SUMMER WINE

I DON'T GET to most of the terrific wine events that are held throughout the year here in the Bay Area. But the one that I try hard to get to is Taste of Terroir, a big food and wine event in Livermore that is all about one of my favorite pastimes -- pairing food and wine.
What I love about this event are the incredibly diverse, delicious and memorable flavors. One year, the winner was buffalo burgers. Another, it was prosciutto-wrapped prawns. Wines range from fun to excellent (hello, Wente is always in the house.)
Most people simply wander and enjoy the event, but me -- a total wine geek -- I spend my time methodically hitting each of the 16 stations; evaluating and even going for elimination rounds. My goal is to pinpoint the winners long before the judges announce their results. Once I've settled on the best, I head to the dessert room for cheese, fruit, dessert and port. Talk about a perfect evening!
I consider it one of the highlights of my summer. The event is from 6 to 9 p.m.July 22 at the Palm Event Center in Livermore. Tickets are $75, a portion of which goes to the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association. For tickets and more information, visit www.LVwine.org.