Carneros Heritage Fest Pairs Premium Wines with Lamb BBQ Blitz in First Regional Public Tasting, June 9 & 10.

VINEBURG, Calif. -- The Carneros Wine Alliance is pleased to announce the first annual Carneros Heritage Fest, a celebration of the rich local heritage, wines and culture of the Carneros region. Los Carneros, "the sheep," in Spanish, is derived from days when the region was home to sheepherders, dairy farms, fruit orchards and hayfields. Honoring the history that gives Carneros its name, the event will celebrate the unique culture of the region with festivities including:

--Lamb BBQ and Carneros Wine Pairings

--Sheep Herding Competition

--Culinary Demonstrations by celebrity chefs Joey Altman (James Beard Award nominee for his Bay Cafe television show) and Kimball Jones (executive chef of The Carneros Inn)

--Vineyard Tours

--Marsh Talks

--Artisan Wool Boutiques

--Musical Entertainment including the Back Burner Blues (comprised of Napa Valley Chefs)

--Sheep Shot Competition

--Additional exhibitors include The Olive Press, Warner Mountain Weavers, Sonoma Ecology Center, Circle Bar Ranch, California Native Plant Society, Napa Valley Museum, and the Napa/Solano Audubon Society.

--A Hay Maze, Hay Rides and Lamb Burgers will appeal to children of all ages.

Among the wineries expected to offer wines for sampling with the Carneros Lamb BBQ are Acacia, Artesa, Bouchaine, Buena Vista, Clos Du Val, Cuvaison, Etude, Gloria Ferrer, Havens Wine Cellars, HdV Wines, Madonna Estate, Mahoney Vineyards, McKenzie Mueller, Nicholson Ranch, MacRostie Winery, Patz & Hall, Ravenswood, Robert Stemmler, Saintsbury, Schug Carneros Estate Wines, Talisman Cellars and Toad Hall Cellars.

The Carneros Heritage Fest will take place on Saturday June 10th from noon to 4 p.m. at The Donum Estate (24520 Ramal Road in Sonoma) in the Carneros viticulture region 40 minutes north of San Francisco, 30 minutes from Marin County and the East Bay and 60 minutes from both the South Bay and Sacramento.

Tickets are available from the Carneros Wine Alliance website, www.carneros.com or by check from Carneros Wine Alliance, P.O. Box 178, Vineburg, CA 95487.

The all-inclusive food and wine pairing tickets are $50.00 per adult and $25.00 per child 12 years and under. No tickets will be sold at the door.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit Sonoma Farm Worker Services, the Napa/Solano Audubon Society and 4-H Clubs in Napa and Sonoma Counties.

Friday evening, June 9th, a series of dinners will be held at wineries and restaurants throughout the region. Three course lamb dinners with specially-designed menus paired with wines specially selected for the dinners have been created by some of the region's most well-known chefs. Dinners will be held at The General's Daughter (partnering with Schug Carneros Estate Wines), Carneros Bistro at the Lodge at Sonoma (partnering with Acacia and Etude wines), Gloria Ferrer (partnering with the Shellville Grill), The Donum Estate, (partnering with Deuce), and Artesa Winery (partnering with Zare). The Carneros Inn will hold a special dinner for guests of the hotel.

For more information, please visit www.carneros.com or call [phone].