The Pacific Symphony Presents Fundraising Event, The Pacific Coast Wine Festival, 3/1

Orange County, Calif.-Dec. 13, 2013-Taste the tannins and inhale the complex aromas of Pacific Coast Wine Festival (PCWF), a magnificent evening stocked with flavorful wine tasting, a delectable wine-paired dinner, and silent and live auctions of rare wines and unforgettable travel experiences. Bursting onto the wine scene in Orange County seven years ago, PCWF has cultivated a reputation as one of the most esteemed wine auctions in California, as well as a significant fund-raising event for Pacific Symphony. Last year, this spectacular night of wine and more raised $220,000 for the Symphony's artistic and education programs, and the festival continues to raise the standard of excellence each year. This year's event is again co-chaired by PCWF's co-founders, Michael Kerr, Fred Salter and Valerie Van de Zilver.

It also enlists the expertise of Tristen Beamon and Kyle Meyer of Orange County's BestWinesOnline.com, who carefully curated the tastings and wines included in the live and silent auction. The live auction offerings include a five-night private trip to Bordeaux, France, guided by Beamon and the chance to purchase rare and delectable wines.

PCWF takes place Saturday, March 1, 2014, at 5 p.m. at the elegant, five-diamond Island Hotel in Newport Beach. Seating is limited and starts at $375 per person. For information, please contact the Symphony's special events department at (714) 876-2364 or events@PacificSymphony.org and visit PacificCoastWineFestival.com. For more information on the Symphony, please visit PacificSymphony.org. PCWF is generously sponsored by BNY Mellon.

"The Orange County music lover, arts supporter and wine aficionado are in for a real treat with our 2014 event," says Kerr, who is also chair of Pacific Symphony's board of directors. "It could easily top them all!"

This exclusive event is limited to 340 wine connoisseurs and music enthusiasts, and will continue to set the standard for wine festivals for years to come. The evening's festivities get underway at 5 p.m. as guests are invited to saunter through multiple rooms, sampling from more than 60 wines, enjoying appetizers and bidding on three sets of auction lots. At 7:15 p.m., guests enter the grand ballroom to enjoy a five-course feast, perfectly paired with wines and crafted by the Island's Executive Chef David Mann, as well as enjoy live music performed by Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra musicians. The evening finishes with a thrilling live auction featuring some of the finest and rarest wines, as well as one-of-a-kind experiences.

PCWF supports the Symphony's education and community engagement programs, including Heartstrings and Class Act. Heartstrings is a major community-wide program providing free access to concerts, hands-on enrichment activities and transportation for a range of underserved local residents in partnership with Orange County agencies. Class Act connects Pacific Symphony to a select number of Orange County elementary schools each year, enhancing existing school music programs by providing additional musical experiences through the Symphony.

"Pacific Symphony's contribution of music to Orange County is unparalleled. Like the music performed, these programs touch the soul of every participant and listener. It is my honor to support these highly regarded programs via the Pacific Coast Wine Festival," says Kerr.

To provide guests with a memorable experience, Beamon and Meyer contacted friends across the world to donate items and attend the auction. Their passion for the arts and community is acutely felt and contributes to their efforts to craft an astonishing array of wines.

"We are an Orange County business, and we both have children very active in this arts community. We are thrilled for this opportunity to create a distinct wine experience for the Pacific Coast Wine Festival," says Beamon. Guests have the opportunity to bid on and taste a meticulously selected collection of wines from wineries and winemakers across the world including Bruno Giacosa, Fattoria Felsina and Tenuta dell' Ornellaia from Italy; BW Direct Bordeaux and Domaine Faiveley from France; Clos Figueres, La Rioja Alta, Vega Sicilia and Vibrant Rioja from Spain; Margaret River and Leeuwin Estate from Australia; Cantena Wines from Argentina; Peter Koff, Fairest Cape from South Africa; and Dragonette, Iron Horse Vineyards and Nickel & Nickel from California.

At the evening's conclusion, guests are treated to a select port and decadent chocolate tasting, before heading home.

About Pacific Symphony

Pacific Symphony, located in Orange County, Calif. and celebrating its 35th anniversary this season, is led by Music Director Carl St.Clair. The largest orchestra formed in the United States in the last 40 years, it is widely recognized as an outstanding ensemble making strides on both the national and international scene, as well as in its own burgeoning cultural community. The Symphony has played a central role in the phenomenal growth of the performing arts in Orange County. Presenting more than 100 concerts a year and a rich array of education and community programs, the Symphony touches more than 275,000 Orange County residents-from school children to senior citizens.

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