Sonoma County Vintners to Bring 'Taste of Sonoma' to San Francisco May 8; 70 Top Wineries to Pour at Benefit Tasting at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts; Sonoma County Chefs and Food Purveyors also Featured.

SANTA ROSA, Calif. -- Sonoma County's top wineries, restaurants and food purveyors are putting on a major tasting event May 8 in San Francisco at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. 'Taste of Sonoma -- SF' will feature more than 70 Sonoma County wineries and over a dozen leading restaurants and food purveyors in a special tasting event that benefits the San Francisco Junior League.

Wineries from Alexander Valley, Dry Creek, Russian River and Sonoma Valley will be organized by their appellation to illustrate the breadth and variety of Sonoma County wines, and winemakers will be on hand to discuss their latest releases. A marketplace with Sonoma County chefs and food purveyors will showcase Sonoma's culinary bounty.

The tasting begins at 6:00 p.m. and runs until 9:00 p.m. at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, centrally located in downtown San Francisco near Moscone Center and across from SF MOMA. A silent auction with more than 35 tempting lots from popular Sonoma County winery destinations will run through the evening, and guests can enter a drawing to win a luxurious weekend in Sonoma County. Tickets are $45 per person with a portion of the proceeds going to the San Francisco Junior League. Tickets can be purchased in advance through the Yerba Buena Center at www.YBCA.org or by calling 415-978-ARTS (2787).

Retail sponsor K&L Wine Merchants will have a table at the event with the store's in-house wine specialists offering instruction on wine collecting and cellaring as well as wine purchasing strategies. Glassware sponsor Riedel will provide glassware for the tasting, and Fiji Water will provide bottled water.

As the gateway to Northern California's Wine Country, Sonoma County provides visitors with an abundance of premium wines, fresh foods and breathtaking scenery just one hour north of San Francisco. Nestled between the coastal mountain ranges of the Sonoma Mountains and on the east by the Mayacamas Mountains, the region stretches north from San Pablo Bay up to the outer limits of the city of Santa Rosa. Additional information is available from the Sonoma County Vintners at www.sonomawine.com or by calling 707-573-0974.

About Sonoma County Vintners

The Sonoma County Vintners (formerly the Sonoma County Wineries Association) is a non-profit marketing organization dedicated to the promotion of Sonoma County wines and wineries. Established in 1944 the SCV represents more than 170 member wineries. The Sonoma County Vintners Foundation was created in 1989 to conduct and support education programs related to the wine industry in addition to the allocation of funds for non-profit organizations providing services within Sonoma County. For more information about Sonoma County Vintners visit www.sonomawine.com.