Lindt EXCELLENCE Returns As Official Chocolate Sponsor of 2013 Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival

STRATHAM, N.H., April 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Premium Swiss chocolatier, Lindt USA, today announces it will serve as the Official Chocolate Sponsor of the sixth annual Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival for the second year.  As part of the Festival, Lindt will be offering attendees an opportunity to indulge in the EXCELLENCE premium dark chocolate collection and experience fine wine and chocolate pairings with the company's new wine partner, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines.  Over the course of the weekend, Lindt will host EXCELLENCE tastings, and a special session on the ultimate wine and chocolate pairings presented by the Lindt Master Chocolatier and J. Lohr's winemaker of 30 years.

During the Festival's Grand Tasting events, attendees are encouraged to visit the Lindt booth, which will be providing a unique opportunity for chocolate lovers to enjoy four varieties of premium Lindt EXCELLENCE chocolate, including EXCELLENCE 70% Cocoa, EXCELLENCE A Touch of Sea Salt, EXCELLENCE Intense Orange and EXCELLENCE Chili.  As part of a new partnership with J. Lohr, guests will be treated to premium wine and chocolate pairings, creating a perfect sensory experience.

"We are thrilled to unveil our new partnership with J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines at this year's Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival," said Thomas Linemayr, president and CEO of Lindt USA.  "Premium chocolate with fine wine create an incomparable tasting experience and we are excited to share that with attendees at this year's festival."  

To further educate consumers on the art of fine chocolate and wine pairings, Lindt Master Chocolatier, Ann Czaja, and J. Lohr Director of Winemaking, Jeff Meier, will be hosting a special premium chocolate and wine session on April 5, 2013.  The session will showcase the premium chocolate and how to enjoy it through the Lindt Five Senses Chocolate Tasting process, an ultimate sensory experience through which consumers can master the art of tasting fine chocolate.  Czaja and Meier will also discuss the art of pairing and provide EXCELLENCE chocolate and wine pairings, featuring wine from J. Lohr.  

The Lindt EXCELLENCE collection is the world's most exceptionally crafted premium chocolate, with cocoa percentage recipes ranging from 50 percent to 99 percent cocoa, as well as innovative flavor combinations, including the new EXCELLENCE Wasabi and Strawberry bars.  Made with the finest cocoa beans and highest-quality ingredients, Lindt EXCELLENCE has a thin, refined profile to offer chocolate lovers an unmatched, sophisticated sensory experience.

For more information on the chocolate and wine pairings from the Master Chocolatiers at Lindt and the sommeliers at J. Lohr, visit LindtEXCELLENCE.com.  To learn more about Lindt and the EXCELLENCE collection, visit www.lindt.com.  For other news from Lindt, "like" the company's Facebook page or follow Lindt on Twitter.

About Lindt & Sprungli
Founded in 1845, Lindt & Sprungli is a global leader in the premium chocolate category, offering high-quality products in more than 125 countries.  Lindt & Sprungli operates eight production facilities in Europe and the United States and employs 7,700 worldwide.  Lindt USA operates more than 50 retail stores in the U.S., Lindt Chocolate RSVP, the company's premium direct selling program, and maintains wide distribution through extensive retail and wholesale channels.  For more information on Lindt, visit www.lindt.com.

About J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines
J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines was founded by Jerry Lohr in 1972.  Still family run today, J. Lohr crafts a full line of internationally recognized wines from 3,700 acres of estate vineyards in Paso Robles, Monterey County and the Napa Valley.  Offering an expressive range of styles, J. Lohr produces four tiers of signature wines: J. Lohr Estates, J. Lohr Vineyard Series, J. Lohr Cuvee Series and J. Lohr Gesture.  For more information on J. Lohr, visit www.jlohr.com.

SOURCE Lindt USA