Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New S.F. Bay Cruise Showcases The Wide Diversity Of California Wines

SAN FRANCISCO, August 8, 2007 - The Foggy Bridge Wine Cruise sets sail on its maiden voyage on September 7, 2007. Held aboard the historic USS Potomac, the cruise caters to connoisseurs of fine wine and dining and will feature wines from many of the best grape-growing regions throughout California. Profits from the cruise will be donated to The Association for the Preservation of the Presidential Yacht Potomac.

In the first of a series of cruises, fine wines from Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Livermore Valley and the Central Coast will be showcased. The wines will be served with foods that accentuate the flavor pairings. The initial cruise schedule is for Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday brunches, which will be held on most weekends between September 7 and November 25. Additional cruises will be scheduled as the demand increases.

"Many people still believe that the finest California wines all come from Napa Valley," says John Kontrabecki, president of Foggy Bridge Wine Cruise. "A big part of what makes California wines so special is the many microclimates and terroir in our state that contribute to such a wide and diversity of wine types."

Passengers will leave the ship with a richer appreciation of which wines to select from particular regions to best complement different foods. Renowned winemaker Daryl Groom will be on board for the inaugural cruise to explain the particulars of each wine and its food pairing, and to answer passenger questions, along with other guest winemakers from the represented vineyards.

Guests will be provided with written information that describes key characteristics of wines from the different regions and the types of meals that best accompany them, and can apply this knowledge to meals and entertaining of their own. Daryl will be making the wine selections for all subsequent cruises.

There will be three pairing stations on board serving 10 different dishes created by French Brasserie Left Bank (www.leftbank.com) especially for the cruise. Dishes will be paired with "wine flights", two ounce servings of three different reds, three whites and three dessert wines, so passengers will be given the opportunity to sample nine different wines (tasting is unlimited). All of this will be enjoyed against a backdrop of the stunning scenery of the San Francisco Bay while aboard the USS Potomac, the former presidential yacht of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

The Foggy Bridge Wine Cruise is the vision of San Franciscan John Kontrabecki, an international businessman and vineyard owner. With a love of fine wine, great food, and history, John saw a need for a luxurious and educational wine and culinary experience. "There's nothing else like it on the Bay," says John. "The only thing better would be having your own yacht, with your own wine expert and chef aboard."

About the Potomac

The ship that is now the USS Potomac was originally built in 1934 in Wisconsin as a Coast Guard cutter to intercept bootleggers on the Great Lakes. The 165-foot vessel displaced 372 tons, had a top speed of 13 knots and a crew of 50.
It was converted into a Presidential yacht in 1937 for Franklin Delano Roosevelt, our nation's 32nd president. Roosevelt used the Potomac to entertain state visitors such as the King and Queen of England, the Queen of the Netherlands and the Crown Princess of Norway. He also lobbied prominent politicians of the day on the Potomac while on fishing trips in Florida and the Caribbean. Some of Roosevelt's depression era "fireside chats" were actually broadcast from the radio room of the Potomac.
After the war the ship was sold as government surplus. Its ownership passed through the hands of a series of private owners, including Elvis Presley. An attempt to display it at the 1964 Seattle World's Fair brought it as far as Los Angeles where it broke down.
After decades of neglect it sank at the Navy base at Treasure Island in 1981. It took a Herculean effort by hundreds of Bay area organizations and individuals over a 14-year period to re-float and restore the Potomac. Congress, the State of California, the Port of Oakland, dozens of charitable organizations and thousands of individuals provided funding.
The Potomac was formally opened to the public in 1995 in Oakland in the presence of James Roosevelt, FDR's oldest son. The USS Potomac is now listed by the Interior Department as a National Historic Landmark.

For more information visit www.usspotomac.org

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