NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - May 21, 2013) - The Albariño Explorers Club is packing its bags and launching the Albariño Explorers Club Ambassador Tour with Philadelphia-based wine writer, consultant, and educator Brian Freedman, selected last year as the 2013 Albariño Explorers Club Ambassador. Mr. Freedman will travel throughout the spring and summer to four cities across the U.S., including Philadelphia, Miami, San Francisco, and a final city to be determined through a nationwide Pinterest contest. The Albariño Explorers Club (AEC) is the go-to online community connecting wine lovers with Spain's finest white wine -- crisp, refreshing Albariño from Rías Baixas.

After being chosen as the winner of last year's AEC Ambassador video contest, Freedman traveled to Albariño's birthplace, Rías Baixas, to become fully immersed in the culture of the region and its wines. He will now share his knowledge of and passion for these wines through trade and consumer events in each city on the AEC Ambassador tour. From consumer happy hours, to retail store tastings, to educational wine dinners, the AEC Ambassador will host a variety of activities in each city in order to spread his love for Albariño across the U.S.

The tour will kick off from May 23^rd to the 25^th in Freedman's home city of Philadelphia. Here, among other things, he will conduct an Albariño-themed dinner with COOK Philadelphia, lead two staff training sessions at local restaurants, and pour Albariño samples and meet with diners at The Mildred. Freedman will then quench thirsts in Miami from June 6^th through 8^th. Dates and activities for the final two cities of the AEC Ambassador tour will be announced in late June.

While on the road touring and throughout the entire year, Freedman will also be blogging, vlogging, and tweeting. Be sure to visit the AEC website (www.albarinoexplorersclub.com), Facebook page, (www.facebook.com/RBWines) and Twitter (@RiasBaixasWines) for updates from the AEC Ambassador and to find out how to join in on upcoming tour events.

In anticipation of the AEC Ambassador tour launch, Mr. Freedman commented, "I cannot wait to begin my North American tour. After spending a week in Rías Baixas and experiencing the astounding range and variety of expressions of Albariño, I'm beyond excited to share it all with wine lovers across the United States and to enjoy these phenomenal wines alongside regional cuisines from coast to coast."

In conjunction with the AEC Ambassador Tour, the Albariño Explorers Club will also launch a Pinterest contest to determine the Ambassador's fourth and final tour city. The "My City Loves Albariño Wine Because..." contest encourages Pinterest users to visually detail the reasons why their cities love Albariño wine from Rías Baixas using a dedicated pinboard and photos from the Rias Baixas websites and beyond. The creator of the most clever and convincing pinboard will win an Albariño dinner party with four friends in his or her home city, hosted by Mr. Freedman. The contest runs until July 15^th, 2013, so get ready to pin & win by visiting www.pinterest.com/riasbaixaswines for full rules.

Media can contact Courtney Schiessl at cschiessl@cornerstonepr.com or 212-605-0370 for more on the AEC Ambassador Tour or Mr. Brian Freedman, details about the Pinterest contest, or for more information about Albariño from Rías Baixas.

About Rías Baixas Albariño

Formed in 1988, the Rías Baixas DO is the leading Denomination of Origin in the Galician region of northwestern Spain. The DO owes much of its acclaim to the white Albariño grape, elevated by many in Spain to cult status, a trend that has spread to the U.S. in recent years. For more information, please visit www.riasbaixaswines.com.

About Wines from Spain
Wines from Spain, a promotional division of the Trade Commission of Spain in New York City, under the auspices of the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX), is committed to promoting the awareness of Spanish wines and spirits throughout the United States, through education, informational materials, special events and promotions. For further information on specific wine regions and producers, please visit www.winesfromspainusa.com.

About Cornerstone Communications
Cornerstone Communications, Ltd. is a full-service public relations, marketing and event management agency specializing in wine, food, travel, and other lifestyle clients. With over 25 years of experience, Cornerstone Communications has built a reputation in expanding brand awareness with fresh approaches and providing effective marketing solutions for luxury products. For more information, visit www.cornerstonepr.com.