Top California wineries travel to Wine Festivals across the country every year and so do Steppin’ Out publisher Jeanne Francis and photographer Ken Sheffer!  Save the dates for these fun-packed and educational special events. 
 

Taste Food, Taste Wine, Taste Life!

2004 Taste of Vail – April 7-10

Immerse yourself in the elegant tapestry of fine wine, spirits and dining that underscores the Vail Valley lifestyle as the 14^th annual Taste of Vail brings the best of the best to your palate, hosted at the Vail Marriott Mountain Resort and Spa.

Join with over 50 of the top wineries from around the globe, as well as 35 of the Vail Valley's world class restaurants and two nationally renowned guest chefs, for this three-day extravaganza of winemaker dinners, a spectacular mountaintop picnic, fabulous tastings and fun and informative seminars, while also sampling the great spring skiing on Vail Mountain.

In addition to providing this sensory sensation, proceeds from the Taste of Vail annually benefit deserving local and regional charities and nonprofit organizations, with over $250,000 having been raised since the inception of the event.   Ticket prices range from $35 for individual seminars to $350 for a Full Event Pass.

For more information, visit www.tasteofvail.com or call 1/888-311-5665.

Toast the Coast in Monterey, California - April 29-May 1

Join a celebration of fine wines during the 28^th Annual Monterey Wine Festival in beautiful Monterey, California.  More than just a showcase for great wine, the festival is a major educational forum for wine connoisseurs, as well as members of the restaurant and food service industry.  The event also includes winemaker luncheons, unique educational seminars, pairing food and wine, America’s Best Wine Lists Award Gala, and a live auction with proceeds supporting The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s educational initiatives.

For lodging, venues and a look at last year’s event, visit the website at www.montereywine.com/2003/

Bon Appetit Wine and Spirits Focus – May 7-9 (Check city dates on Web site)

The 15th Annual Bon Appétit Wine & Spirits Focus will kick off with a three-day weekend event in Las Vegas. The event will be held over Mother's Day weekend, May 7-9, 2004, at the Ritz Carlton, Lake Las Vegas, and will include a Grand Tasting on Friday, Private Workshops and Tastings, and Dinner on Saturday evening. Sunday will culminate with a very special Mother's Day Brunch. These events, sponsored by the Viking Range Corporation, are held in major cities across the country and benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  For further information and locations, visit the website at www.bonappetitfocus.com.

Telluride Wine Festival - June 24-27

Celebrate the magic of food and wine amid Colorado’s unspoiled vistas and majestic peaks.

Steve Olson, AKA "Wine Geek", has his own thoughts about the Festival: "I speak at many wonderful wine events throughout the year, but the Telluride Wine Fest may very well be host to the most natural, organic melding of wine and food of them all. In the spectacular surroundings of a box canyon in Southwestern Colorado, gifted chefs, talented winemakers, expert sommeliers, and renowned teachers of wine mingle freely and unpretentiously with foodies and wine lovers on one magical weekend in late June to create a fantastic environment of mutual appreciation and unrivaled celebration."

Special discounted lodging is available at the Inn at Lost Creek, Telluride's premier luxury boutique hotel in the Telluride Mountain Village.

Call 970/728-4773 for more information or visit the website at www.telluridewinefestival.com.

MASTER SOMMELIER FREDERICK L. DAME TO HOST 23RD ANNUAL KAPALUA WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL – July 8-11

The most prestigious and longest-running wine and food extravaganza in Hawaii, the Kapalua Wine & Food Festival has risen to new heights with the appointment of Frederick L. Dame, MS and President, Court of Master Sommeliers Worldwide as host and master of ceremonies for the 2004 event. He is one of the world's leading wine and food authorities and has been a mentor to many of the world's finest master sommeliers.  He is also active in the culinary arts serving as an Honorary Trustee of The American Academy of Chefs, the honor society of The American Culinary Federation.

This 2004 event, scheduled July 8-11, will feature an exclusive selection of the world's premier wineries offering attendees an even more in-depth understanding of the wines and the opportunity to interact with winemakers than ever before. The program for 2004 is still being finalized but will have an emphasis on Italian influences on food and wine.

Kapalua is a 1,650-acre master-planned resort community set amidst a 23,000-acre working pineapple plantation on Maui's northwest coast. For more information call (800) KAPALUA or visit www.kapaluamaui.com.