for Wine Harvest Dinner
September 25, 2014, SANTA CRUZ, CA – The Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers
Association will hold its second annual Grand Pro tasting on Friday, October 17 from 9 to 2 pm at Cabrillo Colleges Culinary Arts campus in Aptos, CA. Following the tasting there will be a Wine Harvest Dinner at the Cabrillo College of Culinary Arts Sesnon House from 6 to 9 pm. All ticket proceeds from the dinner will benefit the Cabrillo Culinary Arts Program.
The Professional Tasting panel is comprised of industry wine veterans including: Randy Caparoso, Wine Writer, Certified Sommelier; Oliver Carter, Wine Buyer; Laurie Daniel, Wine Writer, San Jose Mercury News; Ellen Landis, Wine Writer, Certified Sommelier; James McPhail, Winemaker; Laura Ness, Wine Writer; Mary Orlin, Wine Writer; Linda Murphy, Wine Writer, Decanter; Chris Sawyer, Certified Sommelier, Author; Jerry Starr, Certified Sommelier, Wine Writer, Examiner.com; Jay Trenchard, Wine Buyer.
“We are extremely pleased with the group of professional wine tasters that have accepted the invite to come and taste our wines,” said Jim Schultze, Board Member of SCMWA and Proprietor of Windy Oaks Estate Vineyards. “Last year’s event was highly successful in helping the region to understand where our wines rank in the marketplace as well as raise awareness about the AVA.”
This year the tasting will include a presentation about the region. Presenters will provide a detailed overview about the varietals, vineyards and different microclimates that exist in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Presenters include Jim Schultze, Windy Oaks Estate Vineyards and Prudy Foxx, Foxx Viticulture.
Following the Professional Tasting, Cabrillo College Culinary Arts and Wine Programs, along with the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association (SCMWA) will host a Wine Harvest Dinner. Under the experienced guidance of Executive Chef Jeremy MacVeigh and Wine and Culinary artist and educator, Sue Slater, diners will be treated to fresh, locally produced specialties created by students in the Culinary Arts and Wine Programs. Individual tickets are available for $55, or group tables of 10 can be purchased for $500. All ticket proceeds benefit the Cabrillo Culinary Arts Scholarship program. Tickets can be purchased at www.scmwa.com. Please contact the SCMWA office directly with any questions at 831-685-8463 or [email protected].
About the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA
The Santa Cruz Mountain Winegrowers Association is an alliance of more than 64 wineries, most of them family-run, working to promote the unique aspects of the wines & Santa Cruz Mountains AVA. Formed in 1981, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA is nestled in one of the most unique winegrowing regions in the world, beginning just south of San Francisco – spanning the mountain range between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific. Mountain terrain, marine influence, varied microclimates, and distinctive soils combine to produce ideal conditions for high quality winegrowing. The small size of the wineries allows for greater attention to detail that maximizes the potential of the grapes grown here. For more information, contact the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association (SCMWA) phone (831) 685-8463,[email protected], www.scmwa.