Lindt EXCELLENCE To Serve As Official Chocolate Sponsor Of 2014 FOOD & WINE Classic In Aspen

STRATHAM, N.H., Feb. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Premium Swiss chocolatier Lindt USA today announces it will serve as the Official Chocolate Sponsor of the 2014 FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen.  As part of the Classic, Lindt will showcase the company's EXCELLENCE collection of premium dark chocolate bars and host tastings throughout the weekend, including a special session on the ultimate wine and chocolate pairings presented by the Lindt Master Chocolatier and the company's fine wine partner, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines.  Lindt will also be giving chocolate lovers the chance to win a VIP trip to the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen through the launch of the "Discover Your Perfect Pairing" Facebook contest.

Experience EXCELLENCE at the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen
The 32^nd Annual FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen, which runs June 20-22, 2014, is expected to draw the world's most talented tastemakers and will bring a variety of culinary experts to the stage.  Lindt Master Chocolatier Ann Czaja and J. Lohr Red Winemaker Steve Peck will be hosting a special premium chocolate and wine session during the event to educate consumers on the perfect premium chocolate and wine pairings.  Attendees of "The Ultimate Indulgence: Lindt Chocolate & J. Lohr Wine" seminar will experience the synergy between creating premium chocolate and making the finest wine.  During the session, Czaja will highlight Lindt EXCELLENCE offerings and demonstrate the sophisticated sensory experience to best appreciate premium chocolate through the Lindt Five Senses Chocolate Tasting process.

Attendees will also be invited to experience the exclusive first tastes of a new EXCELLENCE dark chocolate bar developed in partnership with J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines.  The new bar creates an incomparable sensory experience when paired with the perfect wine and will be unveiled in Aspen.    

Win a Trip to the 2014 FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen
Lindt is extending the festival invitation to chocolate enthusiasts across the country by launching the "Discover Your Perfect Pairing" Facebook contest, giving one winner and a guest the chance to attend the 2014 FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen.  Now through March 14, 2014, fans can enter for a chance to win the grand prize, including airfare for two to Aspen, Colo., three nights' accommodations, and $500 spending money.

To enter, consumers can visit Facebook.com/LindtChocolate to submit a photo and short description about their recommendation for a perfect pairing with Lindt EXCELLENCE, as well as how they envision their ideal day with Lindt chocolate at this year's FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen.  Four lucky runner-ups will win a year's supply of Lindt EXCELLENCE, and 20 randomly selected entrants will receive Lindt EXCELLENCE gift baskets.  To learn more about the "Discover Your Perfect Pairing" contest, visit Facebook/com/LindtChocolate. 

"Premium chocolate is best appreciated with all five senses, and we are excited for culinary enthusiasts from around the world to experience the Lindt EXCELLENCE dark chocolate collection at this year's event," said Thomas Linemayr, president and CEO of Lindt USA.  "We are thrilled to announce our new role as the Official Chocolate Sponsor of the 2014 FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen." 

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.  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.

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 120 countries.  Lindt & Sprungli operates eight production facilities in Europe and the United States and employs more than 8,000 worldwide.  Lindt USA operates more than 45 retail stores in the U.S. and maintains wide distribution through extensive retail and wholesale channels.  For more information on Lindt, visit www.lindt.com.

About J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines
Founded four decades ago by Jerry Lohr and still family-owned and operated today, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines crafts a full line of internationally recognized wines from its 3,700 acres of sustainably-farmed, estate vineyards in Paso Robles, Monterey County's Arroyo Seco and Santa Lucia appellations, and St. Helena in the Napa Valley. Offering an expressive range of styles, J. Lohr produces four tiers of signature wines showcasing its estate grapes – J. Lohr Estates, J. Lohr Vineyard Series, J. Lohr Cuvee Series and J. Lohr Gesture. J. Lohr also produces an array of flavorful wines under its Cypress Vineyards, ARIEL (non-alcoholic) and Painter Bridge labels. For more information, please visit www.jlohr.com.  

SOURCE Lindt USA