Mendocino to host First Annual Signature Event

LMendocino Coast, June 22-23, 2007

(Mendocino, CA)The Mendocino Winegrape and Wine Commission is pleased to announce a collaboration of more than 60 Mendocino County growers and vintners coming together to showcase their wines at the first annual Wine by the Sea weekend. The weekend will begin with winemaker dinners at some of the Mendocino Coasts best restaurants Friday night. Saturdays wine tastings will be held throughout the charming coastal village of Mendocino. Saturdays Gala Dinner & Wine Auction will follow a day of celebration for Mendocino County wine growers and vintners and will be held at the Heritage House Inn.

The Wine by the Sea tasting will take place in the quaint coastal town of Mendocino. Local bed & breakfasts, art galleries, boutiques and restaurants will play host to the area vintners. Local purveyors of olive oil, cheese, breads and other goods will also showcase their products throughout the town. The festivities will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Saturday, June 23rd. The ticket price of $45 includes appetizers paired with the wines of Mendocino County.

The Gala Dinner & Wine Auction will be held at the Heritage House Inn on the Mendocino Coast at 6:00 p.m., Saturday on June 23rd. Guests will enjoy a sumptuous four-course meal prepared by Executive Chef Bruce Riezenman of Park Avenue Catering, Cotati, CA.

The Gala Dinner & Wine Auction begins with pass hors doeuvres to include: pork loin, Shinseki Asian pears & plum chutney; slow-cooked duck with walnuts & pomegranate glaze; Ahi agrodolce with onions, sultanas & pine nuts; grilled chicken & roasted garlic sausage with red onion confit. Chef Riezenman will then prepare a salad of mache, Elk Creamery goat cheese, endive, beets and Navarro verjus dressing. Specialty entrees include grilled beef short ribs with wild mushrooms and Eaglepoint Ranch Grenache reduction sauce or seasonal vegetables and grilled polenta. The grand finale is Scharffen-Berger chocolate walnut tart with wild huckleberries and caramel sauce served with Muscato whipped cream. Participating vintners will share their current releases and library wines throughout the evenings festivities.

The Gala Dinner & Wine Auction will be the perfect opportunity to present the awards from the 31st Annual Mendocino County Wine Competition. The competition will be held the previous day at the Heritage House and judged by some of Americas most respected wine judges, sommeliers and industry leaders. The Mendocino County Wine Competition is one of the oldest in California and we are thrilled to bring it to the coast this year and present the competitions world-class, medal winning, wines directly to consumers, says John Enquist, executive director, Mendocino Winegrape and Wine Commission.

Internationally recognized Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, an all-star 8-piece band consisting of trumpet, trombone, alto sax, tenor sax, piano, bass and drums, will be on hand to keep guest on their toes and on the dance floor. Members of the Red Hot Skillet Lickers have worked with Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughen, Nat "King" Cole, Nancy Wilson, Little Esther Phillips, Lionel Hampton, Benny Carter, Ray Charles, Bobby Hutcherson, Johnny Otis, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Herbie Hancock, Dr. John, Big Maybelle, Benny Goodman and even Santana!

Reservations for the weekend festivities can be made by contacting the Mendocino Winegrape and Wine Commission: mwa@mendowine.com, or 707.468.9886. Additional event details are available at: www.mendowine.com.

The Mendocino Winegrape and Wine Commission brings together the talents and resources of its members, partners and community in order to promote and support the art, science and the business of wine grape growing and wine making. Founded in 2006, the Commission represents over 60 vintners and 325 winegrape growers in Mendocino County.