Eat, Drink and Be Merry

	Palate Pleasers
	Photo: South Beach Wine and Food Festival

Before I arrived at the 2007 South Beach Wine and Food Festival, I had envisioned drinking wine with celebrities, trying elegant dishes and watching the sun rise on the beach.

My expectations were more than fulfilled when I found myself chatting it up with Al Roker, sipping Dom Perignon and tasting tuna tartar (which I had never tried before) right on balmy South Beach, instead of shivering while eating a hot dog walking down an icy New York City sidewalk.

I was already familiar with South Beach, but this gala, four-day culinary affair -- now in its sixth year -- was Miami like I'd never seen it before.

It was almost impossible not to be overwhelmed with the sheer number of festival events, such as the Grand Tasting Village, which included wine and spirit tastings and cooking demonstrations; the Best of the Best, a high-end culinary showcase; the Burger Bash, a juicy roundup of an American classic; the Moet & Chandon BubbleQ, an unusual pairing of champagne and barbeque; and the Tribute Brunch, which honored many food icons, including wine masters Peter and Robert Mondavi and kitchen queen Martha Stewart.

The festival attracts big-name sponsors including the E.W. Scripps (SSP)-owned Food Network, Southern Wine and Spirits of Florida, American Express (AXP), Delta (DALRQ), Target (TGT) and Coca-Cola (KO).

"It wasn't always this way. At the beginning we were begging for sponsors. A lot of people didn't pay attention and only looked at South Beach as a party town; now the major players intend on coming every year," says Lee Brian Schrager, an industry expert who revamped the festival in 2002.

High-Time Wining and Dining

The events certainly have gone upscale -- one of the most inexpensive ones was a cocktail clinic ($35 a ticket), which featured expert mixologist Francesco Lafranconi, who held a hands-on session teaching guests how to concoct unique drinks.

Others, such as the Le Bernadin tribute dinner, which honored the restaurant's executive chef Eric Ripert and owner Maguy Le Coze, ran $500 a ticket.

The number of wine tastings and seminars on cooking techniques and grape varietals was impressive, even attracting such big names as Motley Crue lead singer Vince Neal, who recently started his own line of artesian tequila called Tres Rios.

The Grand Tasting Village featured two tents full of chefs prepping delectable treats as well as hundreds of representatives from wine and sprits companies. Seminars were hosted by celebrities including Martha Stewart, Rocco DiSpirito and Food Network personality Robin Miller. "This festival is a really inviting atmosphere to get people to try wines from all around the world," says a representative of the Robert Mondavi wine company.

To view Danielle Sonnenberg's video take of today's Good Life segment, click here.