Our annual wine country bicycling tour will be hosted by vintner/adventurer Carissa Chappellet. Carissa will lead you into wine country for tours and tastings and a picnic luncheon. The approximately 20-mile ride is moderate. Transportation will be provided to the Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa from the last winery visited.

The concept of terroir is never more meaningful than when it relates to Pinot Noir, arguably the most fickle grape variety and the most expressive of place of origin of wines made therefrom. This symposium focuses on San Luis Obispo County geology, soils and microclimates. Terroir expert, the enthusiastic and engaging Tom Rice, co-author of the scholarly work, Paso Robles, An American Terroir, will lead a tasting and discussion of superb Pinot Noir wines from Baileyana, Carmody-McKnight, Domaine Alfred, Laetitia Vineyards & Winery, Sinor LaVallee, Stephen's Cellar, Wedell Cellars & Windward Vineyards, among others.

The California manifestations of Italian grape varietals are now extremely impressive wines, with the quality now at a very high level in San Luis Obispo & Santa Barbara counties, as well as in the Napa Valley. This symposium will present one to two wines each, white and red, from vintners of the following superb wineries: Bonny Doon Vineyard, Clendenen Family Vineyards, Gargiulo Vineyards, Martin & Weyrich Winery, Midlife Crisis Winery, Palmina, Stolpman Vineyards & Tres Anelli.

Our Culinary Expert & Advisor, San Francisco Bay Area Icon, Narsai David, will, as always, host our annual Cooking Demonstration. Each course from Chef von Foerster will be paired with an appropriate wine from Jonata Winery and served to those in attendance. Jonata winemaker, Matt Dees, & General Manager, Ursula Hermacinski, will discuss the wines, and all of the hosting participants will comment on their matches with the cuisine.

Post Ranch Inn is among the top resorts in the world, and its award-winning restaurant, Sierra Mar, is world-class as well, including both cutting-edge cuisine and a remarkable wine list. Craig von Foerster focuses on cooking with a passionate energy. You will no doubt share his passion as you enjoy his superb courses.

Jonata Winery, located in Buellton's Ballard Canyon in Santa Barbara County, is at the top of the new cutting-edge wineries in California, and its focus is on Bordeaux Varietal wines, as well as California-Italian varietal renderings. World-famous wine critic, Robert Parker, considers Jonata to be among the most exceptional new wineries in the state and gives high praise and high scores to the resultant wines.

Our symposium on Red Rhone varietal wines focuses on Grenache and Mourvedre, from which are produced some of the most impressive wines in the world, and the wineries that will present their hand-crafted representations are Beckmen Vineyards, Bonny Doon Vineyard, Chateau de Beaucastel, Core Wines, Denner Vineyards, Edward Sellers Vineyards, IO, Kunin Wines, Margerum Wines, Tablas Creek Vineyards & Villa Creek Cellars.

Italian wine authority and Central Coast Wine Classic Fine Wine Honoree, Sergio Esposito, will lead an exciting tasting of the wines and producers featured on his new book Passion on the Vine: A Memoir of Food, Wine and Family in the Heart of Italy (Broadway Books, April 2008), a colorful narrative and evocative memoir of his journey from Italy to America to become America's foremost authority of Italian wines.

Deriving inspiration from the book, this symposium will offer an illuminating exploration of Italy and its remarkable vintners. Our regional sojourn will begin in the cold hills of Friuli, where we'll meet two iconoclasts — one vinifies by the moon, while the other employs clay amphorae, the winemaking vessels of ancient times. We'll continue on to the impressive and renowned estates of Toscana, honoring the father of Sangiovese's finest expression, Brunello di Montalcino. We'll also make stops to explore the wines and culture of Le Marche, Veneto, and the ancient outpost of Campania, ending in the cellars of Piemonte, where strong traditions and passionate devotion to the local grape, Nebbiolo, turned humble farmers into world-famous Barolo superstars.

Tasting will include selections from the estates of Movia, Gravner, Biondi Santi, Mastroberardino, Sartarelli, Quintarelli, Paolo Scavino, and Bartolo Mascarello. A book-signing session will follow the symposium.

Round-trip, luxury coach transportation from and to the Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa is included with all Winery Dinners.

San Luis Obispo County and Northern Santa Barbara County restaurants and wineries are the locations of special gourmet dinners with many of the Central Coast's top winemakers, presented by superior chefs who have collaborated with the vintners to assure optimum compatibility between fine cuisine and fine wine. These dinners are a terrific way to meet a winemaker and a first rate Central Coast chef and enjoy their symbiotic wine and cuisine matches.

Wineries hosting Dinners for 2008 included the following: Ancient Peaks Winery, Baileyana Winery, Eberle Winery, Edna Valley Vineyard, Justin Vineyards & Winery, Martin & Weyrich Winery, Robert Hall Winery & Salisbury Vineyards, among others that will soon be announced.

There will also be a special dinner of a somewhat different format as follows:

Wedell 1982 First Growth Bordeaux Dinner — Held at the home of Maurice & Susie Wedell, owners of Wedell Cellars, this superlative dinner evening features a Horizontal Tasting, matched with a Multi-Course Gourmet Dinner, of Bordeaux First Growths Chateaux Haut-Brion, Lafite-Rothschild, Latour, Margaux & Mouton Rothschild, as well as several exceptional Second Growths, from the stunning and revered 1982 Vintage. The festivities will begin with rare Champagne from the Wedells' Cellar. Net proceeds from the dinner will be directed through the Central Coast Wine Classic Foundation to benefit 2008 Wine Classic non-profits. $2,000.00

Please contact Archie McLaren, Central Coast Wine Classic Founder & Chairman, for further information and registration: archie@slonet.org; Telephone: (805) 544-1285; cellular 878-3124; fax 595-2742.