Taste of Two Valleys at 35th Annual Grapefest®—A Texas Wine Experience

Celebrate wine at the 35th Annual GrapeFest—A Texas Wine Experience, presented by Bank of the West, September 16, 17, 18 and 19. Experience a Taste of Two Valleys with unique and exquisite wines from South Australia's Barossa Valley and California's Napa Valley, sponsored by Gaylord Texan. This event will be located inside the Liberty Park Plaza Wine Tasting Experience, sponsored by Gaylord Texan Resort. Enjoy live music during this one-of-a-kind, separate ticketed event.

Explore the wines of South Australia's Barossa Valley which is home to more than 500 grape growing families, many with the sixth generation still working the same plot of land as their ancestors. These families supply quality grapes to over 170 wine companies. Wine has been a way of life in Barossa since the 1840s, and the region incorporates both Barossa Valley and Eden Valley, making it one of the only areas in Australia to have neighboring warm and cool climate growing conditions. With such a diversity of growing conditions and soil types across both valleys, and vineyards that have been tended by hand for many generations. GrapeFest guests will be certain to find a favorite Barossa Valley wine at this year's event. Participating wineries from South Australia's Barossa Valley include Yalumba, Chateau Tanunda, Torbreck Vitners, Langmeil Winery and Heathvale Wines.

Grapevine is pleased to welcome Australian Consul-General and Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner Mr. Benson Igua Saulo to GrapeFest. Mr. Saulo, based in Houston and the first indigenous person to be appointed as an Australian Consul-General, is a descendant of the Wemba Wemba and Gunditjmara Indigenous nations of Western Victoria, and New Ireland Province in Papua New Guinea. Saulo has a background in banking, investments and social impact. Mr. Saulo became the founding director of the National Indigenous Youth Leadership Academy (NIYLA), which engages young Indigenous Australians to develop and drive youth-led social action campaigns relating to suicide prevention, climate change, mental health and welcoming refugee and asylum seekers. Mr. Saulo has participated in the U.S. State Department's International Leaders Program and has been recognized as a finalist for Young Australian of the Year (VI). He has also earned the Australian Human Rights Commission Medal for Youth and the 2012 NAIDOC Youth of the Year Award, recognizing emerging Indigenous leaders. Additionally, he has been an Australian Youth Representative to the United Nations and has represented Australian youth at the 66th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Mr. Stuart Nutting, South Australia Department for Trade and Investment (DTI) Regional Director, Americas–New York, and Ms. Regina Johnson, South Australia DTI Deputy Director also will be attending GrapeFest as well as meeting with wine distributors, retailers and other businesses of interest to South Australia. South Australia winemakers and exporters work to add value to food processing supply chains as well as research and development in food and agribusiness.

Sip your way through the wines of California's Napa Valley. Known for its hundreds of hillside vineyards, Napa Valley is home to more than 475 wineries and more than 40 different grape varieties. At only 30 miles long and five miles wide at its widest point, the Napa Valley is a unique winegrowing region with a complex tapestry of vineyard locations. The valley's topography and soil diversity changes as you travel through its diverse terrain which ranges from estuarine flats and gentle hills to the sheer walls of the Palisades at the foot of Mount St. Helena to the forested Mayacamas Mountains. Due to its unique geographic position between the cold Pacific Ocean and the warm Central Valley, a wide variety of climatic conditions exist within this small, contiguous area that are perfectly suited to producing a great variety of world-class wine grapes. Its unique attributes mean distinctiveness in every glass. Participating California Napa Valley wineries include Bootleg, Trefethen, The Hess Collection, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Kerr Cellars.

ABOUT GRAPEFEST - TEXAS WINE. COME AND TASTE IT!

GrapeFest is a celebration of Texas wines. Home to more than 400 wineries and 4,400 acres of vineyards producing nearly three million gallons of Texas wine each year, Texas is the fifth-largest wine producing state in the United States. Grapevine is home to the Texas Wine & Grape Growers Association and Texas' premier Urban Wine Trail, featuring a variety of award-winning winery tasting rooms. The 35th Annual GrapeFest opens on Thursday, September 16 at 11 a.m. Admission for everyone is free all day on Thursday. Festival hours are Thursday, September 16 from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Friday, September 17 from 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.; Saturday, September 18 from 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.; and Sunday September 19 from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Admission prices are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors (62+) and children (6-12). Admission is free for children 5 and under. For more information, call the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau at 817-410-3185 or visit GrapeFest.com.

ABOUT BANK OF THE WEST

Bank of the West is proud to be an Independent Community Bank, headquartered in Grapevine and serving North Texas for more than three decades, helping to create flourishing communities by putting your dollars to work LOCALLY...with decisions made LOCALLY. Bank of the West, Member FDIC, is the Presenting Sponsor of the 35th Annual GrapeFest—A Texas Wine Experience.

ABOUT GRAPEVINE, TEXAS

Historic Grapevine, Texas, centrally located between Fort Worth and Dallas, is the premier go-to destination when planning a getaway or vacation in North Texas! Step back in time on Historic Downtown Main Street with a collection of charming boutiques, art galleries and bistros and cafes. Enjoy fantastic hotels and resorts, great attractions for the entire family, a wide variety of outdoor recreational activities, exquisite winery tasting rooms, world-class shopping and much more. For more information, visit GrapevineTexasUSA.com.

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