Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas will host the 7th Annual TEXSOM, the country’s preeminent wine conference, from August 13 to 15, 2011.

This year, a new Media and Technology Symposium invites social media, blog and traditional journalists to broaden their knowledge about wine and stay connected with industry experts on the first day, August 13. With just 50 spots available at this special Symposium, early registration is recommended.

For wine professionals and connoisseurs, the conference’s core values and focus remain the same: top-notch wine education at affordable prices. In addition to the Media and Technology Symposium, TEXSOM offers two days of wine seminars led by the world’s top experts.

Wine lovers of any level will appreciate the August 14 classes (fee includes five seminars and lunch). Although open to the public, these classes are also appropriate for those working in the industry - such as distributor representatives, sommeliers, restaurant managers and servers.

The courses on the final day, August 15, deliver tougher, industry-specific material such as Management of a Beverage Program and thus are only open to the trade (fee includes five seminars and lunch.) Each seminar features at least eight wines to taste and lasts one hour and fifteen minutes. Multi-day passes are also available for a discounted price.

The August 15 Grand Tasting is open to all, and will feature 150 wines. Tickets required.

TEXSOM co-founder James Tidwell, MS, who is also Beverage Manager and Master Sommelier at the Resort, says the panelists form a “who’s who” list of wine professionals that includes the strongest Master Sommelier contingent to be found at any public event worldwide. Scheduled Master Sommeliers include Seafin Alvarado, Wayne Belding, Richard Betts, John Blazon, Thomas Burke, Brian Cronin, Fred Dame, Brett Davis, Maura DePasquale, Jay Fletcher, Kern Fredrickson, Doug Feost, Keith Goldston, Scott Harper, Drew Hendricks, Jay James, Geoff Kruth, Andrew McNamara, Sally Mohr, Melissa Monosoff, Peter Neptune, Sean Razee, Paul Roberts, Joseph Spellman, Larry Stone, Guy Stout, Bobby Stuckey, Barbara Wierley and Laura Williamson. The lineup also includes James Beard Award-winning writers Jordan Mackay and Rajat Parr, social media guru Toney Jones, bloggers Alfonzo Cevola and Jeremy Parzen, and Master of Wine Jay Youmans.

While the courses are conducted, a competition for Texas’ Best Sommelier runs behind the scenes. The prize for the winner includes scholarship money to be used for a Court of Master Sommeliers’ certification program. The victorious sommelier will be name at the Grand Tasting on Monday, August 15. More than 150 world class-wines and hors d’oeuvres from Four Seasons Executive Chef Christof Syré will be available for sampling as attendees celebrate the announcement.

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