Premium Wine Partners are excited to announce plans for Atlanta’s third annual fine wine tasting event, the Atlanta Fine Wine Festival, from 2 – 6 p.m. on Saturday February 24, 2007 at the Mason Murer Fine Art gallery in midtown Atlanta. Last year’s event raised more than $35,000 for Hospice Atlanta – a 10-year-old non-profit hospice care organization that assists more than 12,000 cancer patients in Atlanta per year. This year, festival organizers -- including Graham Anthony of Roswell -- hope to make an even greater contribution to Hospice at the close of the 2007 event.

Atlanta Fine Wine Festival attendees -- who flock from all over Georgia and beyond -- will get to taste wines from the world’s most renowned wineries and vineyards, and more than 300 of the finest wines currently available in the market will be poured to the delight of Festival guests. This year’s ‘themed’ table is the Champagne Table, sponsored by Moet Hennessy USA and presented by Gil Kulers, author of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s ‘Kulers Uncorked’ wine column. Guests will have the unique opportunity to sample signature dishes from some of Atlanta’s top chefs representing: Ali Oli, Restaurant Eugene, SAGA, Rainwater, Toulouse, Portofino, E. 48th Street, 5 Seasons Brewing, Metanoya, Joel, Au Pied du Cochon, Kurt’s, Dantanna’s, Starbucks Coffee/Aramark Refreshment Services, Palm Beach Restaurant, igourmet.com and others. These premier Atlanta restaurants will serve up their signature gourmet selections for Festival guests to sample that pair nicely with high-end fine wines that will be poured.

Graham Anthony visits with guests at the 2006 Atlanta Fine Wine Festival

According to Roswell resident, Graham Anthony, the Atlanta Fine Wine Festival is the first event in Atlanta that takes fine wine tasting to the next level. The reason, he says, is that attendees rave about the exquisite, higher-end fine wines and champagnes that are poured and exceptional restaurant partners that participate -- all amidst the incomparable setting of one of Atlanta’s finest art galleries, like the Mason Murer.  “It is an honor and pleasure to host an extraordinary wine event that introduces limited-release and allocated wines to even the most discerning wine aficionados,” he said. “Each of the organizers of this event is truly passionate – for personal and professional reasons – in hosting this event and thrilled that we are able to raise funds to support an important organization, such as Hospice Atlanta, each year.”

Attracting regional tourists excited to sample hundreds of exquisite rare, allocated and limited-release wines that will pour throughout the Festival – along with chefs representing Atlanta’s premier restaurants providing delectable gourmet food samplings to compliment these featured wines -- the Atlanta Fine Wine Festival is a wine aficionado’s dream come true. Aficionados and aspirants alike can experience vertical tastings, single vineyard comparisons and large format bottlings from some of the world’s most renowned wineries and vineyards.

Adding to the day’s enjoyment is the silent auction that always offers fabulous luxury items and remains extremely popular among Festival attendees. Some of the items that guests can look forward to bidding on include: fine/allocated wines from Silver Oak, Bluegrass-Catalunya International, Banfi, Whitehall Lane, Elyse Winery, Catamarca Imports, etc.; a one-week stay at a Tuscan Villa in Manciano, Italy; exclusive art donated by premier Atlanta artist, Thomas Arvid; a weekend hotel stay at Hotel Intercontinental;a giclee reproduction, ‘Elizabeth 1939’ by Atlanta artist Graham Anthony; a giclee piece, entitled ‘ESTUDE IV’ by artist VILBO for Artaissance; deluxe gourmet gift basket by The Mint Tulip; gift certificates from The Dinner A’Fare; two business class tickets from Air Tran Airways; gift certificate from Tam's Backstage; and much more.

Returning to the Atlanta Fine Wine Festival for the third consecutive year is acclaimed Atlanta artist and Cobb county resident, Thomas Arvid. If you’ve seen Arvid’s wine-themed paintings before, you’ll insist that you’re viewing actual photographs. Arvid’s work is so precise that each painting is truly a masterpiece. Several of his pieces – curated by The Vinings Gallery - will be on display at the Festival, and Arvid himself will be on-hand throughout the event greeting guests and talking about his art. Guests may also bid on one of Arvid’s original paintings during the silent auction.

Sponsors of the 2007 Atlanta Fine Wine Festival include Bentley Automobile, Georgia Commerce Bank, Riedel Glassware, Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts, Thomas Arvid Fine Art, Inc. and Vinings Gallery, and media sponsors include Smooth Jazz 107.5 WJZZ, Flavors magazine, Atlanta magazine, 400 Edition and The Piedmont Review. The event is produced by Premium Wine Partners, and all proceeds from the silent auction benefit Visiting Nurse/Hospice Atlanta.

Add a little pizzazz to your February and check out the Atlanta Fine Wine Festival.  It’s the perfect excuse to get out of the house to feast your eyes, tempt your palate and have fun bidding on some fantastic products, wines and services. You can even make your plans now by visiting www.Atlantafinewinefestival.com. And while you’re online, be sure to peruse the Festival’s growing list of premium wines, restaurants and partners that will be showcased at the event, and order your tickets while you’re at it. Tickets are $100 per person in advance or $120 at the door. Ticket sales will be limited to 1,000 and group sales are also available.

For more information about the Atlanta Fine Wine Festival, please call (404) 520-3113 or visit www.AtlantaFineWineFestival.com . To learn more about Visiting Nurse/Hospice Atlanta and how you might help or make a donation, please visit www.vnhs.org. Mason Murer Fine Art is located at 199 Armour Drive, Atlanta, GA 30324, and is conveniently located ¼ mile from I-85 and Monroe Drive. Ample free parking is available for Atlanta Fine Wine Festival guests.