GET READY TO "PUCKER UP"

10-31-2007

San Diego, CA (October 31, 2007) -Southern California's largest wine and culinary event is just around the corner, returning with a week-long, action-packed Festival for "foodies" that producers Michelle Metter and Ken Loyst claim will be nothing short of lip smacking, glass clinking, celebrity watching, swishing, swirling, mouth watering kind of fun!

This year's Festival features 160 world-class wineries, 60 fine dining restaurants, gourmet foods, celebrity chefs, wine dinners, 14 cooking and wine tasting classes, olive oil competition, and live and silent auctions benefiting the American Institute of Wine & Food. 

Tickets are now on sale for each event during the week-long Festival.  In addition to an already exciting line-up, festival producers have added new events including a luxury champagne and jewelry event called Bling & Bubbly, and the "Chef of the Fest" competition where 60 fine dining chefs compete for up to $50,000 in cash and prizes. 

The Schedule for the 4th Annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival follows:

Events For November 14, 2007

• San Diego Wine Rave: A winetasting event with the volume turned up a few notches.  Held at a Little Italy Urban Bar & Restaurant, this event features cutting edge wines and spirits.  The event is designed to create an uber hip tasting experience for a collective of up-and-coming wine and spirits consumers.  7:00 - 10:00 p.m.  $30 in advance/$40 at the door.

• Bling & Bubbly:  This event will rock the Ivy Hotel on November 14 with a fashion show featuring $200,000 in diamonds, clothing by Zandra Rhodes, Nicole Miller and Mr. B's, cuisine by Damon Gordon's Quarter Kitchen, and flowing champagne by Laurent Perrier.  $35 from each Ticket benefits YWCA's Becky's House.  Tickets are $150.  The event is from 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.

Events For November 15, 2007: 

Cooking & Wine Tasting Classes At the San Diego Wine & Culinary Center

• Simply French featuring Chef Carissa Seward, The Next Food Network Star contestant; 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.; $45 per ticket

• Perfect Paella Preparation featuring Executive Chef Gary Thompson of Viejas Casino; 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.; $45 per ticket

• Cocktails & Hors d' oeuvres To Die For; Chef Dave Lawrence author of Boy Eats World; Sponsored by Imbibe Magazine; 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.; $55 per ticket

• The Bold and the Beautiful of Sparkling Wines featuring Maria Hunt; Food Columnist, Union Tribune; 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.; $45 per ticket

• Find the Opus featuring John Alonge, Wine Expert/Owner San Diego Wine & Culinary Center; 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.; $45 per ticket

Cooking Classes At Macy's School of Cooking

• Global Flavors and Spice Mixology featuring Chef Bernard Guillas, Executive Chef La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club; 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.; $55 per ticket

• The Harmony of Chef and Sommelier featuring Addison at The Grand Del Mar's Executive Chef William Bradley and Sommelier Jesse Rodriguez 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.; $55 per ticket

Events For November 16, 2007

• Reserve & New Release Tasting and Silent Auction (Big Bottle) aboard the Inspiration featuring Reserve and New Release wines from 150 producers.  $85 per ticket.  6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Cooking & Wine Tasting Classes At the San Diego Wine & Culinary Center

• Become A Cheese Expert (or at Least Look Like One!) featuring Author Laura Werlin; 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m., $55 per ticket

• A Comparison of California Zinfandel Panel featuring Paul Lukacs, Wine Editor Saveur Magazine; 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m., $55 per ticket

• PS I Love You featuring Master Sommelier Joseph Spellman and Panel of Petite Sirah Winemakers, 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., $55 per ticket

• Vertical Ports and Pairing - Not Just Cheese and Chocolate featuring Bart Barthelemy, Winemaker at      St. Barthelemy Cellars with Jennifer English of Food & Wine Radio Network, 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., $55 per ticket

• Master Sommelier Blind Tasting featuring Master Sommelier Joseph Spellman and Panel of Local Sommeliers, 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., $75 per ticket

• Women Winemakers Panel featuring Sommelier Lisa Redwine of Molly's Restaurant & Bar, as Moderator, and a panel of women winemakers including Kathleen Inman, Susie Selby, Marketta Formeaux and Amanda Cramer, 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., $55 per ticket

Cooking Classes At Macy's School of Cooking

• Top Chef Allstars featuring Chef Brian Hill, Chef Frank Terzoli and Chef Brian Malarky, Seasons 1, 2 and 3 of Bravo's Top Chef contestants, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m., $60 per ticket

Events for November 17, 2007

• Grand Tasting: The Grand Finale of the sizzling week-long festival is the star-studded Grand Tasting Event held November 17 on the Embarcadero Park North behind Seaport Village.   Features 60 of the city's star chefs, gourmet food companies, olive oil tasting, live entertainment and 160 international winemakers and spirit producers, live auction, and more! Ticket price is $100 per person in advance/$125 at the gate. $150 for VIP.  12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.  This event is located on the Embarcadero Park North behind Seaport Village

Events for November 18, 2007

• Hornblower & Mumm Brunch:  Enjoy a relaxing two hour cruise on the San Diego Bay with a lavish brunch buffet and spectacular city and bay views. Your senses will be ignited with fresh air and amazing views and your taste buds will be tantalized with free flowing Mumm Napa "Brut Prestige", plus other specialty tastes including Mumm Napa "Blanc de Blancs" and Mumm Napa "DVX", and delicious cuisine prepared fresh onboard by Hornblower's Executive Chef's.  Boarding: 10:30  Sailing: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. $56.95 per person plus tax, prior to November 12; Children 4-12 price is $34.00 plus tax

For more information on the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival held November 14-18, 2007 or to purchase tickets visit www.worldofwineevents.com or call 619-342-7337.

Proceeds from the event's live and silent auctions benefit the American Institute of Wine & Food culinary and enology scholarships for students and professionals in San Diego.  In 2006, the donations from the festival to AIWF resulted in the award of seven educational scholarships.

The San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival is sponsored by:  Cost Plus World Market, Saveur Magazine, Viejas Casino, BMW, Union Bank of California, San Diego Magazine, W Hotel, Acqua Panna, Southwest Airlines, Hornblower Cruises, Unified Port of San Diego, Marriott Hotels, California Olive Oil Council, Macy's School of Cooking, Sadie Rose Banking Company, S. Pellegrino, Flemming's, San Diego Wine & Culinary Center, Radio ASB, Alanas Marketing & Creative, Classic Party Rentals, Mosaic Catering, Dining Out, Tommy Bahama Rum, Quarterly Review of Wine, Chesapeake Fish Company, Serving San Diego, Fifty Seven Degrees, Imbibe Magazine, Turtle Island Fiji, Air Pacific, Sweet Cheeks Baking, Ghirardelli, US Foodservice, Vine Times, The Ivy Hotel and Brandt Beef.

ABOUT SAN DIEGO BAY WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL
The San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival is an international showcase of the world's premier wine and spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities, and gourmet foods. Held November 14-18, 2007, the event benefits the American Institute of Wine & Food culinary arts scholarship program. Over 700 wines, 60 of San Diego's top fine dining restaurants and 30 gourmet food companies and exhibitors will participate in the 2007 Festival. Now in its fourth year, the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival has quickly grown into a world-class wine and culinary extravaganza. The five-day festival features wine tasting seminars, cooking classes by award- winning chefs, and an elegant Reserve Tasting at one of San Diego's finest hotels. The festival culminates on Saturday at the star-studded Grand Tasting Event and Fine Wine/Lifestyle Auction complete with dueling chef demonstration stages, celebrity cookbook signing tents, Cost Plus entertainment tent, and more. For more information visit www.worldofwineevents.com.

ABOUT WORLD OF WINE EVENTS
World of Wine Events, LLC is an event management and festival production company specializing in the creation of world-class wine and culinary trade and consumer events.  World of Wine Events provides strategic guidance, logistics, operations, marketing, and industry insights for winery and spirits road shows, distributor trade tastings, as well as large format tasting and lifestyle festivals.  World of Wine Events is the producer of the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, Southern California's largest wine and culinary extravaganza.  More information on World of Wine Events and the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival may be found by contacting Michelle Metter at 619-602-9789 or by visiting www.worldofwineevents.com.


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