January 23, 2009 ***NOTE*** The First International Food and Wine Experience has been moved from January 2009 to July 2009 ****
WOW! I’ve just met with Tim O’Brien, (website http://www.ifweoc.com/) to find out about this wonderful new Event.
He kindly gave me some press releases to use to inform Arcady’s guests here in my blog.
The first of what we are sure will be many many years of the:
International Wine & Food Experience of Charlottesville!
What it’s NOT: Not a festival. Not a wine tasting. Not a wine dinner.
What it IS: The Internationsl Food and Wine Experience of Charlottesville will be one of the most distinctive experiences in Virginia for the serious epicurean and wine connoisseur.
This year’s Experience will feature around 100 wineries from around the world, numerous fine dining restaurants, gourmet foods, celebrity chefs, champagne breakfasts, 14 wine tasting seminars, a live auction and a silent auction.
When: Starting at 10:00am Friday, January 23 through Sunday, January 25
What: A complete and elegant Wine Experience to include:
- A Grand Tasting on Friday from nearly 100 of the most prestigious wineries around the world!
- Special wine seminars on Friday and Saturday
- A Gala Dinner on Saturday Night at the Omni Hotel with the Unexpected Boys who harmonize Franki Valli and the Four Season’s best hits
- Sunday Brunch
Seminars Include:
Southern Hospitality – Fried Chicken, Grits and Wine
A South African Wine Safari
The Artist in Wine
Fins, Zims and Ray C. Wines
Tiny Bubbles – A Discussion of Growers Champagne
Green Wines – Organic and Biodynamic Creations
Dirty Thoughts – A Study of Terroir
D’Vine Divas
It’s a Cheesy
Charlottesville Sugar Shack featuring Grand Cru by Kluge Estate
Crystal Clear: Does a Glass Make a Difference?
The Perfect Pair: French Wines and French Food –ooh la la!
An American in Paris – One Chardonnay Which Changed the World
Red, White, and Barbeque
Speakers and Presenters include:
Luca Pashina, of Barboursville Vineyards, Virginia
Claude Thibaut, Master of the “methode champenoise”, of the new lable Thibault-Janisson “Blanc de Chardonnay”, Virginia
C. Matthew Cain, a wine marketing profesional, owner of J. Soif, Inc, wine import company
Sponsors include:
The Omni Hotel, located on the downtown pedestrian mall. The Omni will be the site of the Grand Tasting, numerous seminars, and the Gala Award Dinner
Monticello Media Group, and it’s six stations
Charlottesville Newsplex, and it’s 6 television stations
Tickets:
Grand Tickets $759 with 2 night hotel stay, $559 without hotel room include:
Choice of 3 seminars
Champagne Breakfast
Grand Tasting
Blind Tasting
Gala Dinner
Sunday Brunch
I’m still collecting information about this wonderful Event, and I’m sure it is still evolving as more and more wine enthusiasts get involved.
A portion of the funds will go to scholarships to Virginians in the food and wine industry
Main contacts/organizers:
Timothy P. O’Brien, MPAff, president
George Benford, Consultant, Owner of SIIPS on the downtown walking mall.
For updates on this Event, please keep an eye on the website at http://www.ifweoc.com/
Chris and I have worked backstage at Napa’s Wine Auction which is held every year, so we’re excited to see this Event starting here in Charlottesville. It should be great fun!