Flavor! Napa Valley™ Presents "The Appellation Trail: Tasting Napa Valley" Showcasing the Stars of America's Legendary Wine & Food Capital

NAPA, Calif., Oct. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Napa Valley, widely regarded as America's premier wine and food capital, shares the best from its culinary and vintner stars at the inaugural Flavor! Napa Valley™ festival, from November 17 - 20, 2011, a four-day culinary exploration of tastings, cooking demonstrations, winemaker dinners, and more.  And no single Flavor! event exemplifies the culinary and winemaking prowess of the Napa Valley better than "The Appellation Trail: Tasting Napa Valley," being hosted on Friday evening, November 18th, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the historic Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Greystone in St. Helena, Napa Valley.

As guests stroll through the Appellation Trail Tasting, they'll encounter more than 120 wineries pouring representations from Napa Valley's varied sub-appellations, and varietals from Albarino to Zinfandel. A veritable alphabet of famous names and boutique brands will abound, including Beringer Vineyards, Cakebread Cellars, Chiarello Family Vineyards, Crocker & Starr Wines, Etude, Grgich Hills Estate, The Hess Collection Winery, Michael Mondavi Family Estate, Mumm Napa Valley, Robert Mondavi Winery, St. Clement, St. Supery Estate Vineyards, Silver Oak Cellars, Staglin Family Vineyard, Stags' Leap Winery, and William Hill Estate.

And along the "trail" will be savories and delectables from over thirty of Napa Valley's terrific restaurants and artisanal food purveyors, including Ad Hoc, La Toque, Morimoto Napa, and The Restaurant at Meadowood.

Dave Cruz, Chef de Cuisine at Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc Restaurant in Yountville says, "What grows together, goes together. The Appellation Trail is going to be an extraordinary way to experience the foods that are born from the same soils that produce the Napa Valley wines known around the world. My team and I are looking forward to this weekend - this is going to be a great event!"

In addition, Tyler Florence and Richard Blais will be the featured chefs at the "Live Fire" area, where guests can gather around a live fire grill to watch and enjoy tastes in the adjacent Infiniti Lounge area. Florence, who recently opened Rotisserie & Wine in Napa, will man the grill at the "Live Fire." Florence was awarded the 2011 "Restaurateur of the Year" award by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

Bravo's "Top Chef All-Stars," winner Richard Blais, who is known for his modern approach to cooking, will join Florence at the grill. Blais has been featured in both FOOD & WINE magazine and on Discovery Science, an indication of his wildly creative and innovative cooking style.

This trail of flavorful adventure will be an experience that can only occur in the Napa Valley, where the culinary and vintner community share a passionate connection to the land, and to crafting products that convey its elemental sense of place.

"The sub-appellations in the Napa Valley represent the diversity of soils and climatic influences that combine to make it a wonderful place to cultivate some of the world's finest grapes across a broad range of varietals and styles," stated Vintner Michael Mondavi.  "So, in addition to world-class examples of the most popular wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, the Napa Valley holds many surprises for wine lovers looking for more 'off the beaten path' wine varieties. The Flavor! Napa Valley Appellation Trail will immerse wine lovers in a tasting adventure that represents this diversity and breadth," Mondavi added.

With the Napa Valley opening its doors to share the very best from its food and wine community, "The Appellation Trail" is a tasting trek you won't want to miss.

Tickets for "The Appellation Trail: Tasting Napa Valley" are $150, and can be purchased online at www.FlavorNapaValley.com.  

For the complete Flavor! Napa Valley™ event schedule, including information on extending your stay in order to experience all that the legendary Napa Valley has to offer, please visit www.flavornapavalley.com, facebook at http://www.facebook.com/FlavorNapaValley, and follow @FlavorNV on Twitter.

About Flavor! Napa Valley™

The 2011 inaugural four-day Flavor! Napa Valley™ Celebration of Wine, Food & Fun is an annual event that features world-class Napa Valley wines alongside the Napa Valley's master chefs and graduates of The Culinary Institute of America's culinary education programs. Net proceeds from the event support programs and scholarships at The Culinary Institute of America's Greystone Campus in St. Helena. The event is hosted by founding sponsors Silverado Resort and Spa and Dolce Hotels in partnership with the Napa Valley Destination Council, The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, and the Napa Valley Vintners, and is produced by Karlitz & Company.  For more information on visiting the Napa Valley, please go to www.legendarynapavalley.com.

SOURCE The Napa Valley Destination Council