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WHISKY Websites to Visit

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Have a love for single malts? For Irish? For Bourbon? For other exceptional spirits?

The following websites include information on tastings, tours, courses and commercial events. Check them out:

• CELTIC MALTS Riannon Walsh's Celtic Malts presents the extraordindary Whiskies of the World EXPO (WOW) event in San Francisco each April full of special seminars with distillery managers and blenders and opportunities to taste some of the world's finest spirits. In addition, check the website for links and informative content regarding highland malts and other spirits.
• ISLAY WHISKY CLUB An organization formed in 2001 and active in more than 26 countries. Check the site for links to relevant events and tastings.
• MALT ADVOCATE Malt Advocate Magazine presents two "Whisky Fest" events each year, one in Chicago (April) and the other in New York City (November). The tastings offer samples of over 250 whiskies and opportunities to meet distillery managers and master blenders. There are also high end rums, tequilas and beer. The website is rich with content for the fan of distilled products.
• SPIRIT OF SPEYSIDE Over half of Scotland's malt whisky distilleries have some connection with the Speyside locale and the River Spey. Whisky festivals are held in May and September each year.
• THE COMPANIONS OF THE QUAICH Canada's Malt Whisky appreciation society is dedicated to a common interest and passion for malt whiskies of the world.
• WHISKY SOCIETY For anyone located in Europe, specifically in Austria, Germany or Switzerland, the Whisky Society provides an opportunity to meet, taste with and exchange views with other whisky enthusiasts.

Check out the tastings and courses in SAN FRANCISCO & SF Peninsula

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Talk about a social scene for wine aficionados -- or, aspiring aficionados -- foggy San Francisco is Hot!!! Meet the Winemakers, meet folks as keen on wine as you are, or want to be. Check out the following (listed from north to south along the San Francisco Peninsula):

  • Greg Flynn's CALIFORNIA WINE MERCHANT holds winemaker events every Monday!
  • Meet the Winemakers at the FERRY PLAZA WINE MERCHANT's bi-weekly events and check its series of educational and entertaining classes!
  • BRUCE CASS's WINE LAB. Learn from a real expert in either of two locations in San Francisco!
  • K&L Reserve a place on this notable San Francisco, Redwood City and On-line wine merchant's schedule of special wine dinners and join the Champagne Club.
  • CAV Check out the schedule of tastings, classes and events of this San Francisco wine bar/restaurant.
  • JIM GALLAGHER Sit in on an intimate (14 person) wine seminar/tasting with this respected wine reviewer in San Francisco. Check the current scheule of tastings.
  • SILK'S RESTAURANT Master Sommelier Richard Dean has moved his excellent Wine Dinner series from New York City to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and to Campton Place Restaurant (Taj Hotels) in San Francisco. Put yourself on his mailing list by emailing your request to Richard Dean
  • WINE GLOBE Check for seminars and tastings of wine and spirits at this San Mateo merchant.
  • BELTRAMOS This renown wine merchant conducts two series of tastings: Wednesdy evenings and Saturday mornings at their store in Menlo Park. The schedule is now posted on their new website.
  • VINO LOCALE This Palo Alto wine merchant's specializes in locally produced wine and occasionally schedules events & dinners.
  • WINESKOOL Irreverent but on point, sign up for David Lee's classes on the San Francisco Peninsula.
  • JOSEPH GEORGE Get on the list for events hosted by this San Jose wine and spirits distributor turned wine merchant and producer.
  • SHADOWBROOK RESTAURANT Enjoy Winemaker Wednesdays - check the schedule.
  • THEO'S RESTAURANT Theo's, in Soquel, hosts 'first Thursday of each month' Brown Bag Wine Dinners (reservations required) and other special wine dinners.

  • UC EXTENSION A wide range of up-coming classes is offered in its Food & Wine Studies list.

    • WINERY CONCERTS: Check here for the 2008 concert schedule - starting with Tamara Winery in Virginia

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    A number of wineries serve as the venue for live performances, wonderful concerts and special events! Check their schedules and order your tickets early

  • BOORDY Vineyards, Hydes, MD
    Sundays in April: Reds, Whites & Bluegrass
    Jun 14 - The Mahoney Brothers
    Jun 21 - Mood Swings
    Jun 28 - The Groove Train
    Jul 5 - T-Birds
    Jul 12 - Son Quatro
    Jul 19 - Roy Carrier & Night Rochers
    Jul 26 - Shades of Blue
    Aug 2 - Jesse Garron
    Aug 9 - The English Channel
    Aug 16 - Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble
    Aug 23 - Unity Reggae Band
    Aug 30 - Mood Swings
    Sep 6 - T-Birds
  • B.R.COHN Winery, Glen Ellen, CA
    Oct 3-6 - Fall Music Festival Fall Music Festival and Celebrity Golf Classic
  • CEDAR MOUNTAIN Winery, Livermore, CA
    Jun 14 - Georgi and the Rough Week
    Jul 28 - Megan Slankard Band
    Aug 25 - Finding Stella
  • CHATEAU MORRISETTE Events, Floyd, VA
    Oct 13 - Black Dog Wine & Beach Music Festival
  • CHATEAU STE MICHELLE, Woodinville, WA
    Jun 6 -Crosby, Stills & Nash
    Jun 13 - The Neville Brothers & Dr. John
    Jun 28 - Earth, Wind & Fire
    Jul 2 - Mark Knopfler
    Jul 3 - BB King
    Jul 12 - Hippie Fest
    Jul 19 - Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band
    Jul 21-22 - James Taylor & His Band of Legends
    Jul 24 - Chris Isaak
    Jul 25-26 - Lyle Lovett in Concert
    Jul 30-31 - Steely Dan
    Aug 1 - Smokey Robinson
    Aug 2-3 - KWJZ Music Festival
    Aug 22 - Gipsy Kings
    Aug 23-24 - Chicago
    Aug 29 - Michael McDonald
  • CHILDRESS Vineyards, Lexington, NC
    May 3 - Dallas Reese Band
    May 4 - Reggie Buie Trio
    May 10 - Windfall
    May 17 - The King Bees
    May 18 - Melonbelly
    May 24 - The Ardmores
    May 25 - Wishful Thinking
    May 31 - The Ardmores
    Jun 1 - Ladies Auxiliary
    Jun 7 - Dallas Reese Band
    Jun 8 - Windfall
    Jun 14 - Hillbilly Deluxe
    Jun 15 - Reggie Buie Trio
    Jun 21 - Acoustic Blend
    Jun 22 - Davis Tucker Band
    Jun 28 - The Shuffle Band
    Jun 29 - Bradford Reaves & Renne Henry
  • FIESTA DEL SOL, Napa, CA
    Jul 12-20 - 2008 Festival schedule
  • GLORIA FERRER Champagne Caves, Sonoma, CA
    Jul 19-20 - Catalan Festival
  • KENDALL-JACKSON Sonoma, CA
    May 22-25 - Jazz Festival: Kool & The Gang; Herbie Hancock; Diana Krall; Bonnie Raitt; & more
  • IRONSTONE Vineyards, Murphys, CA
    Aug 17 - Steve Miller Band
    Sep 5 - Willie Nelson
  • LA VINA Winery. La Union, NM
    Apr 29-30 - La Vina Blues & Jazz Festival
  • LEDSON Hotel/Winery, Sonoma, CA
    • An inside venue, live Jazz performance is still going strong at the Ledson, one of two California hotels on the Conde Nast Traveler 'Hot List
  • MARYHILL Winery, Goldendale, WA
    Jun 7 - Crosby, Stills & Nash
    Jul 5 - BB King/Jimi Lund Band
    Aug 30 - Michael McDonald/tba
  • MIRAMONTE Winery, Temecula, CA
    Fridays - Rhumba, Flamenco & Latin Jazz
    Saturdays - Saturday Blues Jam
  • MOUNTAIN WINERY, Los Gatos, CA
    (look for the 2008 schedule for the Mountain Winery
  • NAPA VALLEY MUSTARD FESTIVAL, Calistoga, CA
    Mar 8-9 - Mustard, Mud and Music Festival....a Calistoga Jazz Tradition
  • PONTCHARTRAIN Vineyards, Bush, LA
    Apr 12 - Kenny Bill Stinson & His Band
    Apr 19 - Charmaine Neville and her band
    May 10 - Ann Savoy & Her Sleepless Knights
    May 19 - Rick Trolsen with Gringo Do Choro
    May 31 - Don Vappie & the Creole Jazz Serenders
    Jun 14 - Casey Kelley and Duke Bardwell
    (check later for the Fall season)
  • ROBERT MONDAVI Winery, Oakville, CA
    Jul 5 - Preservation Hall Jazz Band
    Jul 12 - Dave Koz, with special guest David Benoit
    Jul 19 - Tiempo Libre
    Jul 26 - Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo
    Aug 2 - UB40
  • RODNEY STRONG Vineyards & KJZY, Healdsburg, CA
    • Season tickets available now!
    Jun 21 - Brian Culbertson's Funk Experience & Jonathan Butler
    Jul 5 - Fourplay: Bob James, Larry Carlton, Nathan East & Harvey Mason
    Aug 2 - Chris Botti
    Aug 17 - An Evening with Michael McDonald
    Sep 27 - Rhe 'R n R' Tour: Rick Braun & Richard Elliot
  • SECRET HOUSE Vineyards, Veneta, OR
    Jun 27 - Indigo Girls
    Jun 29 - KFLY BBQ featuring: Reverend Horton Heat
  • SL CELLARS, Kenwood, CA
    (Check for wine pairing class schedule and check for the concert series to return in July 2008)
  • TARARA Winery, Leesburg, VA
    May 17-18 - 8th Annual Winds & Wine Festival
    Jun 14 - Potomac Celtic Festival
    Jul 5-26, Aug 9-30, Sep 6-27 (Saturdays) - Sounds of Summer Concert Series
    Aug 2-3 - Blackberry Days Wine Festival
    Sep 20-21 - Great Grape Festival
  • THORNTON Winery, Temecula, CA
    Apr 20 - Guitars & Sax, featuring Gerald Albright, Peter White & Jeff Golub
    Apr 27 - David Benoit & Spyro Gyra
    May 10 - R n R, featuring Rick Braun & Richard Elliot
    Jun 7 -Euge Groove w/Special Guest
    Jun 14 - Jeffery Osborne & Jessy J
    Jun 22 - Boney James w/Special Guest
    Jun 29 - Acoustic Alchemy & Hiroshima
    Jul 12 - Mindi Abair & Keiko Matsui
    Jul 19 - Jesse Cook & Warren Hill
    Jul 27 - Chris Botti w/Special Guest
    Aug 3 - The Ripptingtons
    Aug 10 - David Sanborn w/Special Guest
    Aug 16 - Dave Koz
    Aug 17 - Dave Koz
    Aug 24 - Bobby Caldwell
    Sep 6 - Special Guest
    Sep 14 - Ottmar Liebert
    Sep 21 - Norman Browns Summer Storm, featuring Chante Moore & Paul Taylor
    Sep 27 - Peter White
    Oct 5 - Special Guest tba
    Oct 11 - Wayman Tisdale & Special Guest
  • WASHINGTON WINE COUNTRY CELEBRATION, Yakima, WA
    Fridays - Dance to Steve Tyrell
    Saturdays - Dinners at various wineries
  • WENTE Vineyards, Livermore, CA
    Jun 9 - Crosby,Stills & Nash
    Jun 24 - Earth, Wind and Fire
    Jul 8 - Chris Isaak
    Jul 21 - Lynyrd Skynyrd
    Jul 22 - Clint Black
    Jul 30 - Boz Scaggs
    Jul 31 - Lyle Lovett
    Aug 4 - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
    Aug 5 - Huey Lewis & the News
    Aug 20 - Dana Carvey
    Aug 28 - Chicago
    Sep 2 - Bonnie Raitt
    Sep 3 - Willie Nelson
    Sep 17 - Foreigner
  • WINERY MUSIC AWARDS, Paso Robles, CA
    Jun 9, Jul 14, Aug 11, Sep 15 - Elimination Rounds with 5 artists each round
    Oct 7 - Final Competition and Awards
  • WOODINVILLE WINE NOTES CONCERTS, Woodinville, WA
    Jul 26-27 - Tower of Power, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy & jazz masters Mindi Abair, Peter White, Michael Paulo and Greg Karukas (tickets on sale Apr 15)

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    Family Winemakers of California Tasting 2007 @ San Francisco, CA

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    Aug 19 2007     Aug 20 2007

    Celebrating 17 Years of Wine Tasting for Wine Buyers and Consumers

    Since it’s founding in 1991, Family Winemakers of California has presented an Annual Tasting. Originally, the Tasting was developed as a trade-only event; an opportunity for member-wineries and California’s wine trade to gather together and talk about the issues foremost in the minds of industry members while tasting great wine. Because FWC represented the smaller wineries the tasting was a unique opportunity to showcase the winemaking craftsmanship of vintners from across the state.

  • Tasting 2007
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    California Symphony’s Virtuoso Wine & Food Classic @ Alamo, CA

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    May 20 2007

    The California Symphony Invites You To The 8th Annual Virtuoso Wine & Food Classic
    • 50% Wine, 50% Food, 100% Benefiting Music in Our Community •
    Round Hill Country Club - Alamo, California

    Narsai David, Master of Ceremonies
    David Reynolds, Auctioneer

    Day includes wine and food tastings from premier wineries and restaurants in California including Steven Kent Winery, Marston Family Vineyards, Stuart Cellars, Lark Creek Walnut Creek, Prima Ristorante, Left Bank Brasserie and Massimo Ristorante.

    There will also be silent and live auctions with exclusive wine lots and premier trips and getaways including a South African safari and a stay at the incredible Monte Bernardi villa and vineyards in Italy.
    Individual tickets are $125, and sponsorships are also available. For more information call (925) 280.2490 or visit the website:

  • Tickets & Event specifics/URL

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