Paso Robles Grand Tasting Tour Hits Scottsdale, February 7-11, 2011

Signature Event Series with Marquee Grand Tasting, Featuring 30 California Winemakers.

(SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.) – Thanks to a growing number of sophisticated wine enthusiasts in the Valley, the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance has targeted Scottsdale and the greater Phoenix metro area to kick-off its 2011 Grand Tasting Tour. Part and parcel of a fiercely expanding local culinary scene in the Valley, the group of Paso Robles, Calif, winemakers will showcase their wines through a series of winemaker dinners, a marquee Grand Tasting event, and special tasting opportunities at area retailers. This ‘Paso Robles Wine Week’ is set for February 7-11, when over 30 winemakers, winery owners, and tourism representatives converge on the Valley to express the flavor and personality of the Paso Robles wine region.

The most attended event will take place on Wednesday, February 9, with a marquee Grand Tasting at El Chorro Lodge from 6 – 8 p.m.  This is a rare opportunity to meet and mingle with all of the traveling winemakers under one roof – the likes of winemaking legends Robert Hall, Gary Eberle, and Vic Roberts of the acclaimed Victor Hugo Winery, as well as many more, are all scheduled to attend. El Chorro Lodge will showcase their culinary delights alongside unlimited tastes of over 100 wines. Tickets are $55 per person and include unlimited tastings and an array of gourmet appetizers that include pork sliders, a bruschetta bar, and imported meats. Wine enthusiasts are encouraged to visit www.pasowine.com for a list of participating wineries and to purchase tickets.

Prior to the Grand Tasting, two nights of wine dinners will showcase multiple Paso Robles brands along with meals prepared by local chefs. On Monday, February 7 and Tuesday, February 8, multi-course, wine-paired dinners will take place at restaurants 5th & Wine, Rancho Pinot, Petite Maison, and Cowboy Ciao. During each dinner, the celebrity winemakers and chefs will explain the inspiration behind the pairings. Rancho Pinot Chef/Owner Chrysa Robertson, for instance, is looking forward to complementing her simple, comfort food style of cooking with these elegant and often non-traditional wines. One other dinner, on Tuesday, February 8, will come with a twist—taking place at Big Daddy’s BBQ, Paso Robles wine will be paired with platters of smoky barbecue and served on picnic tables in the backyard-themed restaurant.

“There’s an event for every budget and level of wine enthusiasm,” says Wine Alliance Executive Director Stacie Jacob. “We want everyone to experience these wines and meet the personalities behind the label. Enthusiasts can join Paso Robles in a variety of places: an intimate restaurant setting, at your local retailers, or a walk around tasting showcasing all that Paso Robles has to offer.”

Paso Robles Wine Week continues on the evening of Thursday, February 10 when Chef James Porter of French bistro, Petite Maison, plugs the region’s wines into his popular “Staff Meal” (a late-night menu of fun, often lower-brow fare). Chef Porter is planning a “wine late-night” where he plans on “inviting a few of the winemakers into the kitchen to see if they can plate tartar as well as they grow grapes,” Porter quipped.

To purchase tickets for the Grand Tasting on Wednesday, February 9, visit www.pasowine.com or call
800-549-WINE. Wine dinner reservations can be made directly at each individual restaurant.