2011 Pittsburgh Wine Festival Restaurant Dinners Announced

PITTSBURGH, April 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The ninth annual Pittsburgh Wine Festival kicks off next week with exclusive wine dinners in select restaurants. Winemakers and educators will lead the tastings.

On Wednesday, May 4, the following restaurants will be hosting dinners:

Common Plea will host a dinner with Ferrari Carano Winery. Featured guest will be the winery's Mid-Atlantic States Regional Manager, Randy Holden.

The Sonoma Grille will host a dinner with a member of one of the wine world's most famous families, Marc Mondavi, Wine Maker.

The Hartwood Restaurant will host a dinner with Concannon Vineyards and John Concannon, Proprietor and Vintner.

Monterey Bay will host a dinner with winemaker Jon Emmerich of Silverado.

Hyeholde will host a dinner focusing on the wines and food from the Mendoza region of Argentina with Julia Zuccardi and Chef Rodriguez Armesen of Familia Zuccardi.

On Friday, May 6, McCormick & Schmicks in the South Side Works will host a dinner with winemakers Lee Flourentzou of Aramis, Patrick Gehrig of Rutherglen, Hunter Smith of Rocky Gully & Frankland Estate, and Michael Tiller of Isabel Estate.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

The Festival will be held in the East and West Club Lounges at Heinz Field on Thursday, May 5, 2011, with the VIP tasting from 5:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. and the Grand Tasting from 7:00 - 9:00 P.M. More than 400 wineries from California, France, Italy, Australia, Spain and New Zealand will be represented, including a fair representation of owners and wine makers.

WHERE TO BUY TICKETS

Tickets can be purchased online at www.pittsburghwinefestival.com. Tickets for the Grand Tasting are still available, at $125. (The VIP Tasting tickets are sold out.)

SPONSORS AND BENEFICIARY

The 2011 Pittsburgh Wine Festival is produced by the Pittsburgh Wine Festival LLC, and sponsored by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB), UPMC, Comcast and Giant Eagle. It benefits Innovation and Discovery at UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh. So far we have partnered with UPMC to help raise 7.25 million dollars over our long and productive partnership.

SOURCE Pittsburgh Wine Festival