Second annual wine event held March 6, 2010 expands with proceeds to benefit Orange County's Pacific Symphony music and education programs

Orange County, Calif.—Pacific Symphony’s 2nd annual wine festival is back— with a new name to more appropriately describe its ambitious nature. Now called Pacific Coast Wine Festival, Supporting the Pacific Symphony, the festival invites wine enthusiasts, collectors, consumers and those who aspire to be, as well as people who just want to support the Symphony. There are two events--Wine Auction and “Women and Wine.” The auction, held at the five-diamond Island Hotel Newport Beach. Featuring fine and rare wines, the event raised $150,000 previously with proceeds going to the Symphony for artistic and education programs.

pacificcoastwinefestival.org / pacificsymphony.org.

Co-chaired by Symphony supporters and wine aficionados Valerie Van de Zilver, Mike Kerr and Fred Salter, the auction includes a mix of music and wine, roaming sommeliers and representatives of a number of wineries. Limited to just 300 attendees, the evening begins at 5 p.m. with appetizers and grand wine-tasting experiences, live music by Symphony musicians and a silent auction. A sumptuous dinner begins at 7 p.m., followed by entertainment and live auction featuring some of the finest wines and auction lots in the United States. The evening is designed to be both informative and fun—for the wine expert and the novice.

Co-chair Mike Kerr said the auction includes Chateau Latour, Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Colgin, Dumol, Dunn, Hundred Acre, Kistler, Lynch Bages, Marcassin, Peter Michael, Togni, Turley, Flora Springs, Louis Latour and other major players in the wine industry such as Southern Wine and Spirits, Diageo, Banfi, Golden State Wine Company, Foley, Brassield, Ferrari-Carano, Chateau St. Michelle, Jordan, Fortress, Anomoly, Dunham, Pax, Steltzner, Lavendi, Palm Bay, Sodaro, Bernardus and many more.

Where to stay: There's only one place a discriminating guest would want to stay during this event--the Island Hotel, of course! With luxury spas, superb dining, and perfect accommodations, it's going to to be your best choice.