The 27th Annual Kapalua Wine & Food Festival Offers Tantalizing Treats for the Palate

KAPALUA RESORT, MAUI, HAWAI`I (March 25, 2008) — For the past 26 years, hundreds of avid food and wine connoisseurs gather at the world-class Kapalua Resort on Maui to enjoy the prestigious Kapalua Wine & Food Festival, one of the longest-running events of its kind in Hawai‘i.  This year’s 27^th annual event, “Savor the Magic of Maui,” is hosted by Master Sommelier Fred Dame and will run June 26 – 29, 2008—presenting an extensive selection of dynamic wine seminars and tastings, culinary demonstrations and must-attend gala events. 

The Kapalua Wine & Food Festival presents a unique opportunity for attendees to celebrate fine wine and food with world-renowned winemakers, top master sommeliers, celebrated chefs and industry insiders in the island paradise of Maui.  To attend this delectable event, guests can purchase a four-day festival pass as well as ala carte tickets online at kapalua.com. For more information, call 1-888-665-9160.

Highlights of Kapalua Resort’s 27^th Annual Kapalua Wine & Food Festival include:

In the Kitchen with Celebrity Chef Pano Karatassos: Friday, June 27, 2008

Celebrity Chef Pano Karatassos, the nation’s Greek culinary phenom and Atlanta’s most celebrated young talent, will demonstrate his passion for food to 25 privileged attendees from 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.  Guests will savor Karatassos’ award-winning cuisine and premier wine selections from Greece.  Available only ala carte - tickets are $200 per person.

The Grand Tasting: Friday, June 27, 2008

One of the Festival’s most elegant evenings, The Grand Tasting features more than 100 distinguished wines from around the world as well as divine, Mediterranean-inspired cuisine presented by The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua’s culinary team led by Executive Chef John Zaner. Six nationally-acclaimed master sommeliers, including Robert Bigelow from Bellagio Resort & Casino and Larry Stone from Rubicon Estate, will discuss their featured “Master Sommelier’s Choice” wines and offer insight into wine selections. Held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua’s Beach House Lawn. This event is included in the four-day pass; ala carte tickets are available for $145 per person.

Fred Dame’s Rare Wines Dinner: Saturday, June 28, 2008

Hosted by Master Sommelier Fred Dame, this exclusive charity dinner features rare wines of the Guild of Sommeliers and the highly-prized cuisine of Celebrity Chef Pano Karatassos. Fred Dame’s Rare Wines Dinner is presented from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.  A portion of the proceeds benefit the Guild of Sommeliers Education Foundation. Available only ala carte - tickets are $450 per person.

Kapalua Seafood Festival: Sunday, June 29, 2008

The four-day weekend culminates with the ever-celebrated Kapalua Seafood Festival, a feast for all senses!  Master Sommelier Fred Dame along with Maui’s top chefs present an exquisite culinary display of gourmet wine and food. The Kapalua Seafood Festival takes place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua’s Aloha Garden Pavilion. This event is included in the four-day pass; ala carte tickets are available for $145 per person.

To enhance the enjoyment of these tantalizing festival events, epicurean travelers to the Kapalua Wine & Food Festival are also invited to book a stay at the luxurious Kapalua Gold Villas:  one, two- and three-bedroom Villas.  Villas are conveniently located throughout the resort and guests are offered VIP amenities and unlimited access to resort facilities.  At Kapalua Resort, guests are immersed in an authentic sense of place tied to the very essence of Maui. Beyond the deluxe accommodations and lush, tropical surroundings, Kapalua Resort guests experience Maui’s people, culture and traditions in a way that most visitors only dream about.

The Kapalua Villas currently offer an exclusive Kapalua Wine & Food Festival package to complement this experience:

“Savor the Magic of Maui” package – from $1,538 per person*

• Luxury accommodations in a one- or two-bedroom Villa
• Each guest will receive a four-day festival pass, which includes access to:
  • Welcome Reception
  • The Grand Tasting
  • Daily wine seminars
  • Celebrity Chef cooking demonstrations
  • Kapalua Wine Tour
  • Kapalua Seafood Festival

Plus, each guest will receive their choice of one “Play Your Way” resort activity:

• A 18-hole round of golf at the championship Plantation Course or Bay Course, or
• Kapalua Adventures Lower Mountain Loop Zip Line Tour, or
• One hour golf lesson at the Kapalua Golf Academy[Back to Press Releases Main]