Celebrating Women in Wine

The 2010 Women for WineSense Grand Event is kicking off April 30th in the Napa Valley. The event encompasses three days of activities, kicking off with a sparkling wine reception at Mumm Napa on Friday evening. The primary focus of the three-day weekend is Saturday's full day of wine education, seminars, tastings and lunch at St. Helena's Culinary Institute of America. The event comes to a close on Sunday with special behind-the-scenes wine tours at some of Napa and Sonoma's finest wineries.

There are so many events and tastings in Napa and Sonoma that it can be hard to chose which ones are really worth attending. This one is not-to-be-missed. You won't find a gathering of women winemakers, sommeliers, vineyard managers or wine educators quite like this anywhere else. Saturdays roundup of speakers includes Master Sommelier and author Andrea Robinson, winery owner Delia Viader, UC Davis Professor and Sensory Scientist Ann Noble and winemaker Merry Edwards along with many other amazing women in the wine industry.

"Sip the Wine, Share the Moment, Savor the Experience" is the theme for this year's event and a fitting one as you will savor this experience from beginning to end. Try to pick between a sensory evaluation of sparkling wines, a Bordeaux varietals component tasting or a tour of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. It will be hard to choose - I know I'm having a difficult time!

The event will honor Margaret Duckhorn, co-founder and Vice President of Industry Relations for Duckhorn Winery. Margaret is a respected member of the Napa Valley wine community, founding the famed Duckhorn Winery with her husband Dan over 30 years ago. Margaret was also one of the original members of Women for WineSense and has a long connection with the organization.

If you aren't familiar with Women for WineSense, it's worth checking out. The organization was founded in the late 80's during a time when alcohol was under attack. A group of women in the wine industry came together to educate the public about responsible consumption of wine and the many benefits of incorporating wine into a healthy lifestyle. The group also became a way for women in the industry to come together and support each other through education and networking. Women for WineSense now has nine chapters throughout the country and provides scholarships for women pursuing an education or career in wine.

You can find a complete description of the seminars, wine tasting and other activities on the event's web site - www.wwsgrandevent.org. I've heard space is filling up fast so you may want to check it out sooner rather than later.

Written by Linzi Gay