Monday, 09 August 2010 13:53 Dine & Cook Staff Report

Winery Kendall-Jackson has invited a unique guest to their 14th annual Heirloom Tomato Festival, a breathalyzer.

When the event opens on September 11th at the Kendall-Jackson Wine Center in Santa Rosa, Ca, for the first time festival goers will be provided free access to breath-alcohol tests.

San Francisco-based KHN Solutions, makers of the BACtrack breathalyzer, will have a booth at the event and will provide free tests to anyone who wants one. "We've done many events from sporting venues to the Consumer Electronics Show," said company CEO Keith Nothacker. "It's fun for people. They're interested in seeing what their blood alcohol levels really are. It's part curiosity, part wisdom."

"We've never had a problem with over-consumption at our event," said Mark Mathewson, general manager of hospitality for Jackson Family Wines, the company that owns Kendall-Jackson. "Yet having this available is a great way for us to create awareness and promote responsibility."

The BACtrack® booth will be staffed by KHN employees who will also distribute information on responsible drinking.

"I think people are going to appreciate our focus on safety and at the same time have some fun with this," Mathewson said.

The Kendall-Jackson Heirloom Tomato Festival--sponsored by Kendall-Jackson Wines on behalf of the School Garden Network--takes place Saturday, September 11, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Kendall-Jackson Wine Center at 5007 Fulton Road in Santa Rosa.

Considered the granddaddy of tomato festivals, the event contributes all its net proceeds to the School Garden Network of Sonoma County--an organization that helps students develop dedication to the environment, academic achievement and their communities, with hands-on learning about food and nutrition.

The event also features many of the country's best chefs creating new dishes with heirloom tomatoes, all designed to pair with the region's wines. Over 50 gourmet restaurants will be represented, some coming from as far away as Chicago.