Celebrating a Family Favorite with National Pasta Day

KENWOOD, Calif., Oct. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Mark your calendar and get ready to celebrate a family favorite on October 17^th, National Pasta Day. Whether a main course or a side dish, pasta is more popular than ever and National Pasta Day provides the perfect opportunity to get creative with this fun, versatile food. In the spirit of National Pasta Day, Kenwood Vineyards has launched a contest and an online cookbook, both focusing on the many pleasures of pasta.

Make no mistake, pasta pleasures abound. Whether served hot or cold, plain or fancy, sauced or herbed, with chicken, shellfish, cheese, vegetables or beef, pasta adds something special to every meal. With more than 600 shapes—from angel hair to ziti—and a rich assortment of recipes, a great pasta dish is just a few minutes, a visit to the pantry and a bit of imagination away.

Accepting entries until December 1^st, 2013, the Kenwood Vineyards Perfect Pasta Pairing Contest challenges entrants to create a pasta masterpiece that pairs perfectly with one of six Kenwood Vineyards wines. The Kenwood Vineyards Perfect Pasta Pairing Contest is open to all amateur chefs and entries will be judged for quality, creativity and originality. Grand Prize is a spectacular Kenwood Vineyards wine country tour package valued at $5,000. Prizes will also be awarded to the best entry in each wine category. Complete rules and an online entry form for the Kenwood Vineyards Perfect Pasta Pairing Contest located at www.kenwoodvineyards.com/pastacontest.

For those seeking pasta inspiration, or those simply interested in great pasta dishes and wines that highlight the best of both, Kenwood Vineyards has posted a colorful new online recipe booklet featuring six scrumptious pasta recipes created by Kenwood's executive chefs, each paired with a different Kenwood Vineyards wine. The booklet is available at the Kenwood Vineyards website, www.kenwoodvineyards.com/pastacontest under "Recipes" and on mobile devices via the QR code shown on the Perfect Pasta Pairing Contest necker.

Established in 1970 in the Sonoma Valley, Kenwood Vineyards produces premium wines that showcase the world-class quality and character of Sonoma County vineyards.

Drink responsibly.

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SOURCE Kenwood Vineyards