After a successful schedule of events in 2022, the California Wine Festival will return to Dana Point April 14 and April 15, with a new roster of distinctive seaside sampling opportunities. The event commemorates two decades of world-class wine discovery and all that makes California the ideal destination for wine fans.
Each California Wine Festival, now in its 20th season, pays respect to the extensive options from winemaking areas throughout California, along with gourmet cuisine samplings from local restaurants, live entertainment and panoramic coastline backdrops. Each two-day event begins with a Friday evening Sunset Rare & Reserve Tasting, an exclusive encounter for devoted wine enthusiasts. The evening begins with a sparkling wine reception and includes tastings of hard-to-find prize wines as well as tasting room exclusives and limited-production bottles from wineries in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara, Temecula and beyond. In addition, top regional culinary talent will provide delectable hot and cold snacks to complement the top-tier wines.
The following Saturday features a Beachside Wine Festival, a midday event in the sun that promotes culinary education and exploration through one-on-one chats and tastings with culinary and wine professionals from California’s most prestigious vineyards and local restaurants. At the same time, hundreds of quality California wines and regional artisan breweries will be serving up sips to guests. Here, wines can be paired with gourmet cheeses, fresh-cut fruit, seafood, salads, indulgent chocolates and other sweet treats. Plus, live bands will provide the perfect ambience for a carefree day spent soaking in the sunshine and admiring the coastal California surroundings.
“It’s phenomenal to look back at when we first founded the festival in Santa Barbara two decades ago to how far we have come today,” says Emily Kaufmann, Executive Director, California Wine Festival, in a press release. “We’re still here, bigger than ever, and providing the quintessential California experience at more venues across this beautiful state. There are so many phenomenal winemakers and chefs who continue to make our festival a must attend event year-after-year.”
In addition to promoting and enjoying California’s wines and food scenes, each California Wine Festival seeks to raise funds for charitable organizations in the event location. At the Sunset Rare & Reserve Tasting, many of the events will include a silent auction to assist charities such as Sandy Feet Initiative, Surfrider Foundation of South Orange County, Golden Rule Charity and Food Bank of Santa Barbara County.
Tickets start at $75 per person. For more information, visit californiawinefestival.com.