No matter what your knowledge of vintages and vintners, you’ll find a world of down-to-earth wine knowledge and fun at the 5th Annual Wine & Food Week set for May 26-31 in The Woodlands. This year’s event showcases the best of the best in Texas.

Wine & Food Week welcomes national and international winemakers, culinary experts, gourmands and those who just want to savor the flavor while learning something new in a beautiful setting. Among the 40-plus sensational events, participants can enjoy hundreds of wines and epicurean delights prepared by chefs of the world.

Guests at the Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting have the luxury of tasting great wines in Waterford Crystal wine stems, which they may take home.

A myriad of wine and culinary icons are flocking to Houston to take part in this elite event toasting the novice to the advanced enophile. Special guest, Lettie Teague, knows wine. She has been the Wine Editor at Food and Wine for more than a decade, and she’ll be in Houston at the 2009 Wine Wizard as Master of Ceremonies. Her monthly column “Wine Matters” is a mainstay for wine aficionados. She will be at various events throughout the week, and will be available to sign her book, Educating Peter, “How I Taught a Famous Movie Critic the Difference Between Cabernet and Merlot or How Anybody Can Become an (Almost) Instant Wine Expert. ”

Teague will be joined by legends in the wine industry along with representatives showcasing eco-friendly products from the world over, with special focus on those made right here in Texas.

Tim Hanni, America’s first Master of Wine, will lead a discussion of how we attain our unique points of view on wine, food and beyond. Hanni is a flavor maven who many chefs turn to when they want to take the flavor of their food to the next

One of the most popular and romantic evening events during the week is the H-E-B Wine Walk to be held Thursday, May 28, at Market Street in The Woodlands. Thirty wine-serving stations will be set up among the retail stores and galleries in this Main Street-styled shopping and entertainment center where guests can enjoy cooking and chef demonstrations along the way. Special guests include Texas wine royalty, Ed and Susan Auler of Fall Creek Winery, the first to bring wine-growing to the Texas Hill Country. The Aulers have combined old-world winemaking traditions and new-world technology innovations to produce world-class wines that are highly sought after.

Wine & Food Week is a family affair featuring Kidz R Cooking hands-on classes guided by chefs who teach children how to explore flavors and prepare fun and tasty fare. Hosted at The Woodlands Mall,

 The week’s premier event will be the Waterford Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase on the evening of May 30 at the Woodlands Waterway Marriott. It will include exciting food offerings from some 50 acclaimed chefs and a plethora of top wines to accompany their fare, followed by a silent and live auction.

The Wine Rendezvous will host local, regional and international chefs such as Houston ’s own Michael Cordua and David Cordua and Kirby’s Corporate Executive Chef Daniel Nemec, as well as chefs from Boston to New Orleans to the West Coast!

Along with the expected Wine & Dine dinners and luncheons, Wine & Food Week attendees may choose from favorites such as The Ladies of the Vine Luncheon, It ’s a Guy Thing Man’s Man Event, Wines on the Waterway tours on climate-controlled water taxis and others.  

Benefiting the U.S. Green Building Council in Houston, Wine & Food Week is the first major destination food and wine event to “go green” placing focus on the merits of mindful, sustainable living. Also benefitting are the John Cooper School Literary Signature Series and the National Hispanic Representatives Organization. Food & Vine Time Productions donated more than $165,000 to charity partners.

Most of the 40-plus events are held in The Woodlands, with several wine dinner offerings at restaurants in Houston. For ticket information and a complete schedule, visit www.wineandfoodweek.com or call 713-557-5732.