Tickets on Sale Now for the Second Annual
Art of Food & Wine Palm Desert

Two days of signature Grand Tastings are focal point of premier
California culinary event

CHICAGO, July 18, 2007 - The Art of Food & WineT Palm Desert, a unique four-day celebration attracting thousands of art and culinary enthusiasts from across California and around the country to enjoy the very best in art, food and wine hospitality and education, releases today a limited number of VIP weekend passes for the November 8-11 festival in Palm Desert, California.

The Art of Food & Wine's signature two-day Village and Grand Tasting Hall will feature famous culinary experts, elite vintners and exclusive restaurants. Culinary enthusiasts can look forward to enjoying the tastes of the Hearty Boys, who air regularly on The Food Network; James Beard Award winners Gale Gand and Rick Tramonto; and Jason Wilson, named one of the 10 Best New Chefs by Food & Wine Magazine (2006), to name a few.

In addition, Grand Tasting guests will be delighted with a cross-section of world-renown wines from dozens of wineries such as Francis Coppola Winery, Jordan Vineyard & Winery, Merryvale Winery and Rodney Strong Vineyards & Sonoma Vineyards. To accompany the delicious wines, guests will dine on delectable food samplings from local and regional restaurants including Roc's Firehouse Grille, Cuistot Restaurant, Ristaurante Tuscany and more.

For the music lover, the Art of Food & Wine will stage a special evening presented by Fidelity Investments at Palm Desert's beautiful open-air Civic Center Park amphitheater where Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, an 18-piece jazz ensemble, will take the stage. VIP ticket holders will be treated to an evening of sumptuous wine, cordials and dessert samplings, as well as special access to celebrity chefs.

Advance tickets are required and all events are expected to sell out. A limited number of weekend passes are available at www.artoffoodandwine.com or by calling 1.866.96.TASTE (82783). By purchasing weekend passes, guests are provided with VIP hospitality, special event access and exclusive souvenirs and they save on the total cost of combined individual events.

Art, artists and artisans will be showcased throughout the weekend. Other aspects of the celebration include an opening night sparkling wine and a chocolate reception, a public festival on El Paseo in the city's premier shopping district and a golf tournament at Desert Willow Golf Resort.

The presenting sponsors of the Art of Food & Wine Palm Desert are the City of Palm Desert, the Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort & Spa and Southern Wine & Spirits of America. Other sponsors include Fidelity Investments, KCET, KitchenAid, Pacific Western Bank, Starwood Vacation Club and Wine Spectator.

About The Art of Food & Wine Palm Desert
The Art of Food & Wine Palm Desert is a unique four-day celebration attracting thousands of art and culinary enthusiasts from across California and around the country to enjoy the very best in art, food and wine hospitality and education. Taking place November 8-11, 2007 in Palm Desert, California, the event features food and wine tastings, celebrity chef demonstrations, culinary seminars, art, music, shopping and golf - all nestled in southern California's beautiful Coachella Valley. For more information, visit www.artoffoodandwine.com or call 1.866.96.TASTE (82783).