News Release:

Los Angeles’s biggest wine festival brings together 100+ wineries, craft beers, and artisan spirits for a two-day extravaganza supporting local charities

Los Angeles, CA — For the fourth year running, LA WineFest returns to Hollywood’s Raleigh Studios June 6 and 7 from 2:00-6:00PM for a wine-focused weekend supporting Children’s Tumor Foundation, Hollywood YMCA, and the Wildwoods Foundation with a series of educational seminars, great food, and plenty of wine tasting.

With more than 500 wines available to taste, LA WineFest 2009 will also feature an outstanding selection of artisanal spirits and thirst-quenching craft beers. A highlight of this year’s festival is the return of Georg Riedel, owner and founder of Riedel Crystal, who will conduct a special wine-tasting seminar on Saturday, June 6 at 5:15PM. Priced at $125 per person, the seminar includes a gift set of Riedel wine stems for participants to use during the tasting and take home.

Festival guests can also sign up for two special programs, priced at $30 each: bourbon tasting with Bernie Lubbers of Knob Creek, and a sake review with Ichiro Saito of Hakutsuri Sake. A variety of free educational wine seminars will also be offered, hosted by wine experts Jim Fioleck of the Santa Barbara Vintners Association, Master of Wine Patrick Farrell, and Ken Volk of Kenneth Volk Cellars, among others.

LA WineFest 2009 honors Reed Foster, a veteran California winemaker and co-founder of Ravenswood Winery. Officially retired from Ravenswood in 2005, he has since served as the President of the California Cabernet Society, having previously co-founded the famous Vintners Club in San Francisco in 1973.

Festival passes can be purchased online at www.lawinefest.com/tickets or at local retailers such as Hows Grocery, Venice Beach Wines, and Lou on Vine (see www.lawinefest.com for complete list of participating retailers). Prices are as follows: $55 Day Pass, $100 Couples Pass, or $100 Individual Weekend Pass.

LA WineFest 2009 is sponsored by Smart Water, CRN Talk Radio, Vin Village, San Tashi, and Wine X, Singular City, and Patterson’s The Tasting Panel magazines. LA WineFest was founded in 2005 by renowned wine educator, columnist and Sommelier for the Escoffier Association of Southern California, Dr. Joel M. Fisher.

For further information, please visit www.lawinefest.com or contact Director of Marketing, Michelle McCue at michelle@mccuecommunications.com or (213) 985-1011.