleil, a venue not normally open to the public. Guests enjoy limited release Santa Lucia Highland poured by the vintners themselves. Participating wineries include: August West, Belle Glos, Bernardus, Boekenoogen, Bruliam, Caraccioli Cellars, Cima Collina, Estancia, Hahn Family Wines, Hope & Grace, J. Lohr, J. McFarland, Joyce, Kosta Browne, La Rochelle, Luli, Mansfield-Dunne, Manzoni, McIntyre, Mer Soleil, Miner Family, Miura, Mooney, Morgan, Odonata, Pessagno, Pisoni Vineyards, Lucia Vineyards, Poppy, Prim Family, Puma Road, Roar, Sarah’s Vineyard, Scheid, Siduri, Smith Family, Talbott, Tantara, Testarossa, Tondre, Tudor, Twomey, Windstream, and Wrath.
Local chefs and food purveyors bring Monterey Peninsula flavor with gourmet bites from the region’s best restaurants and chefs, including Chef Matthew Bolton from The C Restaurant at the Intercontinental Monterey, Chef Soerke Peters from Basil Carmel, Chef Cal Stamenov from Bernardus Lodge, Chef Tim Wood from Carmel Valley Ranch, Emanuele Bartolini from La Balena, Tarpy’s Road House, Monterey Plaza Hotel, Jeninni Kitchen and Wine Bar and many more. Artisan food producers including Bar Cart, Chefs Palette Spice Rubs, Marich Chocolate, Schoch Dairy, Zio Brand Sausage and more. A rare, “big bottle” silent auction with exclusive winery experiences benefits a local charity, live music by SoulFoot, and other surprises will round out the day.
Mer Soleil Winery, the northernmost vineyard estate in the Highlands, is owned by the Wagner family, producers of Mer Soleil Chardonnay, Caymus and Conundrum. Mer Soleil is located at 1290 River Road, Salinas, California.
SLH Gala General Admission tickets are $120 per person available online at: https://slhgala.eventbrite.com. A limited number of Early Admission tickets are $150 per person that allow entrance at 11 a.m. to a special advance tasting and auction featuring guaranteed access to rare wines, library releases and new gems from the vintners and growers of the Santa Lucia Highlands.
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About the Santa Lucia Highlands…
The Santa Lucia Highlands is one of the crown jewels of California viticulture, growing and producing some of the state’s best cool climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The narrow 18-mile appellation encompasses 6,400 acres of prime vineyards, planted on the elevated terraces of the Santa Lucia mountain range in close proximity to nearby Monterey Bay. The region’s unique winegrowing character was recognized with official A.V.A. status in 1991. Formed in 2005, the Santa Lucia Highlands Wine Artisans is a not-for-profit association of vineyards and wineries that grow grapes in the SLH. or use the appellation’s fruit to craft their vintage releases. The group’s online home is SantaLuciaHighlands.com
