Eve's Wine 101

Annual Wine in the Pines 2023 In Pine Mountain Village Center – Join us!

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Dear Wine Friends,

Please join other avid wine lovers, as tasting guests or as esteemed wineries, at Wine in the Pines in Pine Mountain on July 8th. We have promoted and covered this event for years and are so happy to see its return! “Leave your troubles behind and travel to an oasis – only an hour or so north from Los Angeles. Pine Mountain Village, at the crest of the 5-freeway, has a unique venue that wine, beer, food and music lovers have enjoyed attending for more than a decade: Wine in the Pines.”

See a snapshot from a past event here.

Wineries sign up here at the bottom right side of the page under “Contact Us”.

Guests find tickets and info here on the middle left side of the page.

Yours, in Wine and Out

The Crew at Eve’s Wine 101

The Details

Calling all wine lovers, mark your calendars for Saturday, July 8th, for the 17th annual Pine Mountain Club Wine in the Pines, festival in the Pine Mountain Village Center. From 1pm to 4pm (noon to 4pm with a VIP ticket), you’ll be able to taste exciting wines from the world’s top wine-growing regions, with dozens of premiere wineries to choose from. If you need a break from too much fine wine, then enjoy some cold craft beer from several wonderful breweries. And then there’s the food, many favorite restaurants will be on hand serving everything from classic gourmet finger food to good-ole western barbeque. Great live music and artisan vendors will complete this wonderful heavenly mountain setting.

You must be 21 or older to attend and purchase tickets. IDs will be checked at the front gate. General Admission tickets are $60 in advance and $70 at the door. VIP tickets allow for an intimate early noon entry and are only $80 (must be purchased in advance as they are not sold on the day of the event). This event usually sells out, so buy your tickets early. Admission includes wine & beer tasting from noon to 4pm, a logo glass, and fabulous food.

Tickets for Wine in the Pines can be purchased online at the event website,  www.wineinthepines.com. This annual fundraising event is hosted by the Pine Mountain Club Commercial Property Owners and its volunteers. The PMCCPOA is a non-profit, whose mission is not only to help to improve our local community, but also to help local non-profits flourish in their missions. Our proceeds will continue to go toward community projects and various non-profits.

The Village is located between the Coastal Communities, Bakersfield, Santa Clarita and the San Fernando Valley. Pine Mountain Club is an easy and scenic 90-minute drive from Ventura, off Interstate 5. From I-5, exit at Frazier Mountain Park Road and follow the signs to Pine Mountain Club. No matter which direction you come from, it’s a beautiful mountainous drive. There’s truly nothing like the pine-scented air and the shade of tall pines to compliment the taste of good wine, food and live music. For a map and directions, hotel & cabin rental links and other details about the event, go to www.wineinthepines.com , or find us on Facebook.

Winery List At Press Time

Ampelos Cellars

Arndt Cellars

Ascension Cellars

Autry Cellars

Barrett Cellars

Cass Winery

Cottonwood Canyon

Entourage by Two Papas

Flying Goat Cellars Winery

Midnight Cellars

Navarro Vineyards & Winery

Quady Winery

Sculpterra Winery

Stephen Hemmert Wines

St. Eva Hill Vineyard

Tobin James Cellars

Trois Le Fou

Turiya Wines

Volatus Wines

Sip, Savor And Celebrate The Annual AbilityFirst Food And Wine Festival! (Sunday, June 11th, 2023)

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(Pasadena, CA) – Come celebrate the AbilityFirst Food & Wine Festival presented by CHUBB, a spectacular outdoor gourmet food and drink in-person festival taking place on Sunday, June 11th, 2023 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm in the stunning gardens at the Historic Laurabelle A. Robinson House in Pasadena!

AbilityFirst is pleased to honor David Saeta at this year’s annual Food & Wine Festival with the organization’s highest honor, the Visionary Award. Saeta is Executive Vice President of IDS Real Estate Group. He is a third-generation South Pasadena resident and former South Pasadena Mayor, council member and planning commissioner. Giving of his time and expertise freely, Saeta has been instrumental in every important facility related decision at AbilityFirst for more than 10 years including having oversight of the renovations for the AbilityFirst Lawrence L. Frank Center in Pasadena and the AbilityFirst Long Beach Center. Saeta has served as Chair of the AbilityFirst Board since 2022. AbilityFirst is grateful to honor Saeta for his enduring commitment to AbilityFirst programs for children and adults with disabilities.

This year’s AbilityFirst Food & Wine Festival will bring 400 guests together for one exquisite evening featuring more than 20 top restaurants, cocktail bars, wineries, and breweries and much more.

Some of this year’s AbilityFirst Food & Wine Festival Restaurants and Desserts include Alexander’s Steakhouse, Bone Kettle, Casa Cordoba, Chefelle – A Personal Chef & Catering Service, El Cholo Café, Gale’s Restaurant, Kensington Caterers, Pez Cantina, Porto’s Bakery, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Tam O’Shanter, The George, We Olive, and many more.

Beverages featured include Cocktails and Spirit Tastings from 1886 at The Raymond, Dulce Vida Tequila, Empress 1908 Gin, Gerlach’s, Golden Road Brewing, Knox & Dobson, Krafted Spirits, San Gabriel’s Ogopogo Brewing, and Pasmosa Sangria along with specially curated Wines and Pasquini Coffee Co.

Proceeds from this year’s AbilityFirst Food & Wine Festival presented by CHUBB directly benefitAbilityFirst’s programs which help an individual successfully transition from childhood to adult life; providing employment preparation, training, and experience; build social connections and independence; and offer participants and their caregivers an opportunity to refresh and recharge through recreational activities. AbilityFirst’s person-centered programs empower individuals to discover what is important to them in their lives, and to develop the skills that are important for them to achieve their goals.

Sponsors:  Additional sponsors include, Bank of America, Los Angeles Supervisor Kathryn Barger, JPMorgan Chase & Co, Anita and Vince Lawler, Bolton, and many more.

Food & Wine Festival Steering Committee: Anita Lawler (Committee Chair),Devon Anderson, Anita Besharat, Steve Brockmeyer, John Nilson, Julietta Perez, Mary Spellman, Harlan Thompson, and Melissa Wu.

Ticket Information:  The AbilityFirst Food & Wine Festival will take place on Sunday, June 11th, 2023, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Historic Laurabelle A. Robinson House. For more information and to purchase Tickets directly to this year’s AbilityFirst Food & Wine Festival, please visit Tickets to AbilityFirst Festival of Fall 2023.

Photo Credit:  Courtesy of the AbilityFirst Food & Wine Festival

AbilityFirst Food & Wine Festival

www.AbilityFirst.org

Global Wine And Food Event Returns to Wine Country

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The Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience, May 18-21, 2023

HEALDSBURG, Calif. /PRNewswire/ — Located in the heart of California wine country, the Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience (HWFE) will be a weekend-long celebration featuring the best of Sonoma County and world-renowned food and wines. The festival will showcase the region’s makers – farmers, growers, winemakers, and chefs – alongside globally recognized wines from the greatest wine regions of the world, as it seeks to highlight the vibrant culinary diversity, sustainable farming practices and deep connection to agriculture that Sonoma County offers.

The weekend-long event will include special wine tastings and seminar discussions, barbecues, exceptional lunches, dinners, celebrity chef demonstrations, cocktail experiences, and an expansive Grand Tasting. There will also be a live outdoor concert featuring Maddie & Tae at Rodney Strong on Saturday, May 20.

New highlights from this year’s event will feature a Farm-To-Glass cocktail seminar hosted by the award-winning team of the Little Red Door from Paris; culinary demos from chefs including Joe Sasto, and Viet Pham; a special dinner experience at Michelin starred and recently reopened Cyrus; and a new Zinfandel tasting and pairing event hosted by Leslie Sbrocco called Zinfandel Live, with a unique live music component at Villa Chanticleer on Sunday.

“We couldn’t be more excited to be returning for our 2nd annual Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience,” said Steve Dveris, founder, and CEO of the festival. “Our goal has always been to highlight the vibrant culinary diversity, amazing wines and sustainable farming practices of Sonoma County as it relates to the rest of the world.”

Chefs who are participating in the event include local chef Dustin Valette, chef/owner of The Matheson and Douglas Keane from award winning Cyrus; Food & Wine’s Best New Chef Matt Horn; Food Network star Maneet Chauhan; “Top Chef” winner Stephanie Izard; Food Network’s “Chopped” star and “Top Chef” finalist Joe Sasto; Food & Wine’s Best New Chef and Iron Chef America winner Viet Pham. The local participating beloved chefs include Thomas Bellec, Domenica Catelli, Duskie Estes, Matt Horn, Crista Leudtke, Tracey Shepos, Leah Scurto, Casey Thompson, and Ari Weiswasser.

Events will be held around Healdsburg, including at The Matheson, Montage Healdsburg, and the Madrona, along with wineries including Aperture Cellars, Bacchus Landing, Bricoleur Vineyards, Ferrari-Carano Winery, Jordan Winery Estate, Kendall-Jackson Estate and Gardens, and Rodney Strong Vineyards, and more.

The event also strives to give back to the local community. The outdoor concert at Rodney Strong Vineyards on Saturday evening with the band Maddie & Tae benefits the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation. The organization’s mission is to raise funds that support the Leadership Academy, workforce development and other resources that elevate local vineyard workers, farmer workers and their families. This year’s event will also feature a community brunch at Chalkboard Restaurant to benefit Healdsburg Future Farmers of America (FFA). Sponsored by Foley Family Wines, a significant donation will go towards the HWFE Future Farmers Scholarship, created by HWFE for students from the local Healdsburg High School FFA chapter. We will also contribute to Farm to Pantry, whose goal is to bring together our communities to end food injustice and reverse global warming by rescuing and sharing locally grown food with those who have been marginalized.

“As co-founders and partners in this event, we believe in the dual mission to showcase Sonoma County wine, ag and sustainability on this global stage while raising funds to elevate and celebrate the local vineyard workforce. The mission is exemplified in the events and messaging throughout the entire weekend. Have fun while doing good, what is better than that?” comments Karissa Kruse, CEO & president of Sonoma County Winegrowers and Executive Director of the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation.

Partners of the Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience include Kendall-Jackson Wines, Rodney Strong Vineyards, Stonestreet Estate Vineyards, Foley Food & Wine Society, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, along with event co-founders the Sonoma County Winegrowers. For more information: healdsburgwineandfood.com, follow @healdsburgwineandfood on Instagram, or subscribe to the Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience Youtube channel. A la carte tickets, VIP Ticket packages as well as Ultra VIP packages are available.

Cheers to the High Country: Vail Wine Classic Returns on August 10-12

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GOLDEN, Colo.- The Vail Wine Classic, the high country’s premier food and wine festival that brings wine and adventure enthusiasts together at the foot of Vail Mountain, returns August 10-12. Presented by Team Player Productions, this three-day wine event of the year includes mountainside tastings of hundreds of high-end wine, spirits, and tasty bites amid Vail’s fresh air and rugged beauty. Tickets for the Grand Tastings are on sale now via Eventbrite; Best of Fest tickets will go on sale in May. A portion of proceeds of all ticket sales will go to Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance (VVMTA) and its mission to build trails and conserve the natural environment of Eagle County and public lands.

“With multiple wine tastings in the heart of the Rockies and add-on experiences such as scenic hikes, paired lunches and wine dinners, the Vail Wine Classic is the ultimate food and wine destination,” says Vail Wine Classic Event Director Kristen Slater. “Set against scenic mountain views in Vail Valley, this multi-day event is an elevated wine experience without pretension.”

Best of Fest (Friday, August 11)

Time and location to be announced. Tickets will go on sale in May

Only 90+ point ratings, reserve bottles, and higher priced wines make the cut for this idyllic sunset tasting that features meticulously curated wines from the most exclusive portfolios. This all-inclusive tasting ($215 plus fees) features culinary-inspired small plates with suggested wine pairings, and incredible views of Vail Valley.

The Grand Tasting (Friday and Saturday, August 11 and 12)

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 100+ wineries around the world. Immerse yourself in the extravagant mountainside tasting while exploring everything from fruit-forward sauvignon blancs and pinots, to rich cabernets and zinfandels. In addition to an impressive selection of domestic and international wines, the Grand Tasting has hand crafted cocktails and local beer. Your all-inclusive ticket includes a full-sized 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 ($179 plus fees) from 2-5:30 p.m. Enjoy the first sips of wine and an extra hour at the Classic. Premier Access tickets allow you to be the first to enter the event and imbibe with a limited number of other wine lovers. 
  • Early Access ($149 plus fees) from 2:30-5:30 p.m. Select the perfect table by the band with this limited capacity ticket. Early Access tickets allow you to get a head start on the tasting and enter the Classic before the crowd. 
  • General Admission ($119 plus fees) 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. 

“This year we’re working with incredible restaurant partners such as Root & Flower, Slope Room at Gravity Haus, and Ludwigs at Sonnenalp, to up the ante for our add-on experiences at the Classic,” says Slater. “Make sure to mark your calendars for the Vail Wine Classic and stay tuned for more information!”

Paired wine lunches and dinners, hikes, and other add-on experiences will be announced in May. Sign up for the Vail Wine Classic newsletter to be kept in the loop!

For more information about the Vail Wine Classic, visit VailWineClassic.com

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About Vail Wine Classic

Vail Wine Classic brings wine and adventure enthusiasts together for an unparalleled weekend of outdoor wine tasting and live music. The event showcases wine from around the world during the Grand Tastings, educational seminars, wine dinners led by master sommeliers, and unique lifestyle wine events, such as scenic hikes followed by a paired lunch at Vail’s finest restaurants, and much 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 Town of Vail

Vail, Colorado, is a small town at the base of Vail Mountain, home of the massive Vail Ski Resort. Set within White River National Forest, the town is a gateway for winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding. It’s also a summertime destination for golfing, hiking and cultural festivals. Gore Creek, popular for fly fishing, runs directly through the town center. To learn more about the Town of Vail, visit their website or follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

Discover the Next Great Micro-Production Winemakers: The Garagiste Festival Returns to Sonoma April 29th

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PASO ROBLES, CA (PRWEB) – America’s Best Wine Festival[1], The Garagiste Festival: Northern Exposure, returns to Sonoma for the fifth time on April 29th, offering rare and first-look access to the best, hard-to-find wines from over 40 micro-production, commercial wineries. Held at the Sonoma Veterans Memorial Hall, walking distance from Sonoma’s historic downtown plaza, the festival features wineries from Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Lodi, Sierra Foothills, Suisun Valley, Anderson Valley, El Dorado County and Santa Clara Valley. Tickets now on sale here.

“‘Micro,’ ‘hand-crafted,’ ‘hard-to-find’ and ‘quality’ are terms that define the Garagiste Festival, and nowhere is this more in evidence than at our Sonoma festival: 90% of these wineries do not have a tasting room you can visit, 60% make less than 600 cases and four are pouring their very first vintage,” said Garagiste Co-founder Douglas Minnick. “The Sonoma Garagiste Festival is the only place where area wine lovers have this many opportunities to taste the region’s greatest micro-production wineries. all under one roof. While the festival ethos is ‘no-snobs allowed,’ its wine discovery opportunity is exclusive because we keep our crowds small for one-on-one interaction with the winemakers.”

Minnick noted that 17 of this year’s wineries, are brand new to the Garagiste Festival, including: Bard Clan Wines, Belong Wine Co., Darling Wines, Elaine Wines, Fest Wine Co., Mangels Vineyards, Manzanita Grove Vineyard, Monroy Wines, Moose Mountain Vineyards, Parea Wines, Puppione Family Wines, Stressed Vines Cellars, Sugarloaf Wine Co., The Elkhoury Family Vineyard, Thomas T Thomas Vineyards, Tiny Vineyards Wine Co and Tognetti Family Winery.

The line-up for the 5th annual Garagiste Festival: Northern Exposure includes:

  • VIP Rare and Reserve Access (1-2pm), featuring library, club only or reserve wines, only being poured during this first hour (VIP tickets only)
  • Grand Tasting (2pm-5pm) featuring over 40 winemakers pouring 150+ wines and 20+ different grape varieties. Includes complimentary cheese and charcuterie, along with delicious food samples from local artisan vendors and a souvenir crystal wine glass.
  • Silent Wine Auction with proceeds supporting the Garagiste Scholarship at Cal Poly SLO, to help fund the future of California winemaking.

The Northern Exposure festival is the second event of the 2023 Garagiste Festival season, preceded by the sold out Garagiste Festival: Southern Exposure in Solvang in February, and followed by The Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure in Los Angeles (June 17) and the ‘OG’ Festival in Paso Robles (November 10-11). The Garagiste Festival premiered in Paso Robles in 2011 and is the only wine festival that exclusively features high quality wines from commercial California ‘garagiste’ winemakers. Unlike other festivals, the wines are poured by the winemakers/owners themselves, offering a rare opportunity to interact with the creative forces behind the wines, while making brand new wine discoveries. The festival expanded to the Sonoma region in 2018 to highlight the wines of Sonoma, and surrounding Northern California AVAs.

Among the 40+ winemakers scheduled to pour are:
Alta Orsa Wines, *Bard Clan Wines, *Belong Wine Co., Boonville Road Wines, Burning Bench, Calstar Cellars, Carpenter Wine, Cazadero Winery, Dane Cellars, *Darling Wines, *Elaine Wines, Enriquez Wines, *Fest Wine Co., Fields Family Wines, Forgotten Union Wines, Gondak Cellars, Greyscale Wines, Intent Wines, Kendric Vineyards, Kitson Wines, Lussier Wine Co., *Mangels Vineyards, *Manzanita Grove Vineyard, *Monroy Wines, *Moose Mountain Vineyards, Murder Ridge, Omega Road Winery, *Parea Wines, Perri Jaye Vineyards, Pine Mountain Vineyards, Prima Materia, *Puppione Family Wines, Read Holland Wines, Ricci Vineyards, Rock & Clay Wines, *Stressed Vines Cellars, *Sugarloaf Wine Co., *The Elkhoury Family Vineyard, The Grenachista Wine Co., *Thomas T Thomas Vineyards, *Tiny Vineyards Wine Co and *Tognetti Family Winery.
*New to the festival

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 Laboratories, Laffort USA, Digital Dogma, AgWest Farm Credit, mWEBB Communications, Fortis Solutions Group, Glenn Burdette, Sonoma Valley Sun, TricorBraun winepak, 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.

[[1]] The Garagiste Wine Festival was named “Best of the Fests” by Fest Forums and the ‘Best Wine Festival in the US in USA Today’s 10Best Readers Choice Awards

UNLVino Announces Lineup for Five Events with Celebrated Grand Tasting as Finale

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Las Vegas –  UNLVino returns, in partnership with Southern Glazer’s Wine, Spirits & Beer of Nevada and the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality, with the 49th Annual UNLVino Food and Wine Festival. With an ode to its humble roots, UNLVino continues its unique twist on the beloved event with “UNLVino Presents,” a five-part epicurean experience designed to take your taste buds on a culinary journey. Tickets are now available.

UNLVino Presents expands its Bon Vivant Dining Series to include four immersive dining experiences which feature three local chefs and their restaurants; Chef James Trees of Al Solito Posto, Chef Tal Ronnen of Crossroads and Emeril Lagasse’s Delmonico Steakhouse, as well as a final dinner at UNLV hosted by Chef Hunter Fieri, UNLV Executive Chef Mark Sandoval and hospitality students. The festival concludes with the beloved Grand Tasting. 

The festivities began in November 2022 at Al Solito Posto where Owner Chef James Trees and Executive Chef Adam Rios hosted a four course dinner with wine pairings supplied by Antinori Wine for 40 guests on their gorgeous patio.

On February 19th, the fun moves to Crossroads, the first fully “plant-based” inspired Italian/Mediterranean fine-dining restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip, where Chef Tal Ronnen will prepare a three course dinner with wine pairings from Gérard Bertrand for 50 people. Highlights from the menu include Chestnut Foie Gras, Scallop Linguine, and House Made Italian Sausage.

Chef Emeril Lagasse’s  Delmonico Steakhouse on March 6th will feature wine pairings by Domaine Serene, including their highly renowned Pinot Noir, Evenstad Reserve. This exclusive dinner for 12 will round out the selection of Southern Nevada restaurants that are featured in the 49th UNLVino Bon Vivant Dining Series. 

The Bon Vivant series concludes with a dinner and wine pairing at UNLV on April 20th, hosted by UNLV Alum Hunter Fieri and the University’s Executive Chef, Mark Sandoval. UNLV hospitality students will work alongside Hunter and Chef Sandoval to create a four course meal plated for 40 inside Hospitality Hall featuring wine pairings from Hunter Fieri’s winery, Hunt and Ryde.  

Finally, the Grand Tasting returns on April 29th from 6pm to 9pm with a guest list limited to 500 attendees. The flagship event will continue its elevated, more exclusive experience before ramping up for a historic bash in its 50th year.

Tickets for the dining series can be purchased HERE for $200 per dinner and $500 for the dinner at Delmonico. The Grand Tasting is $200 per person if purchased in advance and $250 at the door. Those who purchase a ticket for a Bon Vivant Dinner will have the opportunity to buy a discounted ticket to the Grand Tasting for $100, and those attending the dinner at Delmonico will get a complimentary ticket to the Grand Tasting. All proceeds benefit UNLV William F. Harrah College of Hospitality scholarship fund.

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About UNLVino

From its humble beginnings inside the Southern Glazer’s Wine, Spirits warehouse, the annual UNLVino has grown into Las Vegas’ premier wine, spirits and food event, and serves as the year’s largest scholarship fundraiser for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ William F. Harrah College of Hospitality students. Founded in 1974 by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Senior Managing Director, Larry Ruvo, and former College of Hospitality dean Jerry Vallen, UNLVino began as a small wine tasting, with proceeds going to UNLV’s hospitality college fund. As UNLVino’s popularity grew, so too did its host venues, moving from the warehouse into UNLV’s Thomas and Mack Center, and eventually expanding to numerous Las Vegas resorts as fans and community sponsors took notice. Entering its 49th year, UNLVino has raised millions of dollars in scholarships and has become one of the city’s must-attend events of the year.

About Southern Glazer’s Wine, Spirits & Beer of Nevada

Southern Glazer’s Wine, Spirits & Beer of Nevada is the state’s leading beverage distribution company and a division of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits is the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol, and proud to be a multi-generational, family-owned company. The Company has operations in 44 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Canada. In 2022, Southern Glazer’s was listed as one of Forbes Best Employers for Diversity. In 2021, Southern Glazer’s was selected as a U.S. Best Managed Company by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal, as well as named by Newsweek as a Top 100 Most Loved Workplace. Southern Glazer’s urges all retail customers and adult consumers to market, sell, serve, and enjoy its products responsibly. For more information visit www.southernglazers.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @sgwinespirits.

About UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality

The UNLV Harrah College of Hospitality is consistently ranked as one of the top hospitality programs in the world. Studying just blocks away from the epicenter of the entertainment capital of the world, the Las Vegas Strip. UNLV hospitality students enjoy unparalleled access to hands-on, industry-relevant experience. Each year the college organizes nearly 600 internships, and welcomes more than 100 national hospitality brands to recruitment events, and pairs industry mentors with students.

Garagiste Wine Festival Returns to Santa Ynez Valley: February 10th and 11th

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PASO ROBLES, CALIF. (PRWEB) – America’s Best Wine Festival, The Garagiste Wine Festival, returns to Solvang in Santa Ynez Valley on February 10th – 11th, offering rare access to over 30 of the most exciting small-production winemakers from the Santa Barbara County area. Tickets are now on sale here. Following on the heels of another sold-out year of events, the festival also announced its line-up for 2023, which includes Sonoma, Los Angeles and Paso Robles.

Hosted in Solvang, one of America’s 10 Best Small Historic Towns, for the ninth time, ‘Southern Exposure’ will be held at the landmark Mission-style Veterans’ Memorial Hall on Solvang’s Mission Street, which was named one of the US’ Top Ten Best Looking Main Streets.

“This charming town has a special place in our hearts, not least because it is at the center of some of the best winemaking in the world, but also because it is a beautiful and walkable place to spend a weekend –all while tasting over 150 ultra-premium, handcrafted small-lot production wines, and meeting their winemakers, under one roof,” said Doug Minnick, Garagiste Festival Co-founder.

2023 ‘Southern Exposure’ includes Garagiste’s Friday night signature “Rare & Reserve” tasting with a traditional Santa Maria-style BBQ dinner buffet on February 10th and the Grand Tasting on Saturday February 11th, which includes a Silent Auction filled with first-rate wine packages that benefit The Garagiste Festival Scholarship Fund at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Weekend Pass holders have entry into both events, along with lunch and a special Valentine’s Day treat. Sunday, February 12th is the popular Garagiste Passport Day, during which several participating wineries – including some “Garagiste Graduate” wineries who have poured with Garagiste in past, but have grown larger in over the years – will be offering special treats and discounts for Garagiste Festival attendees.

“We love our Solvang event,” continued Minnick. “The Vet’s Hall is right in the heart of the village and makes for a fantastic casual weekend of walking the town, seeing the sights, and enjoying the many restaurants, shops, and all that Solvang has to offer. It’s a great way to get a jump on celebrating with your Valentine. And Sunday’s Passport Day is a perfect excuse to take an extra day and night in town. Call in sick if you have to – we always do!”

Southern Exposure starts the 2023 Garagiste Festival season which will bring hundreds of new wine discoveries from across California to wine lovers in Solvang, Paso Robles, Sonoma and Los Angeles. Of the nearly 200 wineries showcased by the festival in 2022, 45 were new to the festival. The 2023 line-up, in addition to Solvang, includes: Garagiste ‘Northern Exposure’ in Sonoma (April 29), Garagiste ‘Urban Exposure’ in Los Angeles (June 17) and the ‘OG’ Festival in Paso Robles (November 10-11).

The Garagiste Festival premiered in Paso Robles in 2011 and is the only wine festival that exclusively features high quality wines from commercial California ‘garagiste’ winemakers. Unlike other festivals, the wines are poured by the winemakers/owners themselves, offering a rare opportunity to interact with the creative forces behind the wines, while making brand new wine discoveries. The festival 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.

The 30+ winemakers scheduled to pour at the Garagiste Festival Southern Exposure include: 
Camin’s 2 Dream, Costa Vinedo*, Cypher Winery, Diablo Paso, Dusty Nabor Wines, Entourage Wines, Fuil Wines*, Greyscale Wiines, Hayseed and Housdon, Herrmann York Wine*, Imagine Wines, Kendric Vineyards, Kimsey Vineyard, Lepiane Wines, LePoidevin Cellars, Lions Peak Winery, MCV Wines, Montagne Russe, Montemar Winery, Pine Moutain Vineyards, RF Fine Wines, Seven Oxen Estate, Silver Wines, Steinbeck Vineyards, Sycamore Ranch, Tercero Wines, Tomi Cellars, Trixon Wine Company.*

*New Wineries

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: 
Bank of Marin, Digital Dogma, ETS Laboratories, Farm Credit West, Fortis Solutions Group, G3, Glenn Burdette, Laffort, mWEBB Communications, Santa Ynez Valley, Solvang, TricorBraun winepak, Vinland Hotel & Lounge, WIVI.

About The Garagiste Wine Festival 
The Garagiste (pronounced garage-east)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.

Wine Lovers Wanted: Experience the Tennessee Wine Trail

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NASHVILLE, TENN. (PRWEB) – Tennessee Farm Winegrowers Alliance (TFWA), the official statewide organization that supports wineries and vineyards in Tennessee, has launched the first ever Tennessee Wine Trail.

This free, passport-based wine trail, available to anyone 21 and over, is comprised of over 40 participating wineries, including those that produce mead and cider. Showcasing the best of Tennessee’s wine industry, this easy and mobile friendly passport is your ticket to the wonderful wines of Tennessee.

“We are thrilled to launch this trail. With the help of the Tennessee Wine and Grape Board, this endeavor allows Tennessee to have a program focused specifically on the fantastic wines, meads, and ciders produced in Tennessee,” said Laura Swanson, TFWA Executive Director.

Conversations around the statewide wine trail began earlier this year and led TFWA to Bandwango, a well-known technology company designed to support both free and paid experiences created by destinations that are marketing to visitors as well as locals. Using this technology, TFWA began working with wineries across Tennessee this summer to establish the statewide trail.

“We here at Grinder’s Switch Winery are looking forward to meeting new faces from across the great state of Tennessee and beyond,” said Jodie Morgan, co-owner of Grinder’s Switch Winery.

Through this passport, wine lovers will be able to visit a dedicated mobile landing page where they can sign up for the Tennessee Wine Trail by providing their name, e-mail address, and mobile phone number.

A link is then sent to their mobile phone, which opens the passport and directs the user to add the button icon to their home screen where they can access it any time. There is never anything to download and no bulky apps take up space on a user’s phone.

“The process is very simple,” said Swanson. “After logging in, the visitor has to click only once in order to check-in at the participating winery, meadery, or cidery. GPS from the phone will automatically validate the location and after 10 visits, a prize will be on its way!”

Passport holders can earn prizes at certain intervals, including a free VIP pass to an upcoming wine festival.

Sign up for the Tennessee Wine Trail by visiting tennesseewines.com and visit us on all of the social media @tennesseewines.

Garagiste Festival Celebrates Explosion of Micro-Winery Movement in Paso Robles: November 11th and 12th

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PASO ROBLES, CALIF. (PRWEB) – America’s Best Wine Festival[1], The Garagiste Wine Festival, returns to its home base of Paso Robles in SLO County for the 11th time to celebrate the continued expansion of the Garagistes, with over 200 wines poured by over 50 of the Central Coast’s most exciting micro-production artisan wineries. Festivities include Friday’s Rare and Reserve Tasting at the Pavilion on the Lake in trendy Atascadero, ‘The Many Sides of Syrah’ seminar, the Grand Tasting, and the festival’s signature Keep It Rockin’ After Party. Tickets are on sale here.

Taking place November 11th and 12th, the festival which, in 2011, helped kick off global awareness of the micro production winery movement, comes at a time when limited production winemakers are dominating the wine scene in the Central Coast. Home to one in five of the state’s wineries, the Central Coast boasts over 700 small production wineries, with San Luis Obispo County leading the pack, according to Wines Vines Analytics.[2]

In fact, Wines Vines Analytics reports that the number of very small and limited production wineries in the Central Coast has exploded, more than doubling (61%) to 753, since 2010, with the number of limited production wineries (under 1000 cases) having grown an astonishing 79%. The Garagiste Festival has showcased nearly 500 limited/very small production winemakers since 2011, the majority from the Central Coast.

SMALL / LIMITED PRODUCTION WINERY GROWTH ON THE CENTRAL COAST:
GROWTH – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 2010 – – – 2022 – – – %CHANGE
Ltd Production (<1,000) – – – – – 240 – – – – 430 – – – – 79%
Very Small (1,000 – 4,999) – – – 227 – – – – 323 – – – – 42%
Small (5,000 – 49,999) – – – – – – 154 – – – – 170 – – – – 10%
(Source: Wines Vines Analytics)

“It is no surprise that, today, Paso’s home county, SLO, leads the limited production wine scene. Back in 2011, its rich network of artisan winemakers, hand-crafting wine almost in obscurity, was the impetus for the founding of the Garagiste Festival,” said Doug Minnick, Garagiste Festival Co-founder. “We set out to shine a light on these fantastic artisan winemakers and connect them with others like ourselves who love discovering new wines and wineries. We’re proud to have played a part in helping these wineries – and this movement – grow significantly. Eleven festivals later, we are still introducing extraordinary new wineries and winemakers to a growing and appreciative audience of wine consumers.”

Dubbed “tasting nirvana,” “strange and wondrous,” and “one not to miss” by the LA Times, the Garagiste Festival showcases under-the-radar, innovative, commercial winemakers who handcraft 1500 cases or less of wine and is renowned for its diversity of wines, renegade spirit, passionate winemakers, handcrafted wines and rules-breaking, ‘no snobs allowed’ ethos.

This year, the festival’s signature tasting seminar, kicking off events on November 12th, revisits one of the most popular grapes among the festival’s garagiste winemakers, Syrah. Moderated by festival co-founder and winemaker, Stewart McLennan, “The Many Sides of Syrah: A Deep Dive into this Classic Grape” features tastings of different interpretations of the grape from panelists and winemakers Doug Minnick (Hoi Polloi Wines and Garagiste Festival co-founder), Steve Martell (Kaleidos Winery) and Bret Urness (Levo Wine).

“Long a favorite of Garagiste Festival winemakers, Syrah has been called the ‘winemakers grape’ because of the range of styles it can make, its ability to express terroir – as well as the winemaker’s personality – and, importantly, because of the excellent wines it can produce,” said Minnick. “It is such a signature grape of Paso Robles’s artisan winemakers, it is hard to believe that, before 1970, there were barely four acres of it planted in California. Today, it is at the heart of some of the greatest wines produced in Paso Robles, and we are excited to share three distinct explorations in our seminar.”

The Garagiste Festival is the only wine festival that exclusively features high quality wines from commercial California ‘garagiste’ winemakers and, unlike other festivals, the wines are poured by the winemakers/owners themselves, offering a rare opportunity to interact with the creative forces behind the wines, while making brand new wine discoveries.

Proceeds from the festivals support the Garagiste Festival Scholarship fund of the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo Wine and Viticulture Department.

The Paso Robles Garagiste Festival kicks off on Friday night, November 11th at 6:30 pm at the lovely Pavilion on the Lake in Atascadero, with a Rare & Reserve Tasting, featuring 50 special wines poured only at this event, as well as a wine country buffet.

Saturday’s festivities begin at 11:30am for VIP ticketholders with “The Many Sides of Syrah” seminar. Saturday’s main event, The Grand Tasting, starts at 2:00pm (1:00pm for early access ticket holders) and features over 50 winemakers pouring 200+ wines and 20+ grape varieties, as well as a silent auction benefitting The Garagiste Scholarship at CalPoly. Complimentary cheese and charcuterie will be available curated by Vivant Cheese, along with shopping from local artisan vendors The fun continues with the Keep It Rockin’ After Party from 5:30 – 8:30 pm, featuring live music and local brews. All of Saturday’s events take place at Paso Robles Event Center

Among the over 50 winemakers pouring at The Garagiste Festival in Paso Robles are:
ALLBAER Wines*, Alma Sol Winery, Ariana Wines, Autry Cellars, Bon Niche Cellars, Boutz Cellars*, Bushong Vintage Company, Caelesta Vineyards*, Cairjn Wine Cellars*, Caliza Winery, Concur Wines, Copia Vineyards, Crush Vineyard, Cutruzzola Vineyards, Demeter Family Cellars, Diablo Paso, Dracaena Wines, Dresser Winery*, Dubost Winery, Dusty Nabor Wines, Etnyre Wines, Familia Hicks, Hayseed & Housdon, Hoyt Family Vineyards, INNATE Wines*, Kaleidos Winery, Leverage Wines, Loma Seca Vineyards, Marin’s Vineyard, MCV Wines, MEA Wines, Montagne Russe, Nenow Family Wines, Optio Vineyards*, Purple Dragon Cellars, RF Fine Wines, S&J Cellars*, Sea Shell Cellars, Seven Angels Cellars, Seven Oxen Estate, Stilson Cellars*, The Farm Winery, Torch Cellars, TW Ferm Co., Ultima Tulie, Vines on the Marycrest, Volatus Winery, Zanoli Wines, Zobeto Wines*

*First Time Garagiste Participants

Tickets are very limited for the Garagiste Festivals and always sell out. Tickets are available 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.

Sponsors include:
Vinebase, ETS, Travel Paso, Visit Atascadero, G3, Glenn Burdette, WIVI, Bank of Marin, Digital Dogma, Farm Credit West, Laffort, mWEBB Communications

The non-profit Garagiste Festivals benefit the Cal Poly SLO Wine and Viticulture program.
For sponsorship info, email info(at)garagistefestival.com.

For more information and full Garagiste Festival: Urban Exposure schedule details, go to: https://www.garagistefestival.com/los-angeles-2022

About The Garagiste Wine Festival
The Garagiste (pronounced garage-east)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.

[1] The Garagiste Wine Festival was 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.
[2] Wines Vines Analytics, April 2022

Best High-Altitude Fall/Late Summer Festivals

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For those looking to elevate their summer/fall festival adventures – go up. High-altitude mountain festivals means iconic views, cooler temperatures and oftentimes less crowds (though you have to watch your alcohol consumption at high elevations!).

We put together a list of our favorite late summer/fall food/beverage and movie festivals that are over 8,000 feet of elevation –

Vail Wine Classic (8,150’, August 11-13): The Vail Wine Classic includes “Vail Uncorked Dinner Series” featuring five-course dinners at Vail’s top restaurants, a Somm-led “Argentine Experiences Hike” that culminates with a three-course paired lunch, a seminar about RIEDEL’s’s varietal-specific glassware, and much more. Vail Wine Classic brings master winemakers and wine enthusiasts together for an immersive three-day tasting event that includes all-inclusive tastings of diverse and distinctive wines from around the world and a-la-carte events.

Breckenridge Wine Classic (9,600’, Sept. 15-17): In addition to the iconic Grand Tasting sessions that feature hundreds of wineries, breweries, distilleries, and epicurean purveyors, the Breckenridge Wine Classic’s innovative lineup includes a “Winemaker for a Day” experience, “Wine & Wildflower Hike,” and exquisite paired dinners with some of the country’s best vintners at five standout Breckenridge restaurants, including one at the ski resort.

Vail Oktoberfest (8,150’, Sept 9-11 + Sept. 16-18): The beloved Vail Oktoberfest is a Bavarian extravaganza of competitions, costume contests, German delicacies, flowing German beer, traditional music and dance, children’s entertainment and more. This free, family-friendly event was named among the 10 greatest Oktoberfest celebrations in the U.S. by USA Today.

Telluride Film Festiva l (8,750’, Sept. 2-5) – Each Labor Day weekend, the tiny mountain village of Telluride, Colorado triples in size. Swells of passionate film enthusiasts flood the town for four days of total cinematic immersion, embarking on a viewing odyssey, blissfully spending entire days in flickering dark rooms.