A collaboration of more than 20 Monterey County vintners, and winery principals, under the direction of the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association, take their award-winning wines on the road.
Monterey, CA – The Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association (MCVGA) is taking its award-winning wines on the road to Carmel, Sacramento, Orlando and Miami beginning in March. The Association is pleased to announce a collaboration of more than 20 brands from Monterey County in a wine showcase that will touch down in four cities for the 5th Annual Monterey Wine Country Spring Tour. The wine tour, targeted to media, trade and consumers alike, will embrace the Orlando market with a special wine tasting event on April 17th at the House of Blues. Winemakers and winery principals will be on hand to represent their wines. A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit the ProStart and Lodging Management School-to-Career programs, which support high school students interested in foodservice and lodging careers.
“The California and Florida markets are #1 and #2, respectively, in terms of wine consumption. Their influence in building broader awareness about the wines of any region can have significant long-term marketing and sales effects,” said Rhonda Motil, Executive Director of MCVGA. “We look forward to meeting with the media, trade, and consumers in each of these markets and having them discover some of the hidden gems of Monterey, as well as taste some favorites that they are probably already familiar with.”
When the tour arrives in the “Sunshine State” on April 17, Orlando’s House of Blues will be the host to wine enthusiasts. The Orlando event will include a complimentary press and trade tasting from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., and a $45 cover charge for the consumer tasting from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The tour will conclude in South Beach, Miami at Nikki Beach / Pearl Restaurant on April 19. A portion of the proceeds from the consumer tasting will benefit hospitality education scholarships in the Orlando and Miami area. The tasting events in Florida are co-sponsored with the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA).
“We are very excited to partner with the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association on their Monterey Wine Country national tour,” said Chip Bone, vice president of FRLA educational foundation. “A portion of the proceeds from both of the consumer events in Florida will benefit the ProStart and Lodging Management School-to-Career programs. These instrumental programs support students interested in the foodservice and lodging industries in more than 200 Florida high schools.”
A sampling of the Monterey County Wine Tour participants include: Arroyo Seco Vineyards, Bernardus Vineyards, Blackstone Winery, Carmel Road Winery, De Tierra, Estancia Winery, Hahn Estates / Smith & Hook Winery, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, Jekel Vineyards, Lockwood Vineyard, Manzoni Estate Vineyard, Marilyn Remark Wines, Meador Estate, Michaud, Paraiso Vineyards, Pelerin Wines, Pessagno Winery, Riboli Family Wine Estates, San Saba Vineyard, Scheid Vineyards, Silver Mountain Vineyards, Tamas Estates, Ventana Vineyards, and Wente Vineyards.
“The national tour is an excellent forum to showcase the caliber of quality wines that are coming from the Monterey region,” commented Steve Pessagno, owner of Pessagno Winery. “It is a unique opportunity for the vintners of Monterey to collaborate to display the breadth of wines that can be produced in this diverse winegrowing area, which spans over 100 miles. From an attendee standpoint, the event is ideal for guests to go to one tasting and see the stylistic differences in any given varietal from one winery to the next. Pessagno Winery has participated in the tour for the past five years and completely supports the efforts to build broader awareness about Monterey County wines.”
Each guest that attends the consumer event will be entered in a Grand Prize drawing that features a trip for two to Monterey. A lucky winner will be drawn at 8 p.m. during the tasting. The package includes a three-day/two night trip through the wine tasting rooms of Monterey Wine Country, overnight accommodations, a welcome gift basket upon arrival in Monterey, dinner at one of the highly acclaimed local restaurants and travel credit to Monterey.
Reservations for the wine tasting events can be made by contacting the MCVGA at 831-375-9400 or at www.montereywines.org. The 2006 national tour events sold out quickly and space is limited, reservations are encouraged for the 2007 tour:
March 22, Carmel, CA—La Play Hotel, Camino Real at Eighth
2—5 PM, media and trade only
March 29, Sacramento, CA—Hyatt Regency Sacramento, 1209 L Street
2—5 PM, media and trade only
6—9PM, consumer tasting, $45 per person
April 17, Orlando, FL—House of Blues, 1490 E. Buena Vista Drive
2—5 PM, media and trade only
6—9PM, consumer tasting, $45 per person
April 19, Miami, FL—Nikki Beach / Pearl Restaurant, One Ocean Drive
2—5 PM, media and trade only
6—9PM, consumer tasting, $45 per person
About MCVGA
The Monterey County Vintners & Growers Association (MCVGA) brings together the talents and resources of its members, partners and our community in order to promote and support our leadership in the art, the science and the business of wine. Founded in 1974, MCVGA is a non-profit organization representing more than 85 vintners and growers in Monterey, California. For more information, please visit www.montereywines.org.
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Media Contact:
Denise Wilson
Quantified Marketing Group
(407) 936-1010
dwilson@quantifiedmarketing.com
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