Livermore Valley Wine Community announced that its annual food and wine showcase event has been rebranded to "TASTE: The Livermore Valley Wine Experience" and will take place in October this year.

"We felt that (the new name) truly encompassed the incredible experiences offered throughout the weekend and gave our Taste Our Terroir food and wine competition a special spotlight among the weekend of events," said event chair Heather McGrail, president of McGrail Vineyards and Winery.

Taste Our Terroir, which used to be the name for the full long-weekend event, will now refer to just the food and wine competition between different local restaurants and wineries in the Livermore Valley, to be held on the evening of Oct. 19 as just one part of the four-day "Wine Experience".

The event will provide sommelier-led tasting experiences, vertical tastings with multiple wineries, gourmet pairings and cooking classes, outdoor activities among the vines and more.

Four categories in this year's Taste Our Terroir competition will be: Best Classic Pairing, Most Innovative Pairing, Judge's Best Pairing: Overall Best Pairing, and People's Choice Awards: Best White Wine Pairing, Best Red Wine Pairing.

"I love Thursday's kickoff event ... The time, energy, and passion of the winemakers and chefs is displayed through these delicious bites," McGrail told the Weekly. "Following this evening, the weekend events are intimate and personalized, there's something for everyone. I'm looking forward to the Taste of Thai Culinary experience where chef Kimberly Gamble will demonstrate some of her winning bites from 'Chopped.'"

The organization has also announced a scheduling shift in the weekend event. Previously held in July, the "Wine Experience" weekend will now take place from Oct. 19-22 at the Bella Rosa Event Center at Garré Vineyard and Winery.

"We also decided to move this event to October because it is one of the most spectacular times to visit the Livermore Valley," McGrail said in the press release first announcing the rebrand. "The weather is wonderful, the vines are lush, harvest is wrapping up and the smell of the grapes and fermenting wine are in the air. You won't want to miss this unforgettable weekend in Livermore Valley."