Alcantara Vineyards - Arizona Wine Growers Association

Sonoma by Way of Arizona - Sonoma Showcase Festival
By Cameron Smith
As a Canadian born writer and bon vivant I’ve often traveled to Phoenix to
escape my snowy perch in the rocky mountains of Alberta. So travel…and
Phoenix…are both things I love.
Once the frost has arrived in Canada I’m beckoned to head south to the
warmth and hospitality of Arizona. Its people have always welcomed
snowbirds of all ages to share the beauty and wonder they have come to
accept as an everyday experience.
As a Jazz journalist and
wine buff I’ve had the
opportunity to travel the
world and experience
some of the most
memorable moments
of my life. Whether
sharing a bottle of
merlot and conversation
with Quincy Jones
at the Montreux Jazz
Festival in Switzerland,
or imbibing a leisurely
al fresco chardonnay
with Al Jarreau I can
honestly say that Jazz…
and wine…are two of
my favorite past times!
I have a hunch more of
those “once in a lifetime
moments” will be
unfolding at the Sonoma
Showcase at Vistancia in Peoria, Arizona in late November! Vistancia will
serve as the host of this spectacular two day event…fusing boutique wines
with jazz, art, cuisine and people. Located in North Peoria, Vistancia is an
award winning master planned community by Shea Homes and Sunbelt
Holdings, managed to perfection by Capital Consultants Management
Corporation. From the open air grand entry to its desert foliage and
breathtaking design, every detail of the property is managed exquisitely,
creating an atmosphere of casual elegance.
I traveled there to personally inspect the event site and I must tell
you the grounds and architecture is stunning. A natural rolling
grass amphitheater and lush manicured lawns framed by the soft
lines of Vistancia’s bold architectural profile. It’s the perfect canvas
for this emerging festival masterpiece. I give you my promise that
this event is destined to be the signature lifestyle wine and jazz
event of the fall for one simple reason…the passion and genuine
warmth of the event’s producer Sonoma wine maker and fine
artist Ken Schilling.
With his home in Peoria and his winery in Sonoma Ken’s roots run
deep in the region. His family, including his beautiful children,
live in Scottsdale (for the most part)… and his vines…well… they
52
Kenneth Schilling, winemaker & artist
live in Sonoma, home to the world renowned grapes
that bountifully bring forth Ken’s signature boutique
collection of wines. Ken wanted to bring some of
Sonoma’s best boutique winemakers to his home town
so he’s assembled twelve of the “best kept secrets” in
Sonoma, these are wines that you just can’t find unless
you find yourself in Sonoma at the winery’s front door. In
addition to the wines, Ken’s invited some of the regions
finest celebrity chefs for cooking demonstrations and
wine pairing ideas along with one hundred artisans
whose art, sculpture, paintings and creations populate
a teeming art and strolling space that unfolds atop a
carpet of sumptuous greenery around the perimeter of
the festival.
It doesn’t stop there . . . Ken has enlisted Jazz superstars
to perform on the showcases state of the art outdoor
concert stage! Sax super talent Euge Groove who
continues to tour with Tina Turner and Joe Cocker,
sax man Eric Darius, a blazing entertainer whose new
CD “On a Mission” is riding the top of the charts, plus
Paris born gypsy jazz guitar genius Marc Antoine and
Canadian jazz and soul superstars Sillan and Young. If
you yearn for a weekend of incredible wine, weather
and song and an entertainment experience that will
rival anything in the world, this is probably the place
you need to be. There are VIP tickets available that
include the tasting of some eighty boutique Sonoma
wines, celebrity chef and artist meet and greets as
well as access to private VIP areas with their own
live entertainment and first class services. General
admission tickets start at $27.50 per day (in advance)
with full wine tasting versions at just $49.50 so you can
enjoy a full day of festival entertainment along with the
wine tasting at an affordable price.
I can assure you that I’ll be there to spend some time
savoring the cuisine and the jazz, learning about the
wine makers, tasting their artistry and discovering
firsthand what the Sonoma Showcase
at Vistancia is all about!
The event takes place Saturday and
Sunday November 20 and 21 at
Vistancia Village, 29701 N. Sunrise
Point Peoria, AZ 85383
For more information of the event and
to purchase tickets on line just go to
www.sonomashowcasefestival.com or
www.ticketforce.com
Cameron Smith is a freelance Jazz journalist,
broadcaster and contemporary artist.
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