Envision, if you will, 1,000 different wines, 175 wineries and 75 of New Orleans’ top chefs cooking up culinary delights in one grand five-day event that celebrates the joys of the palate. Put them all together and you have the 16th Annual New Orleans Wine & Food Experience. If you are an oenophile with a taste for fine varietals, a viticulture aficionado or an epicurean with a fancy for haute cuisine, this is the event for you!

Internationally renowned as one of the top wine and food festivals in the world, NOWFE uncorks its epicurean extravaganza between May 20 and May 24 at various locations throughout the French Quarter and downtown New Orleans. Grand tastings, seminars, food and wine pairings and a casual stroll down historic Royal Street to the music of jazz and the fruits of the vine are all in store for this year’s NOWFE participants.

The fun kicks off on the evening of Tuesday, May 20 with a premium fine wine dinner featuring the cuisine of world-renowned chef and cooking school namesake, John Folse. Full details have not been announced yet, but you can be sure that, with Chef Folse headlining the event, you’re going to be in for a treat.

The following evening NOWFE participants can choose from a selection of “vintner’s dinners” at nearly three dozen of the finest restaurants in New Orleans and surrounding areas. Chefs and vintners will get together and plan a menu incorporating the best wine and food pairings, and the vintners are on hand to explain the intricacies of their winemaking craft, as well as share some of their secrets. For a complete listing of the participating restaurants and to make reservations log on to http://www.nowfe.com/html/vintner_dinners.html .

On Thursday, May 22, between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m., the Second Annual Vinola Tasting and Auction will bring 200 wine enthusiasts together with notable vintners while sampling up to 40 elite wines from around the world. The Grand Ballroom of the Ritz Carlton, 921 Canal Street, will host these winemakers pouring their top-shelf brands.

This year something new is being added: Vinola will be immediately followed by a live auction. The $50 paddle fee will be waived for Vinola attendees, but all potential bidders must register for a paddle. Auction lots will include all-inclusive trips and VIP perks you can't buy anywhere else. You may even see a package or two with a notable artist, athlete or musician. And, of course, there will be lots of fine wines up for bid at the accompanying silent auction. To register for your paddle number, go to www.nowfe.com.

Immediately following the “Vinola!” event, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., comes the “Royal Street Stroll.” Many of the dozens of art galleries along this historic French Quarter thoroughfare will be serving various types of wines to festival participants as the strollers take in the unique works of art and one-of-a-kind antiques available for purchase in the galleries. With the sounds of real New Orleans jazz in the air, strollers will be amazed to find themselves surrounded by the 200-year-old architecture and fabulous balconies of iron lace that make the French Quarter world-renowned.

The Stroll starts in the 400 block of Royal Street and is led by the Krewe of Cork, a New Orleans marching club dedicated to celebrating the joys of “wine, food and fun.” Registration is $75 in advance and $90 on site. You must have a 2008 Wine Glass & Wristband to receive wine and food offerings during the stroll.

A dozen separate wine and food seminars are on the agenda for Friday and Saturday, May 23-24 with topics ranging from exotic cocktail preparation to vintage champagnes to pairing wines with wild game dishes. Participants include famous chefs like John Folse, John Besh, Rene Bajeux, Donald Link and Susan Spicer, along with noted vintners and wine experts, including Ziggy “The Wine Gal” Eschliman.

“Grand Tastings” will be held in the Louisiana Superdome on Friday, May 23, from 5-8 p.m. and on Saturday, May 24 from 1-4 p.m. One of the highlights of every NOWFE, this is a truly "Grand" experience for both foodies and wine connoisseurs, pairing extensive offerings from New Orleans' finest chefs and selections of wines from around the world. Seventy-five chefs and 1,000 vintages are accompanied by some of Louisiana’s best musicians, décor that showcases the local flavor, and new, exciting festivities, still to be announced.

Registration for the Grand Tastings is $89 in advance and $100 at the gate. $10 Superdome parking is available. Free shuttle bus service will be offered between the Superdome and the seminar sites.

The full, $695 per person registration package includes event credentials, signed and numbered 2008 NOWFE poster, Vinola Tasting & Auction, Royal Street Stroll, six seminars, and the Friday and Saturday Grand Tastings. Vintner Dinners aren’t included in the packages, but if you want to participate in one of them, call the participating restaurant of your choice to make your reservations!

For reservations or more information call (504) 529-WINE (9463) or visit www.nowfe.com.