Upcoming Event: 2015 Seattle Wine & Food Experience - 2/22/15 - Seattle Center Exhibition Hall

Ladies and gents, it’s go time again! The Seattle Wine & Food Experience (SWFE)(@SeattleWineFood) kicks off the 2015 event season on Sunday February 22^nd with all of the delectable food and beverages that we have come to know and love at this event. The seventh vintage of this event will once again be held at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall (12-5pm VIP, 1-5pm General Admission), which has been home to all of the delicious offerings for many years. As I’ve mentioned in past posts about SWFE, one of the best parts of this event is that it isn’t just Washington specific. SWFE brings in wines, beers and spirits from around the U.S. and around the world. This allows guests a great opportunity to try things they may never come across at any other Seattle tasting event.

Brand new this year is a kick-off event happening on the eve of SWFE (February 21^st) hosted by Seattle Magazine. POP! Bubbles and Seafood will feature seafood from local fish and shellfish providers and a dozen chefs, paired with Champagne, sparkling wine, cider and beer. Now, if you know me AT ALL, you’ll know that one of my favorite sayings is “bubbles make everything better”. And if you know Seattle at all, you know that one thing that the Pacific Northwest does well is seafood. This is shaping up to be one heck of a kick-off party and will no doubt be a sensory delight! The POP! event will be housed in a deluxe tent adjacent to the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, equipped with chandeliers (because c’mon, that is a most excellent pairing for a glass of bubbly. I love those things) and heating. This tent will also serve as an additional VIP lounge area on Sunday during the main event. So definitely make a weekend of it and get your bubbly and seafood on in style on Saturday the 21^st!

As in previous years, SWFE will have many “experiences” you can partake in as you work your way around the exhibition hall. Some of the 2015 featured experiences include:

• The QFC Advantage Lounge - QFC wine stewards pour selections from Brown Family Vineyards, Col Solare, Erath, Mercer Estates, Maryhill, Northstar, Spring Valley Vineyards, Waterbrook Winery, The Woodhouse Wine Estate and more.
• Featured Wine Region: Woodinville - 30 Woodinville wineries pouring more than 100 wines (and all Washington’s AVAs).
• Les Dames d’Escoffier Alley - Les Dames d'Escoffier Seattle is the event beneficiary. Its talented membership provides a special experience at SWFE with member beverages, food and specialty products including Anthony’s Pier 66, Biscuit Box, Gelatiamo, Gnocci Bar, Hot Stove Society, Kaspar’s Special Events & Catering, McCrea Cellars, Pike Brewing Company, Serafina & Cicchetti, World Spice Merchants and more.
• Northwest, California and International Wines - Get taste of wine regions from the Northwest and beyond with sips from Woodinville, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, California, Wine Road Sonoma, Wine Yakima Valley, Cascade Valley Wine Country and international wineries including Argentina, France, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Uruguay and more.
• Sip Northwest Distillery Walk - Take a stroll at Sip Northwest Distillery Walk featuring many of the region’s hottest craft spirits makers as well as global brands.
• Heritage Meats Butchery Showcase - New this year, master butcher Tracy Smaciarz, owner of Heritage Meats will entertain and delight you with butchery demos that are coupled with tastes from restaurants Bell + Whete featuring Gleason Ranch Beef and Delicatus featuring Jerry Baker Pork.
• Tim's Cascade Snacks Beer and Cider Exhibit - Local favorite Tim’s Cascade Snacks is serving up new flavors of their famous salty chips and popcorn. Taste through new developments in cider and beer or lounge at one of the café tables. 
• Top Pot Doughnut and Coffee Bar - Grab a hand-forged doughnut and revive your palate, with a stop at the Top Pot Doughnut and Coffee Bar. For an added bonus, grab a sample sip from Sun Liquor Distillery.
• Stella Artois Bistro & Chef Stage - Bring your glass and take a seat as you watch Diane LaVonne of Diane’s Market Kitchen teach you about cooking and pairing beer with food. Sample bites from the demonstration, and remember to pick up one of the coveted Stella Artois Chalices.
• Ste Michelle Wine Estates Tasting Bar - Take the “Riesling Challenge” and determine which wine pleases your palate – Dry, Off Dry or Sweet. Also taste through wine selections from their portfolio including 14 Hands, Anew, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest, O Wines and Red Diamond. Seek out their displays in local QFCs for a special ticket discount.
• Wente Vineyards Aroma Experience - Have you discovered a perfect glass of wine, but don’t know how to identify the aromas? Wente Vineyards offers a unique Aroma Experience where you will learn how to pick out specific aromas in wine, and be able to describe them with ease. This experience is fun and interactive and also features their family of wines for tasting.
• Tasty bites from more than 20 Northwest chefs - Stay tuned for menu items coming soon and find the full list of featured chefs on the event website. Guests can savor the incredible creations from more 25 of Seattle’s most accomplished chefs and another 25 food exhibitors representing a global range of cuisines. Stay hydrated with the quality waters from San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna.

The event benefits Les Dames d’Escoffier Seattle, a 501c3 non-profit organization of women leaders in food, beverage and hospitality whose mission is education, advocacy, and philanthropy.

Tickets for this year’s event are on sale now at www.seattlewineandfoodexperience.com. There are a few options for attendees depending on how much they want to amp up their “experience” at the Seattle Wine & Food Experience (and coming from a past attendee, it’s worth it for VIP! Just that extra hour ahead of the big crowds is amazing):

SWFE General Admission – $55

SWFE VIP – $70 (hour early entrance, custom tote bag, special VIP area)

POP! Bubbles & Seafood – $65

SWFE BIG – $125 (includes tickets to POP! And SWFE VIP)

Check out Seattle Wine & Food Experience on Facebook, Twitter (@seattlewinefood) and Instagram (/seattlewinefood) for more information on the event, past event photos and other great information leading up to the shindig.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! As a reward for reading all the way to the end of this post (just kidding, I would have done it anyways…) Sips & The City is giving away a pair of tickets to this year’s Seattle Wine & Food Experience! And since we all know free is the best price, you should probably get yourself entered to win these bad boys. To enter, just leave a comment on this post about what you’re most looking forward to at this year’s event. Maybe it’s a specific winery you love, a restaurant you know is participating that you can’t get enough of, or just one of the various experiences as a whole? Let me know what that is and one lucky winner will receive a pair of General Admission tickets to the event! I will compile all responses received and randomly select a winner on Friday January 30th. GOOD LUCK!