Savour Stratford Perth County Culinary Festival will be held from September 18 to September 26 in Stratford, Ontario. The third annual Savour Stratford Perth County Culinary Festival begins on September 18 with the Garlic Festival, followed by a week of tastings, workshops and special dinners. The celebrations are capped with the festivities of Savour Stratford on September 25 and 26. The festival includes a two-day outdoor Farmers and Artisans' Market, Stratford Chef School Learning Centre and ends with the Savour Stratford Tasting on Sunday. Admission is 0-100$. For information, call Danielle Harding at 519-271-5140, e-mail info@savourstratford.com or visit http://www.welcometostratford.com/culinaryfestival.

The Ontario Wine Society presents "Awaken Your Wine Senses" " September 22 6:30pm Reception, 7:00pm Tasting at CUCCI Ristorante, 119 Jones St. in Oakville, Ontario. Oakville Chapter’s first event for the 2010–2011 season promises to be educational and entertaining to both new and ‘vintage’ wine lovers alike – making it a perfect event to introduce a friend to wine tasting and to the OWS! “Awaken Your Wine Senses” will be presented by Peter Bodnar Rod, wine educator, certified sommelier, and Director of Sales, Marketing & Hospitality for 13th Street Winery. As an experienced educator, Peter will help us savour the smells and tastes of oak and malo influences, maturing and softening of tannins and acidity, and residual sugars and will lead us in discovering the effect of foods on our perception of these flavours and textures.
Admission is $40 per person. For information, call Ken Burford at 416-921 9798, e-mail contact@ontariowinesociety.com or visit http://www.ontariowinesociety.com.

ChefmeetsGrape will be held September 23 7 to 9:30 pm at Vancouver Convention Centre West in Vancouver, BC. Fans of BC food and wine should plan to attend the sixth annual ChefmeetsGrape! The event brings quintessential BC cuisine together with new, fall releases from the Wines of British Columbia, with more than forty BC VQA wineries represented. BC’s red-hot culinary landscape is enhanced by BC’s many award-winning wines. The restaurant chefs in this year’s event, renowned for their flair in pairing food with wines, will again compete at ChefmeetsGrape for both “Peoples Choice” and “Judges Choice” honours, as they create appetizer-sized portions of a dish using BC ingredients, paired with a selected BC VQA wine. Come to taste, sip, vote, mingle and enjoy an evening of great BC wine, food and fun! Admission is $80. Proceeds go to $5 from each ticket will suppor the Vancouver Aquarium's Ocean Wise program promoting sustainable seafood. For information, call Lindsay Anders at 250-762-9744, e-mail landers@winebc.com or visit http://www.winebc.com/chefmeetsgrape.php.

Chilean Wine and Food Festival will be held October 5 at the Royal Ontario Museum, Peter F. Bronfman Hall in Toronto, ON. Trade and Consumer Tutored Tastings, focus on Carmenere. This festival highlights new Chilean wines coming to Canada for the first time. Enjoy wine, food, music and culture of Chile! Admission is Free for trade, $65 for other guests. Charitable Partner: Royal Ontario Museum For information, call Christine Duarte at 416-637-2044 ext 123, e-mail christineaduarte@gmail.com or visit http://winesofchile.org.

For a current listing of events hosted by the National Capital Sommelier Guild visit http://www.sommelierguild.com/events/upcoming_events.html

The Ontario Wine Society, Niagara Chapter, presents "Virtual Winery Reality" to be held September 21 at Grantham Lions Club Hall, 732 Niagara Street in St. Catharines, Ontario. Virtual wineries have been around for nearly two decades around the world, so declaring them “the next big thing” may, at first, seem like a bit of a stretch. The real innovation is not the fact that winemakers are moving to virtual wineries (that is, producing wine at a shared facility, without a “brick and mortar” retail store), but, rather, the role these wineries are playing in the continued growth of the Ontario wine industry.
Starting up a virtual winery gives a winemaker the opportunity to utilize their own style and skills, without the great expense of purchasing their own estate. We will taste one winemaker’s chosen wine from 4 virtual Niagara wineries, compared to one wine chosen from each of the respective “host” wineries. The featured virtual wineries will be Nyarai Cellars made out of Calamus Estate Winery, Twenty Twenty-Seven Cellars made out of Featherstone Winery, Charles Baker Wines made out of Stratus Winery, and Daredevil wines which were made out of Pillitteri Estate Winery. Each virtual winery’s winemaker will be present to enlighten guests on the pros and cons of a virtual winery. Admission is $ 30 each - member and one guest, $40 each - addition guests and non-members. For information, call Ken Burford at 416-921 9798, e-mail contact@ontariowinesociety.com or visit http://www.ontariowinesociety.com.

Leavenworth Crush Festival will be held September 18 from 3:00pm - 7:00pm at Leavenworth Festhalle in Leavenworth, WA. Dozens of Washington's favorite wineries, local food vendors, hot jazz music and a chance to "Get Some Juice Between Your Toes!" Yes we are kicking of the Crush with a good, old-fashioned grape stomping! 15 scrip, a souvenir glass and a great day in the Bavarian Village of Leavenworth. Let's do the Chicken Dance! Admission is $30. Proceeds go to The Leavenworth Civic Center Foundation. We manage the Festhalle for the City of Leavenworth, providing a beautiful and convenient venue for public and private festivals, meetings, parties and events. For information, call Dave Winters at 509-548.5807, e-mail signaturebiz.winters@gmail.com or visit http://www.LeavenworthCrushFestival.EventBrite.com.

Taste of Petaluma will be held September 25 in Petaluma, CA. Embark on a culinary journey of our finest restaurants, wineries, breweries and food purveyors, galleries and shops. Do you love to combine fine restaurants and great wine, with art and entertainment? Then don’t miss the 5th annual “Taste of Petaluma” where you’ll sample everything that Petaluma’s upscale culinary scene has to offer in one afternoon. Admission is $50 pre-sale, $60 at the door. Proceeds go to Cinnabar Theater, now in its 38th year! For information, call Laura Sunday at (707)- 763-8920
, e-mail laurasunday@comcast.net or visit http://www.tasteofpetaluma.org.

Weekend Getaway in Napa Valley will be held from October 22 to October 24 in Napa, CA. Join us in Napa Valley for a Culinary Getaway where we will cook together in a spectacular setting using the finest in fresh, local, seasonal ingredients. During our Getaway, we will taste artisan cheeses, learn about sea salts and chocolate and dine in some of the finest restaurants and private settings. We will taste exceptional wines and experience the local culture in beautiful Napa Valley. Groups are kept small to ensure unique, personal experiences. Admission is 1200 USD per person based on double occupancy, 1500 USD per person based on single occupancy. For information, call Sherry Page at 415-518-7107, e-mail sherry@culinarygetaways.com or visit http://culinarygetaways.com//getaways/?gid=65.

Santa Monica Farmers Market 25th Anniversary Dinner will be held April 15 6-10pm at Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel in Santa Monica, CA. We are celebrating 25 years of the Original farmers market in Santa Monica. 21 Top Los Angeles chefs will be paired with farmers and serve small plates, dinner and dessert made with the farm fresh ingredients they often use in their restaurants. Food will be paired with wines being donated from many wineries and importers from around the world. Admission is $100. Proceeds go to Southland Farmers Market Association.
Benfits the farmers For information, call Dave Rubell at 310 -441-1840, e-mail chefdr11@earthlink.net.

Edgefield uncorked! 2007 will be held September 29 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. in Nashville, TN. Edgefield Uncorked! features artisan wines, gourmet foods, and entertainment. Wines from Terry Theise, The Wine Shoppe, Billington Imports and more, as well as gourmet foods provided by Alexander's Catering and local artisan foods including breads, cheeses and other delicacies from Provence Breads and Cafe, the Turnip Truck, Kenny's Cheeses and Chef Laura Button of Journey to Bliss Raw Foods, as well as hand-made sweets from the Nashville Toffee Company, Toney's Naturals and Matilda’s Fine Foods. Admission is $50 in advance or $60 at the door. Proceeds go to historic preservation and three Nashville organizations serving Nashville-area children: Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), East Nashville Hope Exchange and Warner Elementary School. For information, call Jennifer Hagan-dier at 615-423-5824, e-mail jennifer@edgefielduncorked.com or visit http://www.edgefielduncorked.com.

Culinary Getaway in Paris will be held from September 24 to September 28 in Paris, France. Join Sherry Page with Culinary Getaways as we explore the many culinary delights this city has to offer. We will enjoy cooking lessons from French chefs, dine in outstanding restaurants, shop the local markets, learn about French cheeses, learn about French wines and how to pair them with foods, and taste many of the incredible chocolates and confections that are available in the delightful shops of Paris. Admission is 3000 USD per person for double occupancy, 3500 USD per person for single occupancy. For information, call Sherry Page at 415-518-7107, e-mail sherry@culinarygetaways.com or visit http://culinarygetaways.com//getaways/?gid=60 .

Cooking and wine tour in a castle in Puglia Italy will be held from October 2 to October 9 at Puglia in Lecce, Lecce. Join the two sisters Cinzia and Marika on a cooking and wine tour in Puglia. Cook the traditional Mediterranean cuisine of Puglia with the local people. Visit beautiful markets where to buy fresh ingredients for the cooking classes. Taste excellent wines and attend the grape harvest in the season. Stay in a beautiful 17th century castle. Visit one of the most beautiful and still unspoiled regions in Italy. Cinzia is also a wine sommelier and olive oil taster. Marika is also a cardiologist and will tell you about the healthy benefits of the Mediterranean cuisine of Puglia. Cinzia and Marika are native to Puglia and speak fluent English. Admission is 2315 euro double occupancy; 2665 euro single occupancy. For information, call Cinzia Rascazzo at 39-3484514324, e-mail info.stile@gmail.com.

Culinary Getaway in Provence will be held from October 3 to October 9 in Goult, Provence, France. Join Sherry Page for a Culinary Getaway in Provence where you will explore the markets and the quaint villages of this beautiful and historic region. You will cook together with French chefs and dine in some of the finest local restaurants and private settings. You will explore the many specialties that the region has to offer. Admission is 3850 USD based on double occupancy, 4250 USD for single occupancy. For information, call Sherry Page at 415-518-7107, e-mail sherry@culinarygetaways.com or visit http://culinarygetaways.com//getaways/?gid=64.

Truffle Getaway in Provence will be held from January 30 to February 05 in Goult, France. Join us for a fun and unique experience in Provence as we focus on the king of truffles, the black melanosporum. During our week together, we will go on a truffle hunt with dogs, visit a truffle market, cook truffle meals together, explore the wines of the region, go behind the scenes in local restaurants, visit the local villages and markets and learn about the history and culture of this beautiful region of Provence. We will meet local sommeliers, winery and wine cave owners and learn directly from them about the wines of Provence and of the Rhone Valley. Groups are kept small to ensure intimate, personal experiences. Admission is 4000 USD per person based on double occupancy, 4400 USD per person based on single occupancy. For information, call Sherry Page at 415-518-7107, e-mail sherry@culinarygetaways.com or visit http://culinarygetaways.com//getaways/?gid=57.

ProWein 2011 will be held from March 27 to March 29 Düsseldorf Fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany. Attracting over 36,000 trade visitors and featuring 3,300 exhibitors from the retail and restaurant industries, ProWein is further raising its profile as the world's No. 1 communications and order platform for the wine and spirits sector. It's not just the broad spectrum of products from all the key growing regions that gives this event its polished, professional feel. Connoisseurs share their insights at seminars and informative events where the latest findings, trends and market developments are presented by specialists, for specialists. Admission is Varies. For information, call Anne Meerboth at 312-781-5180, e-mail info@mdna.com or visit http://www.prowein.de.

Culinary Getaway in Tuscany will be held from May 15 to May 21, 2011 in Chianti Region, France. Join Culinary Getaways in Tuscany where you will explore the villages, the markets, the regional specialties, the wines and the food in this delightful area of Italy. You will get to know the people, the history and the culture of the region along the way. You will cook together using local, seasonal ingredients, dine in outstanding local restaurants and cook with Italian chefs. Groups are kept small so space is limited. Admission is 3850 USD per person for double occupancy, 4250 USD per person for single occupancy. For information, call Sherry Page at 415-518-7107, e-mail sherry@culinarygetaways.com or visit http://culinarygetaways.com//getaways/?gid=61.

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