Weekend Agenda: Wine Festivals, Champers Galore, Sunday in the Park with Gauls

'Tis the weekend of competing wine events and food festivals. The mega LA Wine Fest happens at Raleigh Studios Hollywood on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, with hundreds of wineries representing, and special educational seminars ($55 one-day pass, $100 weekend pass). The Wine House's Santa Barbara Wine Fest and Futures Tasting ($65 general admission, $85 VIP) at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel features over 39 wineries pouring 110-plus wines. 310-479-3731 to reserve.
LA Wine Fest: 5300 Melrose Ave. (bet. Bronson and Van Ness), Hollywood.
Wine House SB Wine Fest: 2025 Ave of the Stars, Century City.

Meanwhile, Wally's 2009 Grande Marque champers tasting on Sunday, June 7 from 5-8:00 p.m. at Le Merigot Beach Hotel is pricier, but you can all but bathe in bubbly ($150 in advance, $200 at the door). Plus about 20 local restaurants participate to benefit UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center and Vista del Mar Child and Family Services. Speaking of Wally's, the 6th annual Central Coast Celebration for Michael Bonaccorsi Scholarship Fund at UC Davis is happening on Sunday, August 2.
1740 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica.

Keep that champagne stamina going next night at Mélisse. Its Krug dinner, with owner Olivier Krug himself in attendance, features the Grand Cuvee and vintages from 1982, '85, and '98, and Josiah Citrin's dishes include duck confit, Santa Barbara prawn ravioli, John Dory braised in champagne, and spring veal loin and braised shank ($150 per person).
1104 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 395-0881 or www.melisse.com.

And finally, here's one that's relatively more for the people. Or at least it's definitely for the whole family. Club Culinaire of French Cuisine's annual Picnic des Chefs starts on Sunday, June 7 at 11:30 at Elysian Park's Monticello Old Lodge ($50 adults, $20 kids). A menu that's too long to go into here, just about all the French names from culinary Los Angeles along with other interested food folks, lots of wines (naturally), raffle, auction, etc. And this year the other red, white and blue is also green with bio disposable ware.
Stadium Way and Scott Avenue, Echo/Elysian Park, (949) 295-0506 for info.