Chopin - 2009 Santa Barbara Film Festival Update: Chopin Vodka Enlists Santa Barbara's Top Bartenders to Develop Original Cocktails for the 2009 Santa Barbara Film Festival

Chopin - 2009 Santa Barbara Film Festival Update: Chopin Vodka Enlists Santa Barbara's Top Bartenders to Develop Original Cocktails for the 2009 Santa Barbara Film Festival

Penelope Cruz will Receive Chopin Outstanding Performer of the Year Award on January 24, 2009

NEW YORK, Jan. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- The honorees of the Santa Barbara Film Festival will not be the only winners in town during this month's film extravaganza! Chopin Vodka, scheduled to present the Chopin Outstanding Performer of the Year Award to Penelope Cruz on January 24, 2009, has also selected five original Chopin cocktails created by Santa Barbara bartenders to showcase at their VIP and celebrity events. Select cocktails will also be poured at participating bars and lounges this January.

The five Chopin cocktail winners were chosen from an original list of fourteen nominees, developed by Santa Barbara's talented pool of bartenders. Judged on the basis of originality and integrity to the base ingredient - Chopin Vodka, luxury potato vodka from Poland - the winners were selected by Moet Hennessy USA/Chopin Vodka representatives and a panel of judges from the Santa Barbara Film Festival.

The 1st Grand Place Winner is The Red Carpet, a signature Chopin cocktail created by Josh Lewis of Tonic Nightclub:

The Red Carpet - 1st PLACE GRAND WINNER
Chopin Santa Barbara Cocktail Competition
Josh Lewis, Tonic Nightclub

2 oz Chopin Vodka
4 Raspberries
1/2 oz Simple Syrup

Muddle in shaker, and then add 1/2 oz Elderflower Liqueur. Shake all
ingredients with ice. Strain into Champagne Flute. Top with a float
of Moet Chandon White Star Champagne. Garnish with a floating fresh
raspberry.

Additional Chopin cocktail winners from Santa Barbara include the following: Grapefruit Julep by Alvaro Rojas of Milk & Honey, Alcazar and Chilongo's; The Orange Blossom by John Loewen of Press Room, Seagrass Restaurant and Bouchon; Farmers Market Peach by Andy Davis of Eos Lounge; and Virtuoso's Tini, which also received a "Creative Genius Award," by Beth Weinberg of Elements Restaurant. All recipes are available upon request.

Chopin Vodka will honor Penelope Cruz with the Chopin Outstanding Performer of the Year Award at the 2009 Santa Barbara International Film Festival on January 24. Qualified media and photographers are invited to apply for a press pass for access to the 2009 Chopin Outstanding Performer of the Year Award, and to select media events featuring the winning Santa Barbara cocktails.

For further inquiries about Chopin's participation in the 2009 Santa Barbara Film Festival, including complete recipes from Chopin's Santa Barbara cocktail collection, please contact Helen Gregory, Gregory White PR at (646) 621-3559 or e-mail Helen@gregorywhitepr.com.

About Chopin Vodka

Chopin Vodka, the world's foremost luxury potato vodka from Poland, embodies independence, authenticity and distinction. Named for the famous 19th Century Polish composer - Frederic Chopin - whose original compositions and heroic spirit are recognized around the world, Chopin's rich flavor comes from naturally grown potatoes in the Podlasie region of Poland. Exclusively imported by Moet Hennessy USA, the suggested national retail price for Chopin is $33.00 per 750-ml bottle. For further inquiries and to request a sample please contact Helen Gregory, Gregory White PR at (646) 621-3559 or email Helen@gregorywhitepr.com.

Source: Chopin Vodka

CONTACT: Helen Gregory of Gregory White PR for Chopin Vodka,
+1-646-621-3559, Helen@gregorywhitepr.com

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