SANDESTIN WINE FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES WINNING WINES AND PLANS FOR THIS YEAR'S CULINARY PAVILLION

DESTIN, FL, Feb. 11 /PRNewswire/ - The Sandestin Wine Festival, Florida's most established wine festival, today announced the 2011 "wine winners" and plans for the 2011 Culinary Pavilion.

Scheduled for this April 28-May 1, the Sandestin Wine Festival is a picture perfect event complete with white tents, flowing wine, gourmet food and live music.   The event is one of the best of the year and draws thousands of people to The Village of Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. 

With the pouring of more than 600 wines, festival organizers and wine experts from across the country meet in advance to judge the wines.   Wines are divided into 70 categories by variety, style, and price. The top three wines in each category are awarded the gold, silver, and bronze awards.

Judges for this year's festival raised their glasses to red and white wines for "2011 Best of Show" designations including:

• The "Best of Show Red" this year is the Bodegas Caro 2007 from the Southern Hemisphere.
• "Best of Show White" is the Rombauer 2009 Chardonnay from Napa Valley.

Complete lists of winning wines, including "best buys" are listed at www.sandestinwinefestival.com.

This year's Sandestin Wine Festival attendees will have an opportunity to taste these and many outstanding wines at the festival. Grand Wine Tastings will be held at The Village of Baytowne Wharf on Saturday, April 30 from noon to 4 p.m. and Sunday, May 1 from 1 - 5 p.m.

One of the major benefits of the Sandestin Wine Festival is that attendees have a rare opportunity to learn about the finest appellations from all major producing countries in all varieties, styles and price ranges.  

Sandestin Wine Festival organizers today also announced plans for this year's Culinary Pavilion.  Located on Sandestin's beautiful Grand Lawn, the 2011 Culinary Pavilion will feature the "Food Treasures of Spain".   Under the first tent, you'll be treated to such cheeses as Manchego with Quince paste, Murcia al Vino (also called Drunken Goat ) and Roncal and specialty meats such as Chorizo and the famed Jamon Serrano, all served with piping hot baguettes plus the main course for the day, an authentic Spanish paella.   In the second tent, more treats will be available: fresh Spanish olives, Esgarett (famous salt cod tapas served on crostini), Tortas de Aceite (Sweet olive oil wafers), Turron desserts (Chocolate almond cakes) and fig/almond cakes.

After a full day of sampling wines and finding new favorites, guests can check out the retail tent that is available each day. "The beauty of the retail tent is, unlike some wine events, attendees can purchase wine sampled that day. Guests can literally walk away with the wines they sampled at a discounted rate," said Lanier Motes, event manager for the Baytowne Wharf Neighborhood Association (BWNA).

For more information about the 25^th Annual Sandestin Wine Festival at the Village of Baytowne Wharf or to purchase tickets online, visit www.sandestinwinefestival.com. For added savings, purchase tickets online prior to the event. Group discounts are also available.

Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort was rated the #1 resort on Florida's Emerald Coast and offers the most complete resort experience for all seasons and all ages.  Sandestin invites guests to enter a world of 2,400 acres including 30 charming neighborhoods with 1,400 condominiums, villas, town homes and the best in Destin hotel accommodations and vacation rentals.  A member of Beaches of South Walton, Sandestin offers more than seven miles of sugar white sand beaches and pristine bay front, four championship golf courses, 15 world-class tennis courts, 19 swimming pools, a 98-slip marina, certified children's programs, a fitness center and spa, 65,000 square feet of meeting space and a pedestrian village featuring a host of boutique shops, casual and fine dining restaurants and nightlife.  

Sandestin is offering a wide variety of discount accommodations and overnight packages for the Sandestin Wine Festival.  Visit www.sandestin.com for information.

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SOURCE Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort