Napa Valley Vintners Launches "An Unexpected Summer Story in Every Bottle"

Promotion includes chance to win a Napa Valley/34th America's Cup getaway

6/20/2013 - St. Helena, CA--With the official start of summer this Friday, the Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) today announced the start of its "An Unexpected Summer Story in Every Bottle" promotion, showcasing stories that illustrate unexpected facts about Napa Valley and its wines, a photo contest with the chance to win a Napa Valley/34th America's Cup getaway and sustainable seafood recipes highlighting summer wine-friendly cuisine from coast to coast.

Among Napa Valley's unexpected stories:

Although known primarily for Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay production, a wide range of aromatic white and rosé wines are also crafted in Napa Valley that vary greatly in style, price and flavor profile to match summer fare

95% of Napa Valley wineries are family owned

Napa Valley has the most stringent land use and sustainability measures of any wine region

Napa Valley is the official wine region of the 34th America's Cup coming to San Francisco this summer

As the NVV depicts these unexpected summer stories from the Napa Valley wine region, the trade association is also asking people from across the country to tell their stories, via a photo and caption contest. The photo that best conveys the spirit of Napa Valley and its quality wines will receive a Napa Valley/34th America's Cup getaway package. Four runner-up photographers will receive Instax Mini 8 cameras. The contest runs from now through July 15.

"We're eager to share this unexpected side of Napa Valley and its fun, affordable and food-friendly summer wines," commented Linda Reiff, executive director of the NVV. "We believe wine consumers will be excited to explore the crisp whites and refreshing rosés that pair perfectly with trips to the beach, summer barbecues, relaxing by the pool or family picnics--and then tell us about their Napa Valley summer wine experiences."

To celebrate the connection between Napa Valley's leadership on issues of sustainability and healthy waterways, the NVV has also developed sustainable seafood recipes featuring cuisine from coast to coast. Each recipe has a "Best Choice" main ingredient selection from the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch list from four water-touched regions: the Northeast, Southeast, West Coast and Great Lakes. These recipes were developed by noted cookbook author and Napa Valley restaurateur Cindy Pawlcyn.

To learn more about unexpected Napa Valley and its summer wines, enter the #unexpectednapa photo contest and gather sustainable seafood recipes from Cape Cod to California and from Lake Michigan to the Louisiana bayou, go to www.napavintners.com.

About the Napa Valley Vintners
The Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) is the non-profit trade association responsible for promoting and protecting the Napa Valley appellation as the premier winegrowing region. From seven founding members in 1944, today the association represents more than 450 Napa Valley wineries and collectively is a leader in the world-wide wine industry. To learn more about our region and its legendary American wines, visit napavintners.com

Contact: Cate Conniff, Communications Manager 707.968.4229 cconniff@napavintners.com