UPCOMING EVENTS FILL CENTRAL COAST CALENDAR ©

            The season is upon us and opportunities to eat, taste and be merry abound. Next up for Paso Robles is the weekend of May 15th and the annual Wine Festival, subject of a prior post.

            Monterey Wine Country will hold the 22nd version of the Winemaker's Celebration on May 3, on Delores St. in Carmel-By-The-Sea. Full details at www.montereywines.org.

            Food & Wine Magazine and Pebble Beach Company host a fabulous collection of wines, dinners, celeb chefs, golf, lodging, education and high end elbow rubbing, April 10 - 13. Various packages are available as well as ala carte' offerings, many of which are selling out quickly. For complete information, reservations for The Lodge or Spanish Bay or playing in the Chefs & Winemakers golf tourney see www.pbfw.com.

            The Central Coast Wine Classic will be held July 10 -13. Locals consider this one of the "big fun" wine weekends of the year and you should too. All you need to know is on the event site at www.centralcoastwineclassic.org, with ticketing and full schedule available.

            A fairly recent addition to groups dedicated to particular styles of wine or wineries in a certain area is the Cabernet and Bordeaux Collective (CABs). They are holding a CABs of Distinction Gala event, featuring 32 wineries that make wines of that description, April 25 - 26. On Friday, wineries will host various events during the day and dinners at wineries and in local Paso Robles restaurants that night.

The Gala on Saturday is at River Oaks Hot Springs in Paso, north of Hwy 46Woff Buena Vista Dr. Samples of wines from CAB affiliated producers will be served with charcuterie and artisanal cheeses. Complimentary lunches are provided by several of Paso's favorite chefs and more fun includes live music, chocolate tasting and a barrel-making demonstration.

Optional Luxury VIP ticket holders will start the day with an exclusive private vintner-hosted reception and lunch at Thomas Hill Organics in downtown Paso Robles at 11 a.m. After lunch, complimentary shuttle service is provided to the event site.  You will be first to arrive and taste through the Reserve wines of all participating producers. VIP guests enjoy private access to their own Lounge and continued access to the Gala from 2-5 p.m.

Premium-Reserve VIP tickets provide early entry to the Reserve Tasting and VIP Lounge access and full access to the Gala. More information and tickets for the event are available at www.PasoRoblesCab.com/events. CAB newsletter subscribers receive a 10% discount on all tickets for this event. The promotional code is: CLUBPRWCA.

            If you are a fan or Rhone varietals or enjoyed my prior piece on the Paso Robles Rhone Ranger chapter gathering last month should get on their email list, a link information about next year's program, which can be found at www.rhonerangers.org/about/pasorobles.php.