California Travel Association, Cooperages 1912 Napa, DDC Shipping, Debbie Douglas Designs, Fast Forward Events, GSO (Golden State Overnight), Just My Ticket, Kerrygold Cheeses & Butters, Labeltronix, Private Spring Water, Sadie Rose Baking Co., Touring & Tasting Magazine, Vineyard & Winery Magazine, and VinVillage.com To Sponsor “Tasting 2012”

SACRAMENTO, CA (February 21, 2012)–The Family Winemakers of California, an association of small, family-owned wineries in California, is proud to announce 2012 sponsors for its series of Southern California tastings taking place March 11 in San Diego and March 13 in Pasadena. This year’s line-up of sponsors include California Travel Association, Cooperages 1912 Napa, DDC Shipping, Debbie Douglas Designs, Fast Forward Events, GSO (Golden State Overnight), Just My Ticket, Kerrygold Cheeses & Butters, Labeltronix, Private Spring Water, Sadie Rose Baking Co., Touring & Tasting Magazine, Vineyard & Winery Magazine, and VinVillage.com, said Paul Kronenberg, President of the Family Winemakers of California.

“We’re so thankful to our sponsors for supporting our Southern California tour and helping to make the tastings a continued success,” added Kronenberg. “With over 2,000 in attendance, the tastings give our sponsors exposure to influential members of the trade and media, as well as a captive audience of wine enthusiasts.”

The tastings are an opportunity for members of the wine-buying trade and wine lovers to taste wines from over 180 of California’s small production wineries, while discovering new favorites along the way. The tasting will feature over 800 different wines from wineries all across California’s many American Viticultural Areas.

First on the Southern California tour stop is San Diego, with a trade and consumer tasting on March 11 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The trade only segment is from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. and is followed by a consumer segment from 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. The tour continues north to Pasadena on March 13 where an exclusive trade tasting is taking place from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the Pasadena Convention Center.

Tickets for San Diego’s public tasting are $55 in advance and $65 at the door. There is no charge to attend the trade tastings for qualified members of the trade who pre-register by March 2. After March 2, on-site trade tickets will be available for purchase at the door for $40 with proof of trade status and a valid I.D. To purchase tickets or register as a member of the trade, visit www.familywinemakers.org.

For more information about “Tasting 2012” sponsors, please visit the event’s official website at www.familywinemakers.org. For questions regarding future sponsorships, contact Kathy Spallas at Kathy@familywinemakers.org or call 916-498-7500.

FAMILY WINEMAKERS OF CALIFORNIA

Family Winemakers of California was established in 1991 in response to a need for public policy involvement for the small wine producers of California. The Association has become a strong force in the wine industry, lobbying for wine producer rights, and has an active membership of over 600 California wineries. Family Winemakers draws its membership from all the wine producing areas of the state, with the largest concentration coming from Napa and Sonoma Counties.

Family Winemakers trade tastings, held in San Francisco since 1991 and in Southern California since 2000, are well known in the industry for the quantity and quality of the participating wineries. The tastings give members of the trade and public the opportunity to get to know wineries from all over the state, the well known and the unknown, and especially the small, all in one place at one time. Family Winemakers – Taste California!