A NEW YEAR OF WINE TASTING
IN CALIFORNIA
It's never too early to plan your 2014 tasting events! Save these dates and maybe I'll see you there. As usual, there are many events all over California; and I've only listed some of them.
I haven't made plans to attend every one of the events below, but I hope to get to the local ones in Ventura County. Most of my other Taste N Trips are to events usually in the Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Paso Robles areas. And this year I hope to add the Lompoc Wine Ghetto as well.
22nd Annual Winter WINEland
Saturday & Sunday, January 18 - 19, 2014
11 am - 4 pm
Healdsburg, CA
A great opportunity to meet winemakers, taste limited production wines, new releases or library wines. All wineries will have something on SALE for the weekend! Some wineries will offer food pairings and others will have tours.
Ticket price will include wine tasting at all of the participating wineries for the weekend.
This event does not take place at one location, you travel from winery to winery, visiting the ones you are interested in exploring.
Tickets: winterwineland2014.eventbrite.com
www.wineroad.com/events/winter_wineland/7
3rd Annual Winter Wine Classic / California Wine Festival
Fess Parker Santa Barbara Hotel
Sunday, January 19, 2014
6:30 - 9 pm (VIP 5:30 pm)
Advertised as the largest gathering ever of the California’s ultra-elite winemaking masters assembled for a once-in-a-lifetime wine event – the third annual “Winter Wine Classic” presented at the luxurious Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort by Evergreen Events.
Tasting nearly 100 classic California wines of this legendary stature at one event is truly a rare chance for fine wine lovers to taste the very best all in one place. The event will include famous names from the wine world like Bernardus, Charles Krug, Heitz Wine Cellars, Whitehall Lane, Peju and Chalk Hill as well as artisan gold-medal producers such as Ahnfeldt, Grassini and Melville who will pour their ultra-premium wines and delight of the hundreds of oenophiles in attendance.
A wide variety of delectable wine-worthy gourmet morsels will be paired and offered by some of the region’s most notable chefs in this luxuriant wine and food celebration.
californiawinefestival.com/eventschedule.html#
Ventura County Wine Trail's Local Food & Wine Challenge 2014
Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Resort
2101 Mandalay Beach Rd.
Oxnard, CA 93035
805-983-1560
Thursday, January 23, 2014
6 - 8:30 pm
Twelve teams of local chefs and wine makers create their best food and wine pairings. Inspired flavor combinations will be judged by both attendees and a blind panel of experts to discover who has created the "Best Food & Wine Pairing" in Ventura County! Ticket includes all the food & wine, jazz band, champagne reception and parking. 100% of all proceeds go to the local food bank: FOOD Share.
www.venturacountywinetrail.com
Calabasas Beer Festival
American Cancer Society
Friday, February 7, 2014
6 - 9 pm
Calabasas Community Center
27040 Malibu Hills Road
Calabasas, CA
A night of "all you can drink" beer and food and a charity fundraiser with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society. Tickets include beer at the event. Join the party for a night of beer and food.
calabasasbeerfestival.eventbrite.com
Simply Wine Festival
In collaboration with Tesla and Make-A-Wish
Four Seasons Westlake Village
2 Dole Drive
Westlake Village, CA 91362
805-890-9609
Friday, March 14, 2014
7 - 9 pm
This annual benefit is bound to be one of the most popular Wine Festivals in the Ventura County region attracting thousands of foodies, wine, tequila, and beer connoisseurs, along with car aficionados. The festival is benefiting and making one wish happen for the local Make-a-Wish foundation chapter of the tri-counties. Expecting more than 30 wineries, 5 tequila companies, and 5 breweries this event promises to bring together a selection of alcohol that will quench the thirst of all. Tesla Motors, a California-based company that designs, manufactures and sells electric cars and electric vehicle powertrain components will be participating in the event by offering test drives and showcasing a vehicle in the center of the ballroom.
simplywinefest.com/index.cfm
Paso Robles Wine Country
Vintage Paso: Zinfandel and Other Wild Wines
Friday - Sunday, March 14 - 16
Enjoy a zinful weekend with activities including winemaker dinners, exclusive Zinfandel tastings, winery and vineyard tours. Events at more than 120 wineries! Join fellow wine enthusiasts for a selection of wine and chocolate pairings, winemaker dinners, vineyard tours, laid-back barbecues, barrel tastings, live music, and so much more!
www.pasowine.com/events/vintage-paso.php
www.pasowine.com/events/zinfandel-events.php
Santa Barbara Vintners Spring Weekend
Thursday - Sunday, April 10 - 13, 2014
The 2014 Vintners Festival will be held at the beautiful Riverview Park in Buellton, California on Saturday, April 12. The Festival also presents some of the best local food from restaurants, catering companies, and gourmet food creators in addition to music, art, and related wine country vendors.
https://nightout.com/events/sbvintnersfest-grand-tasting/tickets#.Uzr_Jccv7bu
2nd Annual Sierra Pelona Valley Vintners Association Wine Festival
Reyes Winery
10262 Sierra Hwy
Agua Dulce, CA 91390
April 26, 2014
The Sierra Pelona Valley Vintners Association hosts its second annual charity event at the Reyes Winery to benefit the Henry Mayo Hospital. Local wineries and wine makers from southern California will offer tastings of their best wines, plus gourmet food and specialty items, organic markets, gift boutiques, live music, and lots of fun for a great day.
reyeswinery.com/spv-winefestival
Paso Robles 32nd Annual Wine Festival
Friday - Sunday, May 16 - 18, 2014
On Friday, select wineries will feature their Library, Reserve, White/Rosé, Futures and terrific tastes at the Reserve Event. On Saturday, more than 60 wineries come together in the Paso Robles Downtown City Park to showcase their wines alongside culinary samplings during the Grand Tasting. There is also a Winemaker Seminar preceding this tasting event. Travel beyond the Park to explore more than 130 winery events throughout the weekend including winemaker dinners, live music, and barrel samplings.
www.pasowine.com/events/winefestival.php
ZinFest Wine Festival
Saturday, May 17th, 2014
12 – 5 pm
Lodi Lake Park
1101-1301 W. Turner Road
Lodi, CA 95242
Sip, swirl and savor from a selection of 250 handcrafted wines from 50 Lodi wineries. Passionate winemakers and winery representatives welcome guests, offering practical knowledge and sharing their delicious wines. Enjoy local provisions, learn some new tips at the ZinFest Wine and Cooking Schools, or relax along the beautiful Mokelumne River to an eclectic mix of live music. Guests can peruse merchandise from regional vendors and take home a commemorative bottle of custom blended Old Vine Zinfandel from the ZinFest Wine Shoppe. There is no better way to celebrate the fantastic wines of Lodi Wine Country!
www.zinfest.com/wine-festival
The 3rd Annual California Jazz & Wine Fest
Sunday, May 18, 2014
1 pm - 4 pm
Conejo Creek Park North
1351 E Janss Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91362
The 3rd Annual California Jazz and Wine Fest – an exclusive jazz venue, gourmet wine and food tasting event – highlights the area’s talented jazz musicians and bands, premier wineries, microbreweries, eateries and caterers. Proceeds from the California Jazz & Wine Fest will help benefit youth music programs in the Conejo Valley high schools and other local community projects.
www.conejowineandjazz.com
9th Annual LA Wine Fest
Saturday May 31, 2 - 6 pm & Sunday June 1, 12 - 5 pm
Raleigh Studios
5300 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038
The LAWineFest brings over 500 wines, brews and spirits from around the world to your doorstep in a fun, relaxed environment. The Fest also offers local celebrity chef demos, live entertainment, fabulously fun seminars (think wine and cheese – yum!), some of LA’s most popular food trucks, boutiques to browse, festival merchandise and more!
www.lawinefest.com/tickets
21st Anniversary Casa Pacifica Angels Wine & Food Festival
Sunday, June 1, 2014
California State University Channel Islands
1 University Drive
Camarillo, CA 93012
A wonderful day of sampling excellent wines, delicious foods, and marvelous micro-brews, all to benefit the programs and services provided by Casa Pacifica to vulnerable and deserving children and their families. Voted both “Best Charity Event” and “Best Food & Drink Festival” of Ventura County in 2013! The Festival showcases delectable creations of the finest restaurants, caterers, bakeries and specialty shops from Santa Barbara to Conejo Valley. The event also features many renowned wineries and vineyards from throughout California's rich wine-producing regions, as well as several awarded breweries.
http://www.cpwineandfoodfestival.com/festival-2014
The 28th Annual Ojai Wine Festival
Sunday, June 8, 2014
12 - 4 pm
Lake Casitas
Ojai, CA
Wine and beer connoisseurs can delight in over 60 of California’s award winning wineries with more than 250 selections of wine and 15 excellent Premium Beers and Microbrews. VIP Tickets are available for the VIP Lounge with early entry at 11:30 am, exclusive fine wines, Belgian craft beers and hors d'oeuvres. Blast into the past with Captain Cardiac and the Coronaries and the Beatles tribute group, Sergeant Pepper. Get ready to dance!
www.ojaiwinefestival.com
7th Annual Ventura County Wine Trail Celebration
Thursday, June 19, 2014
5:30 - 8:30 pm
The Collection at Riverpark
Oxnard, CA
The Ventura County Wine Trail's 7th annual Wine Trail Celebration will be held at the shopping, dining and entertainment destination, The Collection at Riverpark, in their outdoor event center. The festival will be located on Park View Court and will feature more than 17 of Ventura County’s local boutique wineries; each sharing their latest releases. For wine lovers, this event is truly unique – as local wine makers bring in grapes from every major growing region across California (from Napa Valley to Malibu). This allows Ventura County Wine Trail tasters to experience the very best of California wine county – all without the road trip. In addition to the lineup of wines, guests will taste the very best in local cuisine – fresh from the area’s hottest restaurants.
www.venturacountywinetrail.com
8th Annual Calabasas Malibu Wine & Food Festival
Saturday - Sunday, June 21 - 22, 2014
3 - 5 pm
Mercedes-Benz of Calabasas (rooftop)
24181 Calabasas Road
Calabasas CA, 91302
Enjoy an afternoon of Food, Wine, Beer and Spirits in Calabasas! Tickets include tastings of wines, beers, spirits, and delicious food, all while helping to raise money for Free Arts for Abused Children. This event is on the rooftop of Mercedes Benz in Calabasas and honors Gloria Allred for a lifetime of contribution to Free Arts.
www.malibufoodandwinefestival.com
2014 Santa Barbara Wine Festival
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
Saturday, June 28, 2014
2 - 5 pm
SWIRL, SIP, & SAVOR...wines from Central Coast premier wineries complemented with savory and sweet delectable delights.
www.sbnature.org/tickets/eventdetail.php?eventid=145
11th Annual California Wine Festival
Chase Palm Park at the Beach, Santa Barbara
Thursday - Saturday, July 17-19, 2014
Great wine and beer, a little food, and music by the beach in Santa Barbara.
www.californiawinefestival.com
Meadowlark Service League’s 26th Annual
A Taste of Camarillo Wine & Food Festival
Sunday, July 27
1 - 4 pm
Adolfo Camarillo Ranch House
201 Camarillo Ranch Road
Camarillo, CA 93012
Spend an afternoon sampling fine wines & gourmet foods on the beautiful grounds of the historic Camarillo Ranch. Enjoy live entertainment, boutique shopping, silent auction and cash opportunity drawing. Visit with winemakers and chefs in the shade of 100 year old trees.
www.meadowlarkserviceleague.com/events/a-taste-of-camarillo
Paso Robles Wine Country Harvest Wine Weekend
Friday - Sunday, October 17 - 19, 2014
Paso Robles, CA
Wineries celebrate the beginning of the new vintage by inviting you to their individual events that are as diverse as the wines themselves.
www.pasowine.com
Phantom Wine Festival
Agoura Wine & Food Festival 2014?
Sheraton Agoura Hills?
October? December?
What happened to the 2013 Agoura Wine & Food Festival? The event to benefit Hats Off for Cancer was originally scheduled for Saturday, October 5, 2013 at the Sheraton Agoura Hills, but at the last minute they emailed everyone with tickets announcing that it was canceled. This was a big disappointment, especially to the nearby LAB Brewing Company and their planned afrter-party. I heard that the event didn't obtain a liquor license in time. Too bad!
I noticed on their Facbook page recently that the event had finally been held on December 28th. I'm not sure how many people attended since they didn't bother to email me it was back on again. And during the holidays it's a busy time of year to squeeze in another wine festival. I will have to keep an eye out for this one in 2014, maybe it will be held in October or December.
www.agourawineandfood.com
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