Hospice Du Rhone Celebrates 20 Years Of Rhone Love With A Sold Out Event

Hospice du Rhone, the world's largest gathering of Rhone variety wines and producers, will celebrate 20 years of all things Rhone with a sold-out event April 26 - 28, 2012 in Paso Robles, California. Rhone zealots, restaurateurs, sommeliers, wine distributors, importers and a host of winemakers will make up the international audience throughout the upcoming weekend. Guests will tantalize their palates with Rhone wines and Rhone inspired cuisine throughout the three-day weekend.

Ticket sales are now closed for this annual Rhone wine event which continues to make Paso Robles home for the past 16 of its 20 years. Hospice du Rhone will sell only 100 Grand Tasting tickets at the gate. This Grand Tasting takes place Saturday, April 28, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. It has been noted that to duplicate this tasting one would need a passport, numerous flights and multiple weeks of travel.

"We are beyond excited to be celebrating 20 years of Hospice du Rhone and to be doing so with a sold out crowd is more than we could have asked for," notes Vicki Carroll, director of Hospice du Rh?ne. "This year will truly be a reunion for all who have been a part of helping us reach this milestone for the world wide Rhone community."

Starting off the celebratory weekend will be the seminar and dinner series Conversations with Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The 70 lucky guests, who grabbed these tickets within days of going on-sale in November, will have the privilege to taste Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines dating as far back as 1954. Author of The Chateauneuf-du-Pape Book, Harry Karis along with Vigneron Philippe Cambie will lead the audience through an in-depth look at this historic region of France before delighting in dinner at Paso Robles' premier French restaurant, Bistro Laurent. Chef Laurent Grangien has carefully prepared a five-course meal for this enchanting evening.

Those with weekend packages and select individual seminar tickets will take in the 2012 Seminar Series. Friday will begin with wines from four rock star winemakers hailing from the Priorat region of Spain. Eric Solomon of Eric Solomon Selections will bring to the stage Jose Maria Vicente of Casa Castillo, Daniel Jimenez-Landi of Jimenez-Landi, Bixente Ocafrain of Bodegas Mas Alta and Daphne Glorian-Solomon of Clos I Terrasses. Next, attendees will dive into the stones Walla Walla, Washington with a focused seminar by the ever spirited and knowledgeable Christophe Baron of Cayuse.

Day two of the 2012 Seminar Series will begin with a look at the historic Northern Rhone with the wines of Les Vins de Vienne. These wines are crafted by three long-time friends of Hospice du Rhone, Francois Villard, Yves Cullieron and Pierre Gaillard. Closing out day two of the Seminar Series will be Chester Osborn of d'Arenberg, South Australia who will guide the audience through 13 wines showcasing the terroir of multiple vineyard sites and plots.

One of the first events to sell out for the 20th year was the new BIG Rh?ne Rendezvous. This walk-around tasting for 800 guests will feature 100 producers from near and far who will share their Rhone wines from large-format bottles. To complement this BIG evening of BIG bottles the highly-acclaimed chefs from the esteemed Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee will serve up a taste of the South. This will be the only event throughout the weekend that the "Number 1 Resort in the Continental U.S. and Canada" as voted by Travel + Leisure for their 2011 World's Best Awards, will showcase their culinary talents.

The Rhone quest continues at the Saturday Grand Tasting with over 135 winemakers pouring tastes from around the globe for over 1000 Rhone zealots. It has been said that to duplicate this tasting, one would need a passport, many weeks off work and thousands of airline miles to taste the variety of wines showcased at the Grand Tasting. While strolling the Tasting Pavilion guests will