the 2010 Milwaukee Wine Festival

Billed as “a celebration of wine, food, music and friends,” the third annual Milwaukee Wine Festival will offer an opportunity to sample more than 200 wines from around the world this weekend at the Milwaukee Art Museum.

Activities will include wine seminars and cooking demonstrations conducted by event sponsors, exhibiting wineries, area chefs and restaurateurs, and the festival stage will feature live music.

More than 37 wineries and wine vendors will be exhibiting. In addition to well-known brands such Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Michael-David Family, Yellow Tail, Bogle , The Hess Collection, Hob Nob (WJ Deutsch), Moet Hennessy USA, Stone’s Throw, Wente Vineyards and Trinchero Family Estates, Wisconsin’s own wines will also be represented, including Door Peninsula Winery and Wollersheim Winery.

But more important than the brand names is the breadth of wines, regions and countries you’ll experience. From Chile, Argentina, California, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin, to Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Australia and New Zealand, the festival offers a tremendous opportunity to learn and taste while having fun on the art museum’s magnificent grounds.

The wines run the price gamut at retail from $6 to $60. But according to Mark Goodman, wine director for Sendiks, people are often surprised to find that price is not a surefire way to judge what they like. “Providing everyday wines for everyday people” is how he describes the overriding idea behind the event.

Friday’s entertainment includes a demonstration at 7:10 p.m. by Chef David Zakroczymski from the InterContinental Hotel, followed at 8 by music by the Kimi Hayes Band. On Saturday activities begin at 4 p.m. with a presentation by wine educator Jessica Bell, proprietor of The Midwest Wine School, followed at 4:40 p.m. by Executive Chef Mike Meinzeri of The Capital Grille.

At 5:20 p.m., Sendiks Food Markets make an educational presentation, and at 6 p.m. Oscar Villarreal, Executive Chef at Piano Blu, gets his time in the spotlight, followed by music by the Michael Heaton Band.

My personal recommendation for a not-to-be-missed presentation (even though I don’t know what it will be) is Jessica Bell on Saturday at 4:30pm. Whatever your level of wine knowledge, from novice to scholar, everyone is likely to enjoy listening to Jessica. She’s a terrific communicator with a erudite yet joyful ability to explain both the intricacies and the simplicities of all aspects of wine making, be it viticulture, vinification, storing, buying, pairing, and of course, tasting!

As for the wines themselves, you may want to try them all. (There will be spit buckets; don’t be shy about using them). But if, like most, you’re planning to pick and choose, I recommend the Wente Vineyards Chardonnays, famous for the “Wente Clone”; 7 Deadly Zins and Lust Zinfandel from Michael-David Family; the Casa LaPostolle wines at Moet Hennessy USA; the Bogle Winery wines; and the Terrabianca Campaccio from Tuscany and the Jermann Pinot Grigio at the Empson USA table.

All wines are or will be available locally in the Balistreri-owned Sendik’s stores. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Friends of Art, the primary volunteer support organization of the Milwaukee Art Museum. Specifically, FOA raises funds for art acquisitions and exhibition sponsorship, and develops activities to foster an appreciation for visual art and to inspire volunteer leadership.

TheMilwaukee Wine Festival runs Friday from 4-10 p.m. and Saturday from 3-9 p.m. on the grounds of the Milwaukee Art Museum. Ticket sales and alcohol sampling end at 8:30 p.m. on Friday and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $25 in advance or $35 at the door, and cover 10 wine samples.