San Diego food and wine auction event

We have been attending the San Diego Food and Wine Festival for the past 4 years. Every year we met great people and have a wonderful time, but I have to say this year topped them all. We started the weekend hosting a table of 11 guests at the San Diego Marriott and Marina. The Auction raises money for the American Insitute of Food and Wine, Thomas Arvid was the host for the afternoon. Also there hosting tables were high end wineries like Joseph Phelps, Silver Oak, Quintessa, Silverado and Stags Leap, and John Tyler of course!
Thomas’s Vice President of marketing Rob Preiditsch sat with mom and I at our table. Both gentleman are the nicest people in the world. Also at our table James Thorn and his wife Ruth Ann of the Exclusive Collection. I also had the pleasure of meeting Julia and Giselle Prejs, a mother and daughter who had come out from New Jersey just to sit with us and drink John Tyler !
As if great wine was not enough the food at this event was out of this world. The menu which was created by celebrity chefs all over San Diego consisted of: “estate crafted” Lardo -Wrapped Prawns, Sea Scallop and Lobster Ravioli, Brandt Farms Beef Duo (AMAZING!!!) and ended with desert of Griottes Cherries Chao Pot De Creme, Bitter Sweet Kona Almond Tart and a Gianduja Chocolate Crunch. The Auction was a great success raising more than $30,000 dollars in scholarship money. Our auction item of a tour and wine and cheese pairing went for $750! Thanks to James and Ruth Ann!
Later that night we poured at the Reserve tasting on top of the Hornblower Cruise ship. The ship over looks the harbor and it a fantastic setting. The reserve tasting is an elegant and formal event that brings San Diego’s biggest wine fans.
I had an interesting encounter with a quite intoxicated man, who supposedly was “in the media”. Luckily I was saved by Trey, the rep for Jospeh Phelps Winery. He was stationed next to us for the tasting and could tell I was in need of some assitance and came to my rescue, having the drunk “media man” kicked out of the tasting. I think that telling dirty jokes to someone should get you kicked out of a formal tasting…don’t you?
Seriously some people should not be allowed at these things! Besides that situation, the tasting went great, we met alot of people who were already fans of our wine and new followers as well.

We wrapped the festivites up Sunday at Seaport Village with the Grand tasting. We saw more than 4,000 people and poured out of wine in 21/2 hours! One of our biggest events yet. The 2004 wines were a hit, and although we ran out of Pinot Noir first, the Zinfandel was a big hit. Again the food at this even was killer. All the top restuarants in San Diego come out to play and we get to eat!
This event is always great, but I have to say this year was particulary wonderful with the addition of Thomas Arvid and his talented paintings. Thomas had a booth there with a few of his new works on display. We ended the afternoon with a beer on top of the Hyatt right in Seaport Village with a view of the festival from above and the sun setting right over the horizon.
I was definitely exhausted after all our events but it makes it worth it when you meet people that love your product. That is what gives me motivation to continue to travel and share our wine with as many people as possible!