It is time to brush up on your wine terminology because the biggest wine and food celebration on the west coast is coming to San Diego this November. The San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival will be hosting over 200 wineries, breweries and distilleries plus a number of restaurants from November 16 to 23. For San Diegans, it’s a great festival to bring out of town guests to who are visiting San Diego for the Thanksgiving holiday.

After all, everyone will already be in a foodie mindset and the wine will get everyone in a celebratory mood for the holiday.

Now in its 11^th year, the San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival expects over 10,000 attendees to join in the festivities and fun as they learn about new wines and sample exquisite culinary delights. A food and wine festival of this scale attracts a number of celebrity chefs, too. During the course of the event, special exhibits featuring top food personalities will occur. Some of the local chef stars who will be at San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival include Brian Malarkey of Searsucker, Bernard Guillas of La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club and Richard Blais of Juniper & Ivy.

Wineries in attendance include Callaway, Bernardo Winery, Foley, Robert Mondavi, South Coast, Jackson Family of Wines, Ponte and dozens of others. Breweries like Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Stella Artois and Sierra Nevada will also be pouring their concoctions along with spirit purveyors like Svedka Vodka and Jim Beam.

 

San Diego restaurants that will be showcasing their cuisine at the San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival include the French Gourmet, Grant Grill, Il Fornaio, Dick’s Last Resort, PB Fish Shop, Jake’s Del Mar, Roppongi, Roy’s, Whisknladle and many more. Chain favorites like Rubio’s and Chipotle will also be at the event.

Tickets can be purchased as package deals or for one-off events. Events include such themes as Tastemaker Dinners, the Raw Exposure, Holiday Desserts and Port Pairings, Mastering Wine with the Masters and Reserve and New Release tastings. Then there is the popular Grand Tasting Event, where you can sample a variety of wines and foods. The Grand Tasting Event is scheduled for Saturday, November 22 from 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. (With early bird and VIP ticket admission from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) The evening after the Grand Tasting Event is the Party After Dark: the Official After Party event, which runs from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and will be featuring celebrity mixologist Jeff Josenhans. The after party requires a separate ticket purchase from the Grand Tasting Event. For a complete list of events, visit www.sandiegowineclassic.com.

The San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival is unsurprisingly located next to the San Diego Bay off of Embarcadero Marina Park North. Metered street parking is available or there are several paid parking lots nearby the event where you can park your vehicle.