The Tempranillo Advocates, Producers and Amigos Society (TAPAS) has announced that the most extensive annual tasting of domestically produced Spanish and Portuguese varietal wines in North America will take place this year on Sunday, June 14 at the Fort Mason Conference Center in San Francisco.

     From 2 to 4:30 p.m., consumers will have an opportunity to taste wines produced by TAPAS members from grape varieties indigenous to Spain and Portugal that are now cultivated in America, in a delightful walk-around setting in which they may chat with the TAPAS growers and producers.

     These wines originate in Arizona, California, Oregon, Texas and Washington, and range from crisp, refreshing whites to big, full-bodied reds to elegant Port-style wines.

     This is a unique opportunity to sample wines from nearly 40 participating wineries and learn about varieties such as Tempranillo, Albarino, Garnacha, Graciano, Mourvedre, Touriga, Verdejo, Bastardo and more. Many TAPAS members are limited-production, boutique wineries whose wines are not generally available in stores.

     Tickets for the consumer tasting are $35 in advance, available online at tapas2009.eventbrite.com, or $45 at the door. For directions to the Fort Mason Center, visit www.fortmason.org.