Houston Area.s First Wine & Festival Slated For April 28-May 2, 2004

In the jargon of the wine business, the state of Texas has grown big legs and is fermenting quite nicely. Over the last 20 years, the Texas wine industry has seen incredible growth in wine production and the state is expected to soon hit a record by producing two million gallons. Combine this Texas thirst for wine production and consumption with some of the most outstanding and exotic cuisine available in the southwestern United States and there exists the perfect venue for a first-time event, the Fort Bend Wine & Food Affair, expected to attract some of Americas greatest winemakers and chefs for a four-day cultural and culinary celebration.

During the festival, to be held April 28-May 2, 2004, guests will be exposed to an intoxicating array of wines from renowned vintners, and cultural cuisines from many regions in the country. The event will be host to an exhilarating assortment of entertainment, samplings of the hottest foods and products at a gourmet farmers market and activities including culinary demonstrations, wine seminars and cookbook signings, all conducted by chefs and wine experts of national renown. From vintner dinners to a road trip and tour of a boutique Texas winery, visitors will savor memorable experiences for the palate, one after another.

Knowing that in Texas nearly 37 million gallons of wine are consumed each year, world-class vintners, winemakers, sommeliers and reviewers will make a commanding presence at the event. The kick-off luncheon will feature sommelier Joshua Wesson, co-founder and director of Best Cellars, Inc., a highly acclaimed new concept in wine retailing, who will share his revolutionary wine marketing concepts. One of the most clever wine experts ever to swirl a glass, Wesson takes the intimidation out of choosing wines by using snappy, witty names to classify wines into easy-to-pick, non-threatening categories including: fizzy, fresh, soft, luscious, juicy, smooth, big and sweet.

Vintner dinners will introduce the larger festival, with expert wine and food pairings in the regions premier restaurants, including New York chef Jean-Georges Vongerichtens Bank at Houstons new Icon Hotel. Other notable events include a primer by famed crystal expert Maximilian Josef Riedel on the importance of proper glassware in the appreciation of wine and a Sterling on Sterling dinner, as Sterling McCall Lexus presents Rob Hunter, Sterling Vineyards director of winemaking in Napa Valley. The Richmond House, a charming Southern mansion built in 1887, is the ideal setting for this tasteful experience.

Among the informative wine seminars will be those conducted by Bear Dalton, wine manager for the United States fifth-largest wine and spirits retailer, Specs Liquors, and Denman Moody, wine consultant and organizer of charity wine auctions. Dalton will demystify both wine etiquette and the wine selection process by providing instruction on the proper way to open a bottle; correct pouring techniques; how to read wine labels; how to taste wines; and how to navigate selections of wines in stores and restaurants. Moody will share his passion for rare vintage wines by discussing which wines to purchase for a private cellar, how long to age for maximum enjoyment and which vintages to drink in 2004  while participants enjoy a selected sampling of wines from one of Americas premier family of wines, Far Niente. Moodys wine selections will be appropriately paired with delectable canapis.

On Friday, April 30, a Grand Tasting will feature premium vintages from over 20 wineries and spectacular samplings from a host of culinary stars. Also during this event, to be held at the Sugar Land Marriott Town Square, there will be celebrity chef book sales and signings and a silent auction offering rare wines, fabulous wine trips and more.

Then on Saturday, May 1, Sienna Plantation in Missouri City will transform into a sensory summit for the Sip & Stroll. Visitors will be t