Tantalize Your Taste Buds at Wine & Food Week 2008
More than 10,000 expected to toast 4th annual epicurean extravaganza - HOUSTON (May 5, 2008)

No matter what your knowledge of vintages and vintners, you’ll find a world of down-to-earth wine knowledge and fun at the 4th Annual Wine & Food Week scheduled to uncork June 2 to 8 in The Woodlands. This year’s epicurean extravaganza explores the flavors of South America.

Wine & Food Week welcomes national and international winemakers, culinary experts, gourmands and those who just want to savor the flavor while learning something new in a beautiful setting. Among the 50-plus sensational events, participants can enjoy over 500 wines and epicurean delights prepared by chefs from the world over including special guests from Chile, Peru and Argentina.

A myriad of wine and culinary icons are flocking to Houston to take part in this elite event… toasting the novice to the enthusiast. Kicking off the week June 2nd is the ultimate wine lover’s tasting and seminar with 2008 Wine Wizard Gary Vaynerchuk who will bring his Thunder to Houston. An acclaimed wine expert, and down to earth host of Wine Library TV, Vaynerchuk is known for his 20-minute daily web casts that have created a new generation of wine consumers.

The H-E-B Wine Walk on June 5 is a festive evening filled with Aruba Chef Live cooking demonstrations and wine tasting stations in 30 retail stores and galleries in Market Street. Also on tap is Natural Street @ Market Street, A Green Living Fair which incorporates Kidz R Cooking Classes and other offerings for the entire family. Scheduled for June 7th, this new event will focus on renewable and natural resources from energy conservation to building green, with events including on-site recycling and educational elements geared to empower the public on the merits of organic and sustainable living.

The week’s culinary competition culminates at the premiere event saluting South American cuisine. The Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & South American Chef Showcase includes chef demonstrations along with 500 outstanding wines and 50 restaurants serving fine foods personally prepared by renowned local, regional and internationally-acclaimed chefs. Food judges include Green Living Expert Sara Snow of the Discovery Health Channel, Houston’s own Monica Pope, Chef of Tafia Restaurant, and body+soul Food Editor Sandra Gluck who will present the Waterford Crystal Chef of Chefs Award.

Along with the expected Wine & Dine dinners and luncheons, Wine & Food Week attendees may choose from favorites such as The Ladies of the Vine Luncheon, It’s a Guy Thing Man’s Man Event, Wines on the Waterway tours on climate-controlled water taxis and Friday Night on the Northshore Value Wines happy hour as well as a local winery road trip to Bernhardt Winery.

As the first major destination culinary and wine event in the country to go “green”, the Wine & Food Week auction benefits the U.S. Green Building Council in Houston. The green emphasis places focus on the merits of mindful, sustainable living. Most of the 50 events are held in The Woodlands, with several wine dinner offerings at restaurants in Houston. For ticket information and a complete schedule, visit www.wineandfoodweek.com or call 713.557.5732.

WINE & FOOD WEEK 2008 FEATURED EVENTS

Monday, June 2 - 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Wine Wizard Seminar with 2008 Wizard Gary Vaynerchuk
Kirby’s Prime Steakhouse 1111 Timberloch Place, 77380
Gary brings his Thunder to Houston for this wine educator seminar packed with fun while expanding the knowledge of both the wine enthusiast and novice. Led by self-taught wine expert Gary Vaynerchuk, the expected sell-out event is certain to get tongues wagging. Vaynerchuk is known best for Wine Library TV and its 20-minute daily webcasts that have introduced wine tasting to a new generation. In the name of “expanding one’s palate,” Vaynerchuk convinced Conan O’Brien to lick salted rocks and shared samples of dirt and grass with Ellen DeGeneres.

Vaynerchuk’s Wine Wizard Court includes George M. Taber, Daniel Schuster and Master of Wine Tim Hanni. Taber formerly wrote for Time Magazine and authored Judgment of Paris and To Cork or Not To Cork. Schuster is a Winemaker and an esteemed international wine consultant to Antinori, Etude, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and Opus One. Tim Hanni, the second person in America to earn the Master of Wine designation, is known as the wine “Antisnob” and inventor of the Budometer sensory taste test. All are industry and crowd favorites.

Thursday, June 5 – 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
H-E-B Wine Walk at Market Street
Market Street 9595 Six Pines Drive, 77380
One of the most popular and festive evening events during the week is the H-E-B Wine Walk. Experience 30 wine-serving stations set up among the retail stores and galleries in this Main Street-styled shopping and entertainment center where guests can enjoy cooking and chef demonstrations along the way. Aruba Chefs prepare epicurean treasures along with savory hors d’oeuvres provided by H-E-B. Two of this year’s special guests include Texas wine royals Ed and Susan Auler of Fall Creek Winery, the first to bring wine-growing to the Texas Hill Country.

Friday, June 6 – 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Friday Night on the Northshore Value Wines Happy Hour
Woodlands Waterway Marriott 1601 Lake Robbins Dr., 77380
Step into the sites, sounds, and savory offerings of Louisiana including traditional faire such as jambalaya, red beans and rice, bread pudding and more prepared by Louisiana Chefs. Sponsored by St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, this casual community-style happy hour lets you mix, mingle and listen to great music while tasting great wines under $15.

Saturday, June 7 – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Natural Street @ Market Street, A Green Living Fair
Market Street Central Park 9595 Six Pines Drive, 77380
Wine & Food Week debuts this new event to the entertainment line-up. With a focus on renewable and natural resources from solar power to building green, events include booths with samples of green products, plus on-site recycling and educational elements geared to empower the public on the merits of organic and sustainable living. This activity incorporates Kidz R Cooking hands-on classes guided by Texas Beef Council’s Chef Tiffany teaching children how to experience flavors and prepare fun and tasty fare. Explore the Green Living Maze provided by the U.S. Green Building Council. Admission to Natural Street @ Market Street is free with the donation of a recyclable item. Sponsors include 3-A-Day, Houston Museum of Natural Science, Lexus, body+soul, and the Young Chefs Academy.

Saturday, June 7 – 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & South American Chef Showcase
Woodlands Waterway Marriott 1601 Lake Robbins Dr., 77380
The week’s culinary competition culminates at the premiere event saluting South American cuisine. The Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & South American Chef Showcase includes chef demonstrations along with 500 outstanding wines and 50 restaurants serving fine foods personally prepared by renowned local, regional and internationally-acclaimed chefs. A charity silent auction and a live auction offer fine wine selections, wine excursions to California as well as South America, private in-home wine tastings, and hands-on private chef training opportunities.

The Wine Rendezvous will host local, regional and international chefs such as Houston’s own Michael Cordua and David Cordua as well as chefs from Boston to New Orleans to South America. Ruth Van Waerebeek, Executive Chef from Concha y Toro in Chile, and Peru’s own Rodrigo Conroy, Alvaro Ruffo, Valery Schroth, and Carlos Testino are but a few of the dynamic talents appearing at the Chef’s Showcase.

Food judges include Green Living Expert Sara Snow of the Discovery Health Channel, Houston’s own Monica Pope, Chef of Tafia Restaurant, and body+soul Food Editor Sandra Gluck. Chef Awards provided by Waterford Crystal.

ABOUT WINE & FOOD WEEK
Wine & Food Week, produced by Food & Vine Time Productions, is the first comprehensive culinary event to promote green living. Owners Clifton and Constance McDerby are dedicated to enhancing the quality of life and health of Houstonians by educating the novice to the aficionado on wines and fine dining featuring organic ingredients. Since its inception in 2005, Wine & Food Week has donated more than $120,000 to local charities.