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The American Institute of Wine & Food Debuts "Savor Wine Country" Weekend Fundraiser in Napa Valley

Four-Day Epicurean Extravaganza Benefitting Days of Taste® ProgramAvailable to all Food and Wine Enthusiasts July 28-July31

NAPA, CA., July 14, 2010-- The American Institute of Wine & Food (AIWF) will host a dedicated weekend event in Napa Valley for its members and the general public in support of its mission from July 28-July 31.The fundraiser will benefit the organization’s signature programs including the Days of Taste® initiative and culinary scholarships nationwide.

The AIWF’s Days of Taste® is a discovery-based program established in 1995 that introduces elementary school children to the basic elements of taste and teaches them how food weaves its way through daily life from farm to table. The program brings together chefs, food professionals, farmers and community volunteers to guide school children through an exploration of food, taste and nutrition. Using hands-on activities, Days of Taste® provides children the opportunity to learn about the taste, as well as the nutritional value of fresh whole foods, and gives them the chance to discuss, savor and compare different taste sensations and flavors of locally-grown products.

Members of AIWF’s proprietary Culinary Ambassador Program including “Iron Chef” Masaharu Morimoto, Gale Gand, Rick Tramanto and Michael Chiarello are among the culinary superstars that will be featured throughout the weekend.Decadent individual events from exclusive winery tours and private tastings to a star-studded gala with celebrity chef hosts are among the highlights available as well as discounted local hotel accommodations.

Weekend Events

Designed to celebrate the vibrant culinary landscape of Napa Valley, guests will have the opportunity to network with fellow connoisseurs including celebrated chefs and tastemakers while enjoying exclusive Napa experiences throughout the weekend. A dynamic schedule of events will take place each day and will include:

·Exclusive Vineyard BBQ at Beaulieu Vineyard, Rutherford House: A sumptuous, family-style feast underneath the stars at the award-winning Beaulieu Vineyard.Proprietary wines sourced on property will be poured in addition to premium brands from The Chalone Wine Group and Sterling Vineyards, paired with a bountiful barbeque-inspired dinner followed by an intimate, live concert. $125

·AIWF Ambassador Gala Dinner & Auction at Robert Mondavi Winery: This epic, epicurean evening will include a champagne reception exclusively featuring coveted Cristal champagnes, vintage Robert Mondavi wines straight out of the adjacent cellar, a specialty 5 course dinner prepared by renowned AIWF Ambassadors including Masaharu Morimoto, Michael Chiarello, Gale Gand, and Robert Mondavi Winery resident chef Jeff Mosher.Wine pairings will be poured by the prestigious and pedigreed Robert Mondavi Winemaking Team including Genevieve Janssens, Rich Arnold, and Gustavo Gonzalez.Guests will also enjoy a live auction featuring once-in-a-lifetime packages and the opportunity to bid on exclusive experiences via a signature silent auction.Rounding out the experience will be live entertainment and mixing and mingling with the highlighted chefs, winemakers, and industry leaders.$350 or $3,250 for a table of 10

·Day at the CIA, Greystone: In this two-hour cooking classes, California and world cuisine come alive. Enjoy a lecture and hands-on demonstration from world-renowned instructors, lunch in the famous Wine Spectator restaurant, and private tour of the campus, and discounts at CIA’s Kitchen Store.$230

For more information and to sign-up please visit www.aiwfevents.org or call Amy Williams at 800-274-2493.

About AIWF:The American Institute of Wine & Food is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization and public charity founded on the premise that gastronomy is essential to the quality of human existence and was established in 1981 by the late Robert Mondavi, the late Julia Child, the late Richard Graff and others to provide a forum for the study and enjoyment of gastronomy.  The AIWF is dedicated to promoting health and well-being through the enjoyment of good food and drink and fellowship that comes from dining together around the table and grants culinary scholarships to aspiring students and runs a national Days of Taste® program that teaches children about the culinary arts and nutrition.  The organization has more than 4,000 members in 27 chapters throughout the United States and publishes a monthly magazine entitled “Savor This” dedicated to food and wine. The AIWF culinary collections are housed at Harvard University and the University of California at San Diego; chapters host monthly events and membership is open to all wine and food enthusiasts and professionals.