Itโs the big top of all wine events inย Southern California.ย ย None can topย the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, coming November 18 throughย ย November 24.
This spectacular event is an international showcase of the worldโs great wines and spirits, chefs and culinary personalities and gourmet foods. Over 200 beverage companies are pouring, 70 restaurants are serving and 30 gourmet food companies are sampling.
Michele Metter, co-producer of the multi-day event said โSan Diegoโs culinary scene is vibrant and rich with talented chefs and artists, and the rest of the nation is catching on to our cityโs potential to emerge as one ofย Americaโs premier culinary destinations.โ
This yearโs action-packed lineup features cooking classes, tasting panels, celebrity chef dinners and multiple tasting events showcasingย San Diegoโs food and wine scene.
Here are my personal canโt miss events during this extravaganza:
You canโt miss the biggest and best Grand Tasting Event, Sat. Nov. 23 at the Embarcadero behindย Seaportย Village, fromย 12ย toย 3pm.ย ย This is the grand finale and features 170 wine, beer and spirit purveyors and 70 ofย San Diegoโs most talented chefs.ย ย Wine names like Silver Oak, Joseph Phelps, Justin, Chateau Montelena, Ferrari Carano, and regional favorites like Orfila,ย Southย Coast, Falkner and Callaway will all be pouring their best. Restaurants offering favorite foods will include Amaya La Jolla, Flemingโs, Jakeโs, Marina Kitchen, Seasons 52 and Stone.ย ย The Vault:ย ย Reserve & New Release Tasting will be Fri. Nov. 22 fromย 6ย toย 9pmย at the Marriott Marquis and Marina.ย ย An elegant evening will feature fine wines for gold medal collectors from over 200 producers.ย ย Fri. Nov. 22 fromย 11:30ย toย 12:30pmย is set for Pinot Nirvana, also at the Marriott Marquis and Marina.ย ย This is a seminar with insider Pinot insights from topย Californiaย winemakers.
Wine Spectator hosts a Celebrity Chef Dinner and Big Bottle Live Auction Thurs. Nov. 21 at the Marriott Marquis and Marina at 6pm. The hotel also is the location for a Louis Latour Double 9 Year Vertical Tasting Thurs. Nov. 21 fromย 1:30ย toย 3pm.ย ย This is only a partial list of the over 25 events produced by Fast Forward Events, founders of the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival.ย ย Go toย www.sandiegowineclassic.comย or call 619-312-1212.
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Frank Mangio is a renownedย San Diegoย wine connoisseur certified by Wine Spectator.ย ย He is one of the leading wine commentators on the web.ย ย View and link up with his columns atย www.tasteofwinetv.com.ย ย Reach him atย [email protected].
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