The Palms Hotel & Spa and its restaurant Essensia, praised for its natural gourmet cuisine and sustainable, organic and biodynamic wine list, will be the home base of the highly celebrated Florida International Wine Challenge (“FIWC”) – a 2-day event featuring a professionally judged wine competition along with a wine tasting and prix-fixe wine dinner open to the public.
WHEN:
Professional Wine Competition – Thursday, June 24 & Friday, June 25 – ALL DAY
CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC
Over 400 bottles of wine from 15 countries will be judged by qualified members of the food and beverage industry in this pass/fail competition on the first day. The following day, the wines that have passed will be graded for gold, silver or bronze medals. In 2009, wineries from more than 16 countries including Portugal, Argentina, Chile, Austria, Germany, United States, Brazil, South Africa, Uruguay, Lebanon, Australia, New Zealand and Armenia submitted their wines to win one of the coveted medals awarded by the FIWC tasting board. Gold and silver medal winners selected at The Palms will be featured in the “Collector’s Club” of the 2010 Miami International Wine Fair, October 16 and October 17, 2010.
Public Wine Tasting – Thursday, June 24 & Friday, June 25 – 4:00pm to 8:00pm
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
After the professional competition is completed during the day, the wines sampled and judged will be offered to consumers, trade and media to make their own judgment. Tasting will be held in the Royal Palm Ballroom. A portion of proceeds from ticket sales benefit the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation and the Melanie Finley Ovarian Cancer Foundation. Guests who opt to dine at Essensia following the tasting for the special FIWC Prix Fixe menu being offered each night will be encouraged to choose any two bottles for free from the wine competition floor to complement their meals.
Admission: $60 per day or $100 for both days (dinner not included)
Prix Fixe Dinner Available Thursday, June 24 & Friday, June 25 – 6:00pm to Close
Executive Chef Frank Jeannetti, well known in the culinary community for his commitment to sourcing locally grown produce, quality organics and sustainable fish, has carefully crafted a 4-course menu for FIWC wine tasters, highlighting items from his new summer menus at Essensia. A percentage of sales from prix fixe menu orders will also benefit the local cancer charities involved.
Cost: $ 70 per person plus tax & gratuity
For dinner reservations, please contact 305.908.5458
Complimentary valet parking with dinner, up to 3 hours
General information
Valet Parking is available at $17 per day for this special event
To purchase FIWC tickets, please call 1-866-998-8466 (VINO) or visit www.fiwc.net.
Rooms are also available for both locals and out-of-towners at The Palms Hotel & Spa during this 2-day wine challenge. Please visit www.thepalmshotel.com or contact 1.800.550.0505
WHERE:
The Palms Hotel & Spa
3025 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33140
www.thepalmshotel.com
T 305.534.0505