Avalon Golf and Country club is preparing for a large group of wine lovers to converge on its ballroom this Thursday night for a unique kind of wine event. Wine Academy: A Napa / Sonoma Wine Adventure will be part wine event, part food experience, part storytelling session and part trip down memory lane for those in attendance.

The event will chronicle the three trips I took to California wine country with several groups of friends in 2005-2007. All of the wines selected are wineries we visited during the trips and photographs and stories from the winery visits will be shared with the crowd in attedance that night.

The wine and dinner menu is impressive and includes some of Calfornia's best wineries. Here's a look at what's being featured:

1. 2012 Raymond Napa Sauvignon Blanc $19

Tapas Course: Roasted Pear Salad

With bibb lettuce, arugula, toasted walnuts, red onions, herb goat cheese and a pear vinaigrette

2. 2011 Landmark "Overlook" Chardonnay $22

Tapas Course: Lemongrass Chicken Curry

With julienned honey dew, yellow squash, and Thai basil

3.2011 Ridge Three Valley's Zinfandel Blend

Tapas Course: Fig Glazed Pork Tenderloin

With gorgonzola potato cake

4. 2010 Merryvale Starmont Cabernet $27

Tapas Course: Peppercorn Crusted Filet

With green peppercorn miso sauce, sake marinated cherries, julienned snow pea sesame sauce

5. NV Mumm Napa "Cuvee M" $22

Tapas Pairing: Peach and Pomegranate Phyllo Cup

With Vanilla honey whipped cream

Guests have the option of enjoying wine and dinner for $50 or Wine Tasting Only for $25. The deadling for wine / dinner reservation is Tuesday the 25th at 8PM. The event is open to all Avalon members as well as members of Valley Vino Wine Club. You can join Valley Vino and reserve your table by logging onto http://www.myvalleyvino.com" rel="nofollow">www.myvalleyvino.com

The event is 7-9PM on Thursday the 27th at Avalon Golf and Country Club atSquaw Creek.