Avila Beach hosts events of the International Chardonnay Symposium 2015 from May 28 to May 30, 2015.  Experience in-depth immersions in the Chardonnay Symposium’s vineyard-to-glass series of seminars including:  grand tastings, educational panels, winemaker luncheons & dinners, winery & vineyard tours, and winery tastings. Events include:

Vintners Wine Tech Symposium on Thursday, May 28, 10:00am–5:00pm at The Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa. For qualified vintners only, this event is designed to be a sharing of best practices using the Steamboat Format. Space is limited to (30) producers and will be on a first-come basis. Moderated by Larry Brooks, Winemaker at Tolosa Winery. Lunch will be provided.  $125 per person.

Artisanal Sausages & Chardonnay on Thursday, May 28, 10:00am–11:30pm at SeaVenture Beachfront Resort. Winemakers, wine educators and other winery principals will engage in a discussion and Q&A regarding artisanal sausage making while enjoying a pairing of a variety of sausages and Chardonnays. $50 per person.

To Oak or Not to Oak? Thursday, May 28, 2:00pm–3:00pm at Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort. To Oak or not to Oak? That is the question… Winemakers, wine educators and other winery principals will engage in a discussion, debate and Q&A regarding varying oak regimens, as well as concrete and stainless steel fermentation, and their effect on flavors and textures of both domestic and international Chardonnays. Moderator Master Sommelier Brian McClintic, proprietor of Les Marchands Wine Bar & Merchant, Santa Barbara. $50 per person.

Global Cheeses & Chardonnay Friday, May 29, 10:00am–11:30am at SeaVenture Beachfront Resort.  Winemakers, wine educators and other winery principals will engage in a tasting, discussion, debate and Q&A regarding the perfect partnership of cheese and Chardonnay. $50 per person.

The Fashion of Chardonnay Friday, May 29, 10:00am–11:30am at Avila Lighthouse Suites. Winemakers, wine educators and other winery principals will engage in discussion, debate and Q&A regarding terroir and vineyard practices as well as winemaking techniques such as malolactic fermentation, lees aging and other tertiary aspects of Chardonnay production that help this incredibly pliable grape find its voice. Moderated by Nicholas Miller of Bien Nacido Vineyards. $50 per person.

Sommelier Chardonnay Challenge Friday, May 29, 10:00am–4:00pm at The Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa For qualified Sommeliers only. For this event, The Somm Journal will be selecting 15–20 sommeliers to participate in a blind wine tasting of Chardonnays submitted by participating wineries. Winners will be announced at the annual Paulee Dinner and Vintners Awards Ceremony.

Friday Grand Tasting Friday, May 29, 1:00pm–5:00pm at The Cliffs Resort. The Friday Grand Tasting will showcase Chardonnays from around the world, featuring International & Non-Central Coast Chardonnay producers. Also included will be a silent auction benefitting Cal Poly’s Wine & Viticulture and Recreation, Parks & Tourism Administration Departments. Tickets are $100 and $75 per person.

Paulee Dinner and Vintners Awards Ceremony, Friday, May 29, 6:30pm–9:00pm at The Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa. The Paulee Dinner is an opportunity to showcase treasures from the cellar with colleagues and enthusiasts. There will be a sommelier assigned to manage the wine at each table during this multi-course gourmet dinner. The Vintners Awards Ceremony will be presented by The SOMM Journal during the course of the evening. $150 per person.

Minerality & Edginess: Is this the modern Chardonnay? Saturday, May 30, 10:00am–12:30pm at The Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa. This panel will evaluate structural profiles and how they pair with more unusual cuisine together in a pitched bottle of texture and flavor. What happens when briny and delicate meets butter and toasty oak? Surprise! Bob Bath, MS, Wine Instructor for the Culinary Institute of America, will be moderating the discussion. Lunch will be provided by the highly acclaimed Chef Vatche Moukhtarian from Cracked Pepper Bistro. $125 per person.

Saturday Grand Tasting Saturday, May 30, 1:00pm–5:00pm at The Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa. The Saturday Grand Tasting will showcase Chardonnays from Santa Cruz to Malibu, featuring producers from the Central Coast. Also included will be a silent auction benefitting Cal Poly’s Wine & Viticulture and Recreation, Parks & Tourism Administration Departments. $100 / $75 per person.

Taste Like a Somm Double-Blind Winemaker Dinner Saturday, May 30, 6:30pm–9:00pm at Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort Open to the public. Join in an exciting evening of farm-to-table cuisine paired with Chardonnays from the Central Coast. Each table will be hosted by a winemaker and sommelier from a Central Coast AVA. Wines will be poured blind for guests so they can engage with their host sommelier in a discussion about taste, texture and terroir. $150 per person.

Enjoy post-event activities in Avila Beach. Explore the Avila Beach Wine Trail laced with wineries and downtown winetasting rooms, dog-friendly beaches, surfing and kayaking, hiking and biking trails, farm-to-table and seaport-inspired cuisine, boutique shopping, and more. For more information on the International Chardonnay Symposium visit www.TheChardonnaySymposium.com.