Eve's Wine 101

Wine Collector’s Dinner to Take Place During Wine and Food Festival June 10th at X2O

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WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y.  – After a successful debut last year, Westchester Magazine’s Wine & Food Festival is bringing back the ultimate Wine Collectors’ Dinner. Guests are invited to play a key role by attending — participating — and sharing — their best wine with other wine aficionados as they enjoy a unique one-of-a-kind dinner.    

The Wine Collectors’ Dinner is a unique opportunity for guests to share and taste rare vintages with each other — for the ultimate “immersion” experience! The night begins with a champagne reception as guests meet and mingle with others, followed by a sumptuous four-course dinner prepared by renowned Chef Peter X. Kelly. Throughout the dinner guests will share one bottle per person from their personal wine collection with other guests. The event is a tribute to the late Ralph Martinelli, founder of the Wine & Food Festival and former publisher of Westchester Magazine and is sponsored by Celebrity Cruises.  A special live Wine Auction will be held, with proceeds to go to Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation.  

The event will take place on Friday, June 10 from 6:30-10:00 p.m. at X2O Xaviars on the Hudson, 71 Water Grant Street, Yonkers, NY.  Tickets are $185 per person (includes tax & gratuity.) Guests will also bring one bottle of wine per person, to share with other attendees. 

For additional information or to purchase tickets visit westchestermagazine.com/winefood 

Breckenridge Wine Classic, Held in the Heart of the Rockies, Returns this September

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GOLDEN, Colo.  – The Breckenridge Wine Classic tickets are now on sale for the September 15-17 festival. Located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the Breckenridge Wine Classic is a three-day festival anchored by the two-day Grand Tasting in addition to unique seminars such as a guided hike and pairing with master winemakers, wine dinners planned by world-class sommeliers, and more than 100 wineries, breweries, distilleries, and epicurean purveyors at this ultimate food, wine and sensory experience.

“The Breckenridge Wine Classic is the accessible wine festival with world-class offerings nestled in the mountains that we always wanted to see,” said Breckenridge Wine Classic Festival Events and Marketing Director Kristen Horpedahl. “With pricing starting at $75, it’s an affordable, yet highly desirable destination, for a weekend getaway with friends, bachelorette party, couples’ trip and more.”

The 2022 Breckenridge Wine Classic, celebrating its eighth year, includes:

  • The Grand Tasting, Friday, Sept. 16 and Saturday, Sept. 17: The Classic’s Grand Tasting features an impressive selection of hundreds of domestic and international wines, plus premium craft beer and spirits. In an effort to provide a truly intimate tasting experience for patrons, there will be two sessions of the Grand Tasting. Both sessions feature the same beverages and samples.

  • Pairings & Seminars, all weekend: Ticketed seminars play into a variety of interests and activities. You could take a hike with a winemaker followed by a paired lunch; learn the basics of wine pairing at home; or taste why the wine glass really does make all the difference.

  • Wine dinners, Thursday, Sept. 15: Expertly curated wine dinners and paired lunches will be held at local top dining restaurants across Breckenridge with Master Sommeliers and winemakers.

“Whether you are a full-fledged foodie or an emerging gourmand, you are sure to find more than one event to whet your appetite at the wine classic,” said Slater. “There is something for everyone – from tastings next to a Rocky Mountain backdrop, to deeply educational seminars and luncheons, to outdoor adventures with food and wine influences, there are tastes and temptations at every turn.”

More details regarding the seminars and events will be released closer to the festival. Volunteer applications will open in June.

Robin Thicke, Mýa, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and More to Headline Célébrez en Rosé Wine & Music Festival

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UNITED STATES (U.S.) – Organizers of Célébrez en Rosé (formerly La Fête du Rosé) wine and music festival have announced an all-star lineup of headline performers for its 2022 events in Atlanta on May 7 (Mother’s Day Weekend), Houston on May 28 (Memorial Day Weekend), Washington, D.C. on June 11 (National Rosé Day), and Chicago on June 25 (International Rosé Day).
This year’s festival will feature world-renowned contemporary R&B artist and hitmaker Robin Thicke in Atlanta, Houston, and D.C.; Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and actress Mýa in Houston and Chicago; hip-hop legend DJ Jazzy Jeff in Atlanta, Houston, and D.C.; and Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and producer Tamia in D.C.; among others.
Founded in 2018, the picnic-style event has garnered national attention through previous years’ music lineups, which featured prominent artists like Lupe Fiasco, Estelle, DJ Cassidy, Marian Hill, and more, as well as the high fashion, Instagram-worthy photo installations, VIP experiences, and culinary offerings from celebrity chefs like Wolfgang Puck and Kelis that attendees have come to expect.
The festival will be making its third appearance in both the Atlanta and D.C. markets and debuting for the first time in two new cities, Houston and Chicago, in 2022.
“Since the event’s inception, we’ve continued to improve the experience and music for our guests, and this year will be no different,” said Cleveland Spears, III, founder of Célébrez en Rosé. “Music is a huge part of that experience, and I’m proud to say that there will truly be something for everyone at each of the four Célébrez en Rosé events in 2022. We look forward to being back in D.C. and Atlanta with a few new and exciting surprises in store, and introducing our new audiences in Chicago and Houston to a rosé all day experience like nothing they’ve seen before.”
Célébrez en Rosé (French for “Celebrate in Pink”) has continued to grow in popularity and attendance since it launched four years ago under the name of La Fête du Rosé in Atlanta. The festival sold out its second annual appearance in Atlanta and inaugural event in D.C. the following year, attracting thousands of attendees dressed in their finest pink and white summer attire. Watch the official recap of last year’s Célébrez en Rosé event in D.C. here.
Additional local acts and a full entertainment lineup will be announced in the coming weeks, paying homage to the unique cultures and audiences of each of the four cities.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit celebrezenrose.com.

The Vail Wine Classic Returns August 11-13

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GOLDEN, Colo. – Team Player Productions, producers of world-class food and drink festivals across the country, announces the return of the Vail Wine Classic August 11-13, 2022. The three-day wine destination event of the summer showcases the best wines from around the world to provide an immersive tasting experience that is unparalleled. New to the Classic this year is Best of Fest, a Friday evening event that features exclusive portfolios with 90+ point ratings, reserve bottles, and high end wines. Tickets are via Eventbrite.
“The Vail Wine Classic is the perfect weekend getaway for anyone looking for an elevated wine tasting experience,” says Vail Wine Classic Event Director Kristen Slater. “Beyond the all-inclusive tastings, we’re providing a weekend filled with enticing events that include a sunset tasting featuring high-end wines from the most exclusive portfolios, paired dinners with local chefs, and educational seminars. This is a wine lover’s dream come true!”
Best of Fest (Friday, August 12)
Raise a glass at the Best of Fest as the sun sets over Vail Valley. New to the Classic this year is an intimate event from 7-9:30 p.m. at the Vail Nordic Club (1775 Sunburst Dr. Vail, CO. 81657) that includes carefully selected gems from exclusive portfolios for you to sip, swirl, and savor. Only 90+ point ratings, reserve bottles, and higher price points will make the cut in this unique tasting opportunity where chefs have prepared a menu of small plates with suggested pairings to perfectly compliment your wine collection.
The Best of Fest ($195) ticket allows you to enjoy a curated selection of reserve bottles at the Classic. This all-inclusive access features a tapas style pairing and incredible views of Vail Valley.
The Grand Tasting (Friday and Saturday, August 12 and 13)
Located at Vail Athletic Field (646 Vail Valley Drive, Vail, CO 81657), The Grand Tasting is the crown jewel of the Vail Wine Classic, featuring a diverse and distinctive showcase of wines from around the world. Saunter through an extravagant mountainside tasting while exploring everything from fruit-forward Sauvignon Blancs and Pinot Grigios, to rich Cabernets and Zinfandels. In addition to an impressive, curated selection of domestic and international wines, the Grand Tasting has handcrafted cocktails and local beer. Your all-inclusive ticket includes a full size wine glass for you to take home, small bites, and live music at the event.
The Grand Tasting sessions and ticket types include:
  • Premier Access (starting at $169) from 2-5:30 p.m. Premier Access tickets allow you to be the first to enter the event and imbibe with a limited number of other enthusiasts. Enjoy the first sips of wine and an extra hour at the Classic. 
  • Early Access (starting at $139) from 2:30- 5:30 p.m. Early Access tickets allow you to get ahead of the tasting and enter the Classic before the crowd. Select the perfect table by the band with this limited capacity ticket. 
  • General Admission (starting at $119) from 3-5:30 p.m. This all-inclusive ticket allows you to imbibe in two and half hours of mountainside wine sampling during the Grand Tasting event. 
Wine dinner, paired lunches and seminars will be announced at a later time. For more information about the Vail Wine Classic, visit the website. 
About Vail Wine Classic
Vail Wine Classic brings together master winemakers and enthusiasts for a weekend of elevated sips, from Aug. 11-13, 2022, in stunning Vail, Colo. The weekend-long soiree showcases wine from around the world with a weekend of Grand Tastings, educational seminars, paired wine dinners and more. Vail Wine Classic is produced by Team Player Productions, the architects of Breckenridge Wine Classic, Vail Craft Beer Classic and Denver Burger Battle, among others. For more information, including a full schedule of events, visit www.vailwineclassic.com, or follow @vailwineclassic on Instagram and Facebook.
About Team Player Productions
Founded more than 25 years ago in Denver, Team Player Productions (TPP) has produced and managed more than 400 events around the country, raising more than $2 million for its various nonprofit partners. TPP has created and continues to produce beloved annual events including Vail Wine Classic, Breckenridge Wine Classic and Vail Craft Beer Classic, and adopted others, such as Denver Burger Battle and the Boulder Creek Festival. The company was also the originator of events including Taste of Fort Collins, Steamboat Wine Festival and Park City Food & Wine Classic. TPP consults and produces events for a portfolio of clients as well, such as Goose Island Beer Co., Blue Point Brewing Co., Great Divide Brewing Company, Odell Brewing Company, Red Bull, City of Centennial, Anheuser-Busch, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and City of Littleton. For more information, visit TPPEvents.com, or follow @TPPEvents on Facebook and @TeamPlayerProductions on Instagram.

Festival Napa Valley Announces 16th Summer Season, July 15-24, 2022

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10 Best Days of Summer to feature Trisha Yearwood, Joshua Bell, Larisa Martínez, the Brubeck Brothers Quartet, Tessa Lark, the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, a “Tchaikovsky to Rolling Stones”   dance gala, Donizetti’s “L’elisir d’amore”, and more

Festival Napa Valley welcomes audiences to its summer 2022 season, July 15-24, with a wide spectrum of programs from symphonic concerts, opera, dance, and the visual arts, to chamber music, jazz, wine tastings, and concerts for families with young children.

“The performances at Festival Napa Valley this summer illuminate the importance of the arts in today’s world,” said Festival President & CEO Richard Walker. “Our mission is more vital than ever.”

“We are dedicating the 2022 season to the sounds of America. From Copland and Bernstein to jazz, swing, Broadway, bluegrass and country, this is the music that celebrates our common heritage,” added Robin Baggett, Chairman of the Festival’s Board of Directors.

Furthering the Festival’s commitment to making the arts accessible to all, admission to daytime concerts is free, including the daily Festival Live! series at CIA at COPIA, the popular Bouchaine Young Artist Series, and the family-friendly Novack Concerts for Kids.

This summer marks the fifth year of the Blackburn Music Academy, the Festival’s immersive summer conservatory for emerging professional instrumentalists, and the second year of the Manetti Shrem Opera Program, a comprehensive celebration of the vocal arts including a summer conservatory providing advanced study and performance opportunities to rising opera singers. It is also the second year of a partnership with the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, with Frost faculty and students playing a lead role in the Festival’s academy, symphonic, and chamber music programs.

This summer Festival Napa Valley inaugurates its newest award, the Maria Manetti Shrem Daniel Brewbaker Prize, awarded annually to a composer whose works will be performed as part of the summer season. The 2022 Prize is awarded posthumously to Daniel Brewbaker, the noted American composer who passed away in 2017.

FESTIVAL NAPA VALLEY 2022 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:

– Opening Night at Charles Krug with conductor Carlo Ponti leading Festival Orchestra Napa in Dvorak’s New World Symphony and Daniel Brewbaker’s Cello Concerto with soloist Sophia Bacelar

– Three-time Grammy Award-winning superstar Trisha Yearwood headlines the Arts for All Gala at Nickel & Nickel benefiting arts education and the Festival’s community programs

– Taste of Napa, Festival Napa Valley’s signature celebration of food, wine and music, returns to The Meritage Resort and Spa with  more than 70 participating wineries,  craft breweries and food purveyors

– The world premiere of Polaris: A Juneteenth Anthem by prizewinning composer Nia Imani Franklin, with the Young People’s Chorus of New York City led by Francisco J. Núñez in a concert that also features soprano Mikayla Sager, tenor Mario Chang, baritone Lester Lynch, and Gordon Getty’s Young America

– Violinist Tessa Lark, recipient of the Festival’s 2022 Khaledi Prize for Innovation and Excellence in Classical Music, and soprano Alexandra Armantrading in a program at Mont La Salle Chapel that includes the premiere of three art songs by Jake Heggie, Jack Perla, and Luna Pearl Woolf set to poetry by Lisa Delan

– Tchaikovsky in America, commemorating Tchaikovsky’s 1891 visit to the US for the opening of Carnegie Hall, with conductor Constantine Orbelian leading Festival Orchestra Napa and violinist Tessa Lark

– 2022 Joel Revzen Conducting Fellow Michelle Di Russo leading Festival Orchestra Napa in Ansel Adams: America by Chris and Dave Brubeck, followed by a performance by the Brubeck Brothers Quartet, in an Olivia Decker Power of Music Series concert

– The 2022 Manetti Shrem Opera: Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore directed by Jean-Romain Vesperini with Gemma New conducting Festival Orchestra Napa, sopranos Andriana Chuchman and Mikayla Sager, and tenor Mario Chang, with participants from the Manetti Shrem Summer Vocal Conservatory

– A Night at the Ballet: From Tchaikovsky to The Rolling Stones dance gala

– Voice and the Violin, featuring violinist Joshua Bell and soprano Larisa Martínez in a program of masterworks arranged for voice, violin, and orchestra

– Amaryn Olmeda (violin), Jordan Bak (viola) and Tabea Debus (recorder) star in the 2022 Bouchaine Young Artist Series

– Michelle Di Russo conducts Festival Orchestra Napa in Copland’s Rodeo¸ Brewbaker’s Blue Fire, and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade to close out the 2022 summer season

Festival Napa Valley 2022 Venues and Event Hosts include Alpha Omega, Bardessono, Beringer Vineyards, Cardinale, Castello di Amorosa, Charles Krug, The CIA at Copia, Far Niente, Frank Family Vineyards, Four Seasons Resort & Residences Napa Valley, HALL Napa Valley, Harbison Estate, Hess Persson Estates, Mont La Salle Chapel, Napa Valley College, Nickel & Nickel, Quintessa, Stull Residence, Tamber Bey Vineyards, The Meritage Resort and Spa, Trinchero Napa Valley, and Wheeler Farms, with additional venues to be announced.

Performances are held outdoors on the Festival Napa Valley Stage at Charles Krug in St. Helena, the Jackson Family Wines Amphitheater at the Culinary Institute of America at Copia in Napa, and at wineries, estates and other venues throughout Napa Valley. Concert tickets are priced from free to $35. A limited number of Patron Passes are available providing access to special events including Vintner’s Luncheons, Patron Dinners, and the Arts for All Gala. Passes for Taste of Napa are available for $150, and $295 for the Reserve Lounge. To view the full schedule and purchase tickets and passes, visit FestivalNapaValley.org.

America’s Best Wine Festival, The Garagiste, Offers America’s Best Wine Club

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PASO ROBLES, CALIF. (PRWEB) – America’s Best Wine Festival (USA Today), The Garagiste Festival, has launched The Official Garagiste Festival Wine Club, offering consumers across the US* rare access to the same under-the-radar, innovative, micro-production wineries that have made The Garagiste Wine Festival famous. And, just like the festival, which limits attendance to preserve its singular experience, only 300 members will have access to the limited production wines of The Garagiste Wine Festival Club.

The club also offers wine lovers a chance to contribute to the future of winemaking as it supports The Garagiste Festival Scholarship Fund at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, one of the country’s top winemaking programs.

“The Garagiste Festival Wine Club is another first for the garagiste movement” said Garagiste Festival Co-founder Doug Minnick. “We are so excited to introduce the official wine club of The Garagiste Festival, offering wines delivered straight from the garagiste movement’s heart to your doorstep. No other wine club provides access to this range of hard-to-find gems from the burgeoning micro-winery movement, and none are associated with the actual Garagiste Festival.”

The Garagiste Festival helped spark the garagiste wine movement when it launched in 2011 with a mission to bring wider attention to the undiscovered and under-recognized American artisan micro-wineries making some of the best, most exciting, handcrafted small-lot production wines in the world. It is the nation’s first and only festival to showcase the wines of micro-production commercial ‘garagiste**’ winemakers.

Garagiste Festival Wine Club members receive three shipments of four bottles of premium wines each year that reflect each of the Garagiste Festival regions: Paso Robles, Northern California, and Southern California (including Santa Barbara County). Membership in the club means that consumers who are unable to travel (as well as those who can!) to the festival’s four annual events can experience remarkable, hand-crafted wines from some of California’s (and the US’) most renowned and innovative wine regions, year-round.

For example, the next wine shipment will include wines from among the over 40 micro-production wines from Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lodi, Sierra Foothills and Livermore that will be poured at The Garagiste Festival: Northern Exposure which takes place on April 30th in Sonoma, at the Sonoma Veterans Memorial Hall. To buy tickets, click here.

Carefully selected in a blind tasting by a panel of industry professionals (winemakers, sommeliers, wine writers, etc.) from the over 600 wineries in the Garagiste Festival’s orbit, the Garagiste Certified wines encompass the wide range of varieties, blends, and styles — and the high quality typical of The Garagiste Festival. Each shipment reflects The Garagiste Festival’s core principles: micro-production, locally-sourced, passionately-produced, and delicious — the kind of quality and innovation only achievable by wines handcrafted in small batches.

“Our festivals, the home of the garagiste movement, are known for discovering today’s, and tomorrow’s, rockstar winemakers,” continued Minnick. “Our wine club brings that rare opportunity closer to home.”

To join The Garagiste Festival Wine Club click here
For more information about The Garagiste Festival, click here
For breaking Garagiste Festival news and special discounts, sign-up for our free newsletter, The Dirt, at https://www.garagistefestival.com/garagiste-blog or follow us on Twitter (@GaragisteFest) or Facebook.

*Garagiste Festival Wine Club shipping is available in the following states: AK, CA, FL, NV, OR and Washington DC.

About The Garagiste Wine Festival
The Garagiste Wine Festival (http://www.garagistefestival.com), named “Best of the Fests” for 2019 by Fest Forums and the ‘Best Wine Festival in the US in 2018 in USA Today’s 10Best Readers Choice Awards, is the first and only wine festival dedicated to the undiscovered and under-recognized American artisan ‘garagiste’ micro-wineries who are making some of the best, most exciting, handcrafted small-lot production wines in the world. Founded by fellow garagistes Stewart McLennan and Douglas Minnick, the Garagiste Festivals are committed to discovering the best and most innovative limited-production winemakers and promoting and showcasing them to a broad audience of discerning wine consumers. In addition to its flagship annual festival in Paso Robles, CA, the Garagiste Festival line-up includes Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure, featuring Santa Ynez Valley garagistes; the Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure, in Los Angeles; the Garagiste Festival, Northern Exposure, in Sonoma; winemaker dinners, a newsletter, garagiste profiles and more.

In addition to being named the US’ Best Wine Festival, the Garagiste Festival was named one of the ‘Top Nine Incredible Epicurean Vacations’ in the world by ABC News, “one of the premier wine events of the year,” by the LA Times and “Best Festival” by Sunset Magazine’s ‘Best of the West.’ The festivals are produced by Garagiste Events, a non-profit dedicated to furthering the education of future winemakers and those training for employment within the wine industry. Proceeds from the festivals support the Garagiste Festival Scholarship fund of the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo Wine and Viticulture Department.

**Garagiste (garage-east) is a term originally used in the Bordeaux region of France to denigrate renegade small-lot wine makers, sometimes working in their “garages” (anything considered not a chateau), who refused to follow the “rules,” and is now a full-fledged movement responsible for making some of the best wine in the world. The Garagiste Festivals were the first to shine a light on the American garagiste winemaker in 2011.

America’s Best Wine Festival Returns to Sonoma with 40+ Garagiste Winemakers April 30th

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PASO ROBLES, CALIF. (PRWEB) – America’s Best Wine Festival, The Garagiste Festival: Northern Exposure, returns to Sonoma on April 30th offering rare access to the region’s best, hard-to-find wines from over 40 micro-production, commercial wineries from Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lodi, Sierra Foothills and Livermore and more. The festival will once again be held at the Sonoma Veterans Memorial Hall, walking distance from Sonoma’s historic downtown plaza. Tickets are on sale here.

Of this year’s 40+ wineries, 17 are brand new to the Garagiste Festival, including Accenti Wines, Amrita Cellars, Boete Winery, Box Wine Company, Brueskok Cellars, Cazadero Winery, Cormorant Cellars, Forgotten Union Wines, Guererro Fernandez Wines, Kobler Estate, Lussier Wine Co., Read Holland Wines, Rondure Wines, Stringer Cellars, Terre et Sang, The Grenachista Wine Co., and Wild Rising Wines.

“We are so excited to bring our Northern Exposure festival back to one of California’s most stunning wine regions, after a two year absence,” said Garagiste Festival Co-founder Doug Minnick. “If it is anything like our recent Paso and Solvang festival returns, it will be a joyful reunion of some of the region’s best, most exciting winemakers with one of the most passionate, dedicated and fun-loving audiences the wine industry has to offer.’

The Garagiste Festival premiered in 2011 and is the nation’s first and only festival to showcase the wines of micro-production commercial ‘garagiste*’ winemakers. It expanded to Sonoma in 2018 to highlight the wines of Sonoma County and surrounding AVAs, as well as other small production wineries from Northern California. Named ‘Best of Fests’ and the ‘Best Wine Festival in the USA,’ the festival showcases under-the-radar, innovative, commercial winemakers who handcraft 1500 cases or less of wine.

“Over 90% of Northern Exposure participants do not have a tasting room, and you will never find these wines in grocery stores or on wine country maps,” continued Minnick. “The festival offers wine lovers a singular chance to discover and meet the next great winemakers, taste their delicious and diverse wines and talk to them directly about their winemaking styles. And it is all offered under one roof in the festival’s signature ‘no snobs allowed’ atmosphere.”

The 4th annual Garagiste Festival: Northern Exposure will be held on Saturday, April 30, at the Sonoma Veterans Building and includes:

  • VIP Rare and Reserve Tasting (1-2pm), featuring library, club only or reserve wines, only being poured during this first hour
  • Grand Tasting (2pm-5pm) featuring over 150 wines and 25 different grape varieties, and includes complimentary cheese and charcuterie, along with delicious food samples from local artisan vendors and a souvenir Stolzle crystal wine glass.
  • Silent Wine Auction with proceeds supporting the Garagiste Scholarship at Cal Poly SLO, to help fund the future of California winemaking.

Among the 40+ winemakers scheduled to pour are:
*Accenti Wiens, *Amrita Cellars, *Boete Winery, *Box Wine Company, *Brueskok Cellars, Burning Bench, Calstar Cellars, *Cazadero Winery, *Cormorant Cellars, Crux Winery, Cutruzzola Vineyards, Dane Cellars, DeWitt Vineyard, Enriquez Wines, *Forgotten Union Wines, Gondak Cellars, *Guerrero Fernandez Wines, Kendric Vineyards, *Kobler Estate, *Lussier Wine Co, Merisi Wines, Montagne Russe, Murder Ridge, Passagio Wines, Perri Jaye Vineyards, Pine Mountain Vineyard, *Read Holland, Ricci Vineyards, Rock & Clay Wines, *Rondure Wines, Sosie Wines, St. Romedius Wines, *Stringer Cellars, T. Berkley Wines, *Terre et Sang, *The Grenachista Wine Co, Topel Winery, Weatherborne Wine Co, *Wild Rising Wines.
*New to the festival

COVID-19 Prevention Measures/Requirements
Please note that we are closely monitoring the current situation to ensure the health and safety of all those attending the Sonoma Garagiste Festival. Because our events are being held indoors, as the event approaches, attendees will receive regular updates regarding current protocols and procedures that may be required to attend The Garagiste Wine Festival, including any changes to policies and procedures from Sonoma County. Updates will be shared on our Sonoma 2022 Event Page, through our social media channels, and direct to ticket holders via email.

For more information and full Garagiste Festival: Northern Exposure schedule details, go to: http://www.garagistefestival.com/

Tickets are limited for Garagiste Festival Northern Exposure. Garagiste Festivals always sell out in advance. To buy tickets, go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/4th-annual-garagiste-wine-festival-northern-exposure-tickets-269198980397

For breaking Garagiste Festival news and special discounts, sign-up for our free newsletter, The Dirt, at https://www.garagistefestival.com/garagiste-blog or follow us on Twitter (@GaragisteFest) or Facebook.

Sponsors include
G3 Enterprises, Bank of Marin, ETS, Laffort USA, Digital Dogma, Farm Credit West, mWEBB Communications, Glenn Burdette, Sonoma Valley Sun, WIVI.

For sponsorship info, email info@garagistefestival.com.

About The Garagiste Wine Festival
The Garagiste Wine Festival (http://www.garagistefestival.com), named “Best of the Fests” for 2019 by Fest Forums and the ‘Best Wine Festival in the US in 2018 in USA Today’s 10Best Readers Choice Awards, is the first and only wine festival dedicated to the undiscovered and under-recognized American artisan ‘garagiste’ micro-wineries who are making some of the best, most exciting, handcrafted small-lot production wines in the world. Founded by fellow garagistes Stewart McLennan and Douglas Minnick, the Garagiste Festivals are committed to discovering the best and most innovative limited-production winemakers and promoting and showcasing them to a broad audience of discerning wine consumers. In addition to its flagship annual festival in Paso Robles, CA, the Garagiste Festival line-up includes Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure, featuring Santa Ynez Valley garagistes; the Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure, in Los Angeles; the Garagiste Festival, Northern Exposure, in Sonoma; winemaker dinners, a newsletter, garagiste profiles and more.

In addition to being named the US’ Best Wine Festival, the Garagiste Festival was named one of the ‘Top Nine Incredible Epicurean Vacations’ in the world by ABC News, “one of the premier wine events of the year,” by the LA Times and “Best Festival” by Sunset Magazine’s ‘Best of the West.’ The festivals are produced by Garagiste Events, a non-profit dedicated to furthering the education of future winemakers and those training for employment within the wine industry. Proceeds from the festivals support the Garagiste Festival Scholarship fund of the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo Wine and Viticulture Department.

*Garagiste (garage-east) is a term originally used in the Bordeaux region of France to denigrate renegade small-lot wine makers, sometimes working in their “garages” (anything considered not a chateau), who refused to follow the “rules,” and is now a full-fledged movement responsible for making some of the best wine in the world. The Garagiste Festivals were the first to shine a light on the American garagiste winemaker in 2011.

California Wine Festival Announces New 2022 Event Dates

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Santa Barbara, CA — California Wine Festival is pleased to announce the 2022 schedule of signature oceanfront tasting events. Celebrating its 20th year, each festival commemorates the vast offerings from winemaking regions across California, paired with gourmet food selections from local dining purveyors, with live entertainment and sweeping coastal views.

Each two-day event commences with a Friday evening “Sunset Rare & Reserve Tasting”, an intimate experience for dedicated wine lovers. Kicking off with a sparkling wine reception, the evening features samplings of hard-to-find trophy wines and offers tasting room exclusives and limited-production wines hailing from vineyards based in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara, Temecula and more. Top regional chefs will serve delicious hot and cold appetizers to pair with the world-class wines. Each “Sunset Rare & Reserve Tasting” overlooks picturesque waterfront landscapes.

The second day boasts a “Beachside Wine Festival”, a sun-splashed daytime event facilitating culinary education and exploration through one-on-one conversations and tastings with culinary and wine talent hailing from California’s top wineries and local restaurants. Attendees will have access to hundreds of premium California wines and regional craft brews. Delectable wines can be paired with samples of artisanal cheeses, fresh-cut fruit, shellfish, salads, olive oil, decadent chocolate and more. Each event will host a live band providing the ultimate soundtrack to a relaxing day while basking in sunshine and enjoying coastal California vistas.

“We aim to showcase what California is known for: the most picturesque strips of coastline globally, and world-class wines,” Emily Kaufmann, Executive Director, California Wine Festival. “At each festival, guests will get the same unrivaled experience at each one of our four seaside locations.”

In addition to promoting and celebrating the fine wines and cuisine of California, each festival aims to advance charitable organizations from each event location. Many of the festivals will feature a silent auction during the Sunset Rare & Reserve Tasting to benefit organizations including: Sandy Feet Initiative, Surfrider Foundation of South Orange County, Golden Rule Charity and Food Bank of Santa Barbara County.

EVENT SCHEDULE

CA Wine Festival Dana Point — April 22-23, 2022 **NEW VENUE**

April 22: Sunset Rare & Reserve Tasting: Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel

April 23: Beachside Wine Festival: Sea Terrace Community Park
Tickets available for pre-sale here.

CA Wine Festival Carlsbad — May 20-21, 2022

May 20: Sunset Rare & Reserve Tasting: Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, The Gardens

May 21: Beachside Wine Festival: Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Heron Lawn

Tickets available for pre-sale here.

CA Wine Festival Santa Barbara — July 15-16, 2022

May 20: Sunset Rare & Reserve Tasting: Chase Palm Park, Carousel House

May 21: Beachside Wine Festival: Chase Palm Park, Great Meadow

Tickets available for pre-sale here.

CA Wine Festival Huntington Beach — November 11-12, 2022

November 11: Sunset Rare & Reserve Tasting: Paséa Hotel & Spa

November 12: Beachside Wine Festival: Paséa Hotel & Spa

Pre-sale tickets will be available starting March 24.

California Wine Festival is a 21+ event. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit CalifoniaWineFestival.com.

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ABOUT CALIFORNIA WINE FESTIVAL:

California Wine Festival celebrates the fine wines and culinary offerings of California. A nationally recognized event series, California Wine Festival aims to bring attention to the beautiful wines, foods, and landscapes of California. Founded in 2004 in Santa Barbara, California Wine Festival is proud to be one of the largest outdoor wine festivals in the state and strives to be a green event producer. In 2019, 90% of the waste from the festivals was diverted from the landfill. A for-profit organization whose mission includes giving back, California Wine Festival has helped raise awareness and funds for local California charities including the Foodbank of Santa Barbara, Surfrider Foundation, and more. CalifoniaWineFestival.com

Sanctuary Camelback Mountain, A Gurney’s Resort and Spa, elevates two rising stars to the head of its culinary team

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Landon Post and Samantha Sanz step into the spotlight

as former executive chef Beau MacMillan transitions to an advisory role

Scottsdale, Ariz. –Sanctuary Camelback Mountain, A Gurney’s Resort and Spa has entered the new year with new leadership in its critically acclaimed kitchen. Stepping into the executive chef role is former catering chef Landon Post, a fixture in the Sanctuary dining experience since 2014, while chef de cuisine Samantha Sanz has become the new face of the resort’s signature restaurant, elements. After 23 years as executive chef, Beau MacMillan has transitioned his role at the resort to culinary advisor. He will continue to spearhead culinary events for Sanctuary, including the upcoming Robert Irvine Dinner and the Nirvana Food and Wine Festival.

Post has taken on responsibility for the resort’s day-to-day culinary operations in his new role as executive chef.

Over his eight years as catering chef, he succeeded in elevating Sanctuary’s catering dining experience to equal that of elements—one of the top-rated restaurants in Scottsdale.

Sanz continues to serve as chef de cuisine, a position she has held for more than a year, while taking on a more public profile at elements with MacMillan’s departure. The two-time James Beard award nominee launched her career as one of elements’ first female cooks, then continued to develop her talent as chef de cuisine at Virtu Honest Craft and Talavera before returning to elements in October 2020.

About Gurney’s Resorts

Gurney’s Resorts are luxury, full-service resorts found in premier U.S. travel destinations. The all-encompassing havens provide luxury lodging in Montauk, New York, Newport, Rhode Island and Scottsdale, Arizona. All properties feature well-appointed accommodations, elevated dining, sumptuous spas, sparkling pools, expansive grounds and thousands of square feet of indoor and outdoor space for weddings and events. Gurney’s Memberships offer exclusive access to world class amenities, concierge services and North America’s only Seawater Spa at Gurney’s Montauk while The Residences at Gurney’s deliver the most unique ownership opportunity in the Hamptons. Under ownership led by George Filopoulos (Metrovest Equities, Inc) and Lloyd Goldman (BLDG Management Co, Inc.), the brand has defined itself as both market leaders and year-round destinations.

Garagiste Wine Festival Returns to Solvang: February 25th and 26th

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SOLVANG, CALIF. (PRWEB) – The Garagiste Wine Festival returns to Solvang February 25th and 26th, 2022, offering rare access to the best small-production winemakers from the Santa Barbara County area. Tickets are currently on sale here.

‘Southern Exposure,’ which follows on the heels of a sold-out Garagiste Festival in Paso Robles last November, will again be held at Solvang’s historic Mission-style Veterans’ Memorial Hall. The event features a wide diversity of grape varieties vinified into over 150 different wines and unique blends, offering wine lovers one-of-a-kind opportunities to taste a range of the year’s most exciting, handcrafted small-lot production wines all under one roof.

“We are thrilled to return to Solvang after a three year absence. While the pandemic may have prevented us from gathering, it did not prevent these extraordinary winemakers from crafting their fantastic wines, and we cannot wait to showcase them next month in-person to our very appreciative and enthusiastic attendees,” said Garagiste Festival Co-founder Douglas Minnick.

The Garagiste Festival, which premiered in Paso Robles in 2011, is the nation’s first and only festival to showcase the wines of micro-production commercial ‘garagiste*’ winemakers, and was named “Best of the Fests” by Fest Forums and the ‘Best Wine Festival in the US by USA Today. It expanded to the Santa Ynez Valley in 2013 to highlight the wines of Santa Barbara County and surrounding AVAs, as well as small production wineries from across California. It has been a consistent sell-out ever since.

This year’s Garagiste Festival ‘Southern Exposure’ includes its Friday night signature “No Repeats, Rare & Reserve” event, and Saturday’s Grand Tasting, which includes a Silent Auction filled with first-rate wine packages that benefit The Garagiste Festival Scholarship Fund at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

“Solvang has always been a very welcoming place for our attendees, and the stunningly beautiful surrounding area is fertile ground for some of the Central Coast’s most exciting winemakers,” continued Minnick. “The atmosphere at Southern Exposure is always lively, fun, and relaxed — true to our no-snobs allowed tradition, and the perfect way to make new wine discoveries, all while taking the time to fully savor and appreciate these fabulous wines.”

Minnick noted that in an effort to promote a more open flow and greater social distancing within the venue, for this year, there will be no VIP Seminar as in the past, with that space used to include as many wineries as possible, while still giving everyone safe and ample space to share their wines.

THE GARAGISTE FESTIVAL SOUTHERN EXPOSURE 2022 LINE UP (all events held at Veteran’s Memorial Hall)

No Repeats Rare & Reserve Tasting, Friday February 25th — 6:30-9:00pm

This intimate event with winemakers showcases limited samples of Reserve, Club Only, Library and Pre-Release bottles, as well as some barrel samples A taco buffet is included from Ibarra Catering & Eatery.

The Main Event – The Grand Tasting – Saturday, February 26th – 2:00 – 5:00pm

The festival’s Grand Tasting showcases 30 local winemakers. Complimentary cheese and charcuterie, as well as food samples from local artisan vendors will be included; but, for bigger appetites, The Ibarra Catering Truck will be on hand to provide bigger bites for purchase.

Early Access tickets are also available, providing one and a half hours of unlimited access prior to the main event from 12:30-2:00pm.

The non-profit Garagiste Festival supports the Garagiste Festival Scholarships at the Wine and Viticulture Department at Cal Poly University San Luis Obispo.

The 30+ winemakers scheduled to pour at the Garagiste Festival Southern Exposure include:

Ann Albert Wines, Bolt To Wines, Camins 2 Dreams*, Cavaletti Vineyards, Crazy Woman Cellars*, Dana V. Wines, Demeter Family Cellars, Diablo Paso, DreamCote Wines, Dusty Nabor Wines, El Lugar Wines, Entourage Wines, Familia Hicks, Imagine Wines, Kendric Vineyards, Lions Peak Winery, Marin’s Vineyard, MCV Wines, Montemar Winery, Purple Dragon Cellars, Quench & Temper, RF Fine Wines, Seagrape Wine Co,, Seven Oxen Estate Wines, Silver Wines, Steinbeck Vineyards, Sweetzer Cellars, and Sycamore Ranch Winery.
*New to the festival.

Covid Update: The Garagiste Festival has adapted its protocols to foster a safe environment that will not detract from the festival’s signature attendee camaraderie and one-on-one interaction with the winemakers (winemakers, not tasting room personnel, always pour at The Garagiste Festival). This includes using more space and greater table distancing, as well as adherence to the current county mandates. For more information and updates on festival Covid protocols, click here.

For more information and full Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure schedule details, go to: http://www.garagistefestival.com/

Tickets are limited for Garagiste Festival Southern Exposure. Garagiste Festivals always sell out in advance. To buy tickets, go to: https://www.my805tix.com/e/garagiste-solvang

For breaking Garagiste Festival news and special discounts, sign-up for our free newsletter, The Dirt, at https://www.garagistefestival.com/garagiste-blog or follow us on Twitter (@GaragisteFest) or Facebook.

Sponsors include:

Visit SYV, Glenn Burdette, G3, ETS Laboratories, The Hamlet Inn, Farm Credit West, Laffort USA, Bank of Marin, Digital Dogma, The Hamlet Inn, mWEBB Communications, and WIVI.

For sponsorship info, email info@garagistefestival.com.

About The Garagiste Wine Festival
The Garagiste Wine Festival (http://www.garagistefestival.com), named “Best of the Fests” for 2019 by Fest Forums and the ‘Best Wine Festival in the US in 2018 in USA Today’s 10Best Readers Choice Awards, is the first and only wine festival dedicated to the undiscovered and under-recognized American artisan ‘garagiste’ micro-wineries who are making some of the best, most exciting, handcrafted small-lot production wines in the world. Founded by fellow garagistes Stewart McLennan and Douglas Minnick, the Garagiste Festivals are committed to discovering the best and most innovative limited-production winemakers and promoting and showcasing them to a broad audience of discerning wine consumers. In addition to its flagship annual festival in Paso Robles, CA, the Garagiste Festival line-up includes Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure, featuring Santa Ynez Valley garagistes; the Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure, in Los Angeles; the Garagiste Festival, Northern Exposure, in Sonoma; winemaker dinners, a newsletter, garagiste profiles and more.

In addition to being named the US’ Best Wine Festival, the Garagiste Festival was named one of the ‘Top Nine Incredible Epicurean Vacations’ in the world by ABC News, “one of the premier wine events of the year,” by the LA Times and “Best Festival” by Sunset Magazine’s ‘Best of the West.’ The festivals are produced by Garagiste Events, a non-profit dedicated to furthering the education of future winemakers and those training for employment within the wine industry. Proceeds from the festivals support the Garagiste Festival Scholarship fund of the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo Wine and Viticulture Department.

*Garagiste (garage-east) is a term originally used in the Bordeaux region of France to denigrate renegade small-lot wine makers, sometimes working in their “garages” (anything considered not a chateau), who refused to follow the “rules,” and is now a full-fledged movement responsible for making some of the best wine in the world. The Garagiste Festivals were the first to shine a light on the American garagiste winemaker in 2011.