Fourteenth Season of Sensational Events

Napa Valley, CA ~ Celebrate Napa Valley's unique agricultural and cultural bounty during the 14thannual Napa Valley Mustard Festival, January 27 through March 31, 2007. More than 500 restaurants, caterers, wineries, mustard and gourmet companies, artists, and sponsors will present their finest products throughout the Sensational Season of Events. Fields, vineyards, and hillsides vibrant with wild mustard in bloom provide a breathtaking backdrop and share center stage with mustard the condiment during the two-month marathon of food, wine, and art events.

The Festival welcomes American Express as Presenting Sponsor and Official Card of the Napa Valley Mustard Festival for the second consecutive year. The Festival program and website will feature special value added Napa Valley Mustard Festival hotel packages, restaurant menus, and merchant offers for American Express® Cardmembers.

(2007 Napa Valley Mustard Festival Poster - "Vineyard Mustard" by Lowell Herrero)

This year's Season of Events honors members of the Hispanic community who work in the restaurant, hospitality, and wine industries to bring the public exceptional experiences and world-class foods and wines. The Festival will raise funding for Clinic Olé through the sale of the Festival?s original artwork, specific auction lots and events including Romantica and Spice! The clinic's mission is to provide accessible, affordable, quality health care to the under-served in Napa County. It was founded in 1972 to serve Latino farm workers laboring in the Valley's vineyards and wineries.

Alejandro Ayala, Executive Banquet Chef at Meadowood Napa Valley, a member of Relais and Chateaux, will serve as Host Chef of the 14th annual Season of Events, and the Ceja family of Ceja Vineyards, will serve as Host Winemaking family. Both Ayala and Ceja families migrated to the United States from Mexico. Chef Ayala began his career as a dishwasher at Meadowood twenty years ago and members of the Ceja family worked in the vineyards. Through hard work and determination Chef Ayala and the Cejas have achieved status, respect and success in their chosen fields.

The Events

Mustard Magic, the opulent grand opening event, will launch the season on Saturday, January 27, 7 pm at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena. This Season's opening celebrates the vineyards of the world “from Europe to California" and pays tribute to those who nurture the vines to bring forth world-class wines. Don your finest black tie attire for an extravaganza magnífico! The historic three-story stone building sets the stage for dramatic tableau scenes of paintings by the masters and ample entertainment set amongst tantalizing tastes from the region's finest restaurants and wineries.

As Mustard Magic opens, a life-sized reenactment of the Napa Valley Mustard Festival?s featured artwork of the year, Vineyard Mustard, by Artist of the Year Lowell Hererro, will greet you in the Culinary Institute of America's three-story atrium. Offered at silent auction throughout the season, the painting will raise funding for Clinic Olé.

As you stroll through Mustard Magic's art filled, candle lit spaces, tempting offerings of food and wine will entice you at every turn. Dance in the Barrell Room to the sounds of Salsa, bid on an original work of art at the juried Art Competition Exhibit; taste exceptional wines in the Reserve Room; and raise your paddle high at the live auction on the third floor to win fantastic winemaker dinners, luxurious trips, art, wine and more! Enjoy a gourmet feast in the Culinary Institute of America?s famed teaching kitchen. Tickets are $100 through December 29; $135 through January 26; $175 at the door.

The art competition exhibit will be featured at St. Supéry Vineyards and Winery through the Mustard Season. Meet the artists at a St. Supéry reception on Saturday, February 3, 5 pm, during A Weekend of Fine Art. Galleries throughout Napa Valley will feature special exhibits and receptions on February 3 and 4. Visit mustardfestival.org for a list of participating galleries. There is no admission charge for A Weekend of Fine Art.

Savor five sumptuous courses at Romantica with your sweetheart at Meadowood Napa Valley presented by the Host Chef Ayala and Host Winemaking family, the Ceja?s, on Saturday, February 10, at 6 pm. Show your loved one the romance and allure of Meadowood Napa Valley while capturing the vibrant flavors of Host Chef Ayala's Latin-inspired cuisine. Chef Ayala will present a five-course menu paired with Ceja wines and the wines of selected neighboring wineries. Mexican balladeers will lend sensuous strains to this sensational setting. Seating for Romantica is limited to 100 lovers, and is offered at $175 per person. Proceeds will benefit Clinic Olé and support the Napa Valley Mustard Festival. Stay at Meadowood Napa Valley for the weekend and make this a memorable Valentine celebration. Visit meadowood.com for special Mustard Season offers.

Indulge in seven extraordinary courses presented by seven of the region's most celebrated chefs at The Grand Dinner “the Mustard Season's signature sit down celebration" on Friday, February 23, 6 pm at FARM. This impressive new Napa Valley restaurant recently opened by The Carneros Inn, a PlumpJack Resort, is the venue for the 2007 Grand Dinner. The Grand Dinner will embrace the region?s top chefs as they prepare a winter's season gourmet extravaganza. Executive Chef Kimball Jones will open his dramatic new kitchen to a line-up of chefs which includes Festival Host Chef Alejandro Ayala; Executive Banquet Chef, Meadowood Napa Valley; Retiring Host Chef Robert Curry, Executive Chef, Auberge du Soleil; Ken Frank, Owner/Executive Chef, La Toque and the Carneros Inn?s Pastry Chef David Baker. Each course will be paired with one of Napa Valley?s finest vintages presented by the winemakers. The wines of Host Winery, Ceja Vineyards, Domaine Carneros, Groth, and Plumpjack will be featured. Seating is limited to 120 guests at $350 per person.

The Carneros Inn is offering ?The Grand Dinner Package? featuring overnight accommodations, signature spa treatments, breakfast at The Boonfly Cafe and two tickets to the Grand Dinner at FARM at the Carneros Inn for $1,497, including tax. Please contact The Carneros Inn at www.thecarnerosinn.com or call 707.299.4900.

Reserve early for Spice! a gourmet dinner dance to honor Artist of the Year Lowell Herrero, at Robert Mondavi Winery on Saturday, March 3, at 6 pm. The artist and his wife Janet, will welcome you, and Vineyard Mustard, the festival?s original artwork, will be present for bidding. Take pleasure in each tantalizing bite of the four-course menu presented by Robert Mondavi Winery Executive Chef Richard Haake, paired with Robert Mondavi Winery wines. Salsa performances by Ariel Ceja and friends will add spice to each mustard inspired course ? enticing you and your partner to celebrate Spice! on the dance floor. Sponsored in full by Robert Mondavi Winery, Spice! will benefit Clinic Olé and support the Napa Valley Mustard Festival. Come prepared for an engaging evening of food, wine, art, music and dance! Seating is limited to 90 guests at $225 per person.

Taste original mustard recipes by Napa Valley Chefs and help select the Napa Valley Mustard Festival?s People Choice Chef of the Year at The Awards ~ A Tasty Competition! on March 17, 7 pm at COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts in Napa. The critic's choice judging, headed by Gene Burns of KGO AM810's Dining Around with Gene Burns, will take place behind the scenes. Vote for the People?s Choice Chef and discover how your taste buds compare with the experts when winners are announced. You'll meet World Champion Mustard Makers from around the world as you indulge in some of the finest foods and wines of the season at this black tie, red carpet gala. Tickets are $100 in advance; $125 at the door.

Celebrate the mustard season and taste mustards from around the world at The Marketplace ~ A Signature Event for Connoisseurs ~ on Saturday and Sunday, March 17 and 18, 11 am to 5 pm at COPIA. Highlights of this rain or shine food, wine and arts festival include Viking Range celebrity chef cooking demonstrations, a KGO Newstalk AM810 live remote broadcast of Dining Around with Gene Burns, and a Sunset Magazine pavilion. Artful activities include juried fine arts and crafts, Arts Council of Napa Valley hands-on art projects for children, and live performances of jazz, world, and classical music.

Adult admission to The Marketplace at $30 in advance ($35 at the door), includes 8 food and 5 wine tasting tickets (value $1 each), plus a souvenir wine glass. Student admission, ages 13 to 20, at $10 includes 5 food-tasting tickets. Admission for children ages 6 to 12 is $5. Children under the age of 6 are admitted for free. Visit participating California Raley's, Nob Hill Foods and Bel Air Markets to purchase advance adult tickets, which include a voucher for 5 additional tasting tickets.

Purchase a Signature Event Weekend Package in advance on-line at mustardfestival.org for $125 per person. The package includes admission to The Awards on March 16 and The Marketplace on March 17 or 18.

Raley's, Nob Hill Foods, and Bel Air Markets will offer a Something Extra Signature Event Weekend Package: Purchase the package which includes tickets to The Awards and The Marketplace at the special price of $100 per person (available for $125 at mustardfestival.org) and receive a voucher for five additional tasting tickets for The Marketplace and a voucher for a special gift at The Marketplace. The Something Extra gift will include Mustard Festival private label mustard and a gift from Raley's.

You may also purchase a Benefactor?s Package at mustardfestival.org, which includes Mustard Magic, The Grand Dinner, The Awards, The Marketplace, the Mumm Napa Photo Finish, and a 2007 poster by Lowell Herrero for the package price of $600 per person (value $700.) Tickets are transferable for those who cannot include all events in their schedule.

Don't miss the array of community and non-profit events, which further enrich the Mustard Season calendar. St. Helena Styles will be held on Saturday, February 17 in downtown St. Helena; The Napa Valley Museum's Angel Gala on Saturday, February 11 in Yountville; Cravings Creations at Vintage 1870 on Saturday, February18 in Yountville; Mustard, Mud, & Music. A Calistoga Jazz Festival on Saturday, March 10 in downtown Calistoga; the Volunteer Center of Napa Valley's Masquerade Ball on Saturday, March 18, at V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena; and A Taste of Yountville on Saturday, March 25 in downtown Yountville.

View the season's beauty captured by photographers from far and wide at The Mumm Napa Photo Finish. This wildly exuberant Napa Valley Mustard Festival Grand Finale Event will be held at Mumm Napa in Rutherford on Saturday, March 31 at 7 pm. Taste a heady array of Napa Valley wines along with sweets and savories, view the Napa Valley Mustard Festival Photography Contest Exhibit, and revel in the party until the last dance. Photographs are available for purchase. The exhibit will be on display at Mumm Napa through May 3. Tickets for the Mumm Napa Photo Finish are $90 in advance; $125 at the door.

The Napa Valley Mustard Festival is sponsored by American Express ~ Presenting Sponsor; San Francisco Chronicle, KGO Newstalk AM810, Sunset Magazine, Comcast, WineCountry.com, American Airlines, AT&T, Carneros Inn, Meadowood Napa Valley, Maille Mustard, Beaverton Foods, Viking Range, Sterling Vineyards, Robert Mondavi Winery, Mumm Napa, Beaulieu Vineyards, Vintage Estate ? Villagio, Vintage Inn, and Vintage 1870, Raley?s, Bel Air, and Nob Hill Foods, California Wine Tours, Solano Magazine, Diablo Publications, Via Magazine, Wine Country This Week, Silverado Resort, Harvest Inn, Napa Valley Wine Train, River Terrace Inn, and Embassy Suites, Napa Valley.

The Napa Valley Mustard Festival is a non-profit community service organization. For tickets and information, guidelines for the art, photography, and mustard competitions, and a complete calendar of events call Summers-McCann, Inc., Public Relations, event producer, at 707.938.1133, visit mustardfestival.org.

A variety of Napa Valley lodging facilities will offer special Mustard Season packages, to be posted on or linked to the Festival?s website. xxx

2007 Mustard Season Calendar - Main Events

Mustard Magic
The Grand Opening Event
Food, wine, music, dancing, silent auction of entries in the Napa Valley Mustard Festival Visual Art Competition, tableau vivants of paintings by world-famous artists; Live & Silent auctions & more!
January 27 * 7 pm
The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone * St. Helena

Romantica
Show your loved one the romance and allure of Meadowood Napa Valley while capturing the vibrant flavors of Napa Valley Mustard Festival Host Chef Alejandro Ayala's Latin-inspired cuisine. Meadowood Executive Banquet Chef Ayala will prepare a five-course menu inspired by his Hispanic heritage. Wines will be paired by Host Winemaking Family - the Cejas of Ceja Vineyards.
February 10 * 6 pm
Meadowood Napa Valley * St. Helena
Limited to 100 guests

The Grand Dinner
The season's gourmet extravaganza! Seven courses prepared by seven celebrity chefs - paired with the region's finest wines presented by the winemakers. Silent Auction of wine and more!
February 23 * 6 pm
Farm at the Carneros Inn * Napa
Limited to 120 guests

Spice!
Gourmet Dinner Dance to honor Lowell Herrero, Napa Valley Mustard Festival Artist of the Year. Five-course mustard inspired menu paired with Robert Mondavi Winery wines. Salsa Music, Performances & Dancing.
Saturday, March 3 * 6 pm
Robert Mondavi Winery * Oakville
Limited to 90 guests

The Awards ~ A Tasty Competition!
Black-tie, Red-carpet, Jazzy Gala
Taste original mustard recipes by Napa Valley chefs with Napa Valley vintages. Help select the "People's Choice" Mustard Festival Chef of the Year, and meet World Champion Mustard Makers from around the World.
March 16 * 7 pm
COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts * Napa

** The Marketplace ~ The Signature Event **
Showcase of Food, Wine, Music & Art
Mustards and an array of gourmet products will be showcased alongside sensational wine country cuisine, world famous wines, hearty craft brews, Viking cooking demonstrations, and fine arts & crafts.
March 17 & 18 * 11 am to 5 pm
COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts * Napa

The Mumm Napa Photo Finish
The Grand Finale Event
Food, wine, music, dancing, and exhibit of entries in the Napa Valley Mustard Festival Photography Contest.
March 31 * 7 pm * Mumm Napa * Rutherford
Photography Exhibit April 1 through May 3

For an invitation, information, a complete calendar of events, tickets and merchandise call 707.944.1133 or 707.938.1133, or visit mustardfestival.org.