Wally's Presents 8th Annual Central Coast Celebration For Michael Bonaccorsi Scholarship Fund

New VIP Early Entry Features The Oyster Gourmet and Windrose Farms; Allan Hancock College Added as Secondary Recipient from Michael Bonaccorsi Foundation

Wally's Wine & Spirits will host Wally's 8th Annual Central Coast Wine and Food Celebration (WCCWFC), benefiting the Michael Bonaccorsi Scholarship Fund at UC Davis' Department of Viticulture and Enology and the newly established Michael Bonaccorsi Endowment Fund at Allan Hancock College Department of Viticulture and Enology on Sunday, July 31, 2011, from 1 to 4:00 p.m. under the "Big Top" adjacent to the store.

Wally's popular summer afternoon tasting will include over 60 Central Coast wineries: Loring; Saxum; Fiddlehead; Melville; Brewer-Clifton; Au Bon Climat; Qup; Hitching Post; Tantara; Ojai Vineyard; Whitcraft; Jaffurs; Ambullneo; Dragonette; Beckmen; Brander; Costa de Oro; Talbott; Row Eleven; Falcone; Arcadian; Rusack; Palmina; Foley; Paige 23; Justin; Clos Mimi; Talley; Ampelos; Claiborne & Churchill; Alma Rosa; Ken Brown; Core; Cobblestone; Malibu Vineyards; Native 9; Alta Maria; Plata; Margerum; La Fenetre; Kenneth Volk; Summerland; Demetria and many others.

And this year the WCCWFC proudly introduces a VIP Early Entry from 12 noon to 1 p.m. where guests purchasing an advance premium ticket for $149 (an additional $54) can taste exclusive offerings from The Oyster Gourmet, Los Angeles' well known mollusk expert, and the farm artistry of Windrose Farms, the renown biodynamic farm in Paso Robles that serves the most reputable restaurants in the Central Coast and Southern California.

With some of the best chefs and restaurants represented, including Frank Ostini showcasing the art of grilling on his traveling Santa Maria Barbecue pit from The Hitching Post, returning guests from Los Angeles are Osteria and Pizzeria Mozza by Nancy Silverton and Mario Batali; La Brea Bakery; Spago Beverly Hills; Jar; CUT; Lucques/A.O.C. /Tavern; Comme Ca; and The Hungry Cat. Featured from the finest of the Central Coast are: Bouchon of Santa Barbara; Artisan; Pasolivo of Paso Robles; Brothers' Restaurant at Mattei's Tavern of Los Olivos; and Full of Life Flatbread from Los Alamos. In addition to The Oyster Gourmet and Windrose Farms, other first time participants are Melisse, Santa Monica; Wilshire, Santa Monica; David LeFevre's new MB Post, Manhattan Beach; Bouchon Beverly Hills; Mezze, Los Angeles; the Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, Los Angeles; The Wine Cask, Santa Barbara; and Chef Rick's from Santa Maria.

In addition to the wine and food tasting, guests are invited to participate in a silent auction of rare wine offerings and premier gift packages. This year's live auction items will include travel packages to the Santa Ynez Inn in Santa Ynez, Hadsten House in Solvang, and a week-long vacation at a private home on Martha's Vineyard. For the eighth year, to entertain the crowd is Gary Burk's lively group, the Inexpensive Winos. A majority of the funds received directly benefit the Michael Bonaccorsi Scholarship Fund at UC Davis and the Michael Bonaccorsi Endowment at Allan Hancock College Departments of Viticulture and Enology.

The Michael Bonaccorsi Scholarship Fund was founded at UC Davis in 2004 by the Bonaccorsi family. The scholarship was developed in response to the overwhelming reaction of friends and wine professionals interested in creating a lasting memorial to the man who generously shared his knowledge and talents throughout his brilliant, yet tragically short career.

Wally's quickly stepped in to lend its support by creating the Wally's Central Coast Wine and Food Celebration. To date, the fundraiser has raised nearly $300,000 - making it the primary source in funding the scholarship, which now totals nearly half of a million dollars, a portion of which is awarded yearly to a qualifying recipient at UC Davis' and Allan Hancock Colle