What started out as an obscure food and wine event three years ago has blossomed into a five-day epicurean extravaganza that brings together scores of winemakers, restaurateurs and an eager public every November.

The San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival is the brainchild of event organizers Ken Loyst and Michelle Metter. Their goal is to shine the spotlight on the wine and culinary scene through a series of instructional classes led by notable chefs and vintners, plus a reserve tasting of new wine releases and an outdoor “grand event” where hundreds of wines are poured and show-stopping cuisine is doled out.

This year’s expanded festival runs from Wednesday, Nov. 8, through Sunday, Nov. 12, and opens with a new event called The WineRave.

“We wanted to produce something that reaches out to consumers in their 20s and 30s who are just now developing an appreciation for wine,” says Metter. “The Rave is designed to better educate them in a fun nightclub setting with a DJ, edgy wine and spirits, and lots of great food.”

Admission to The WineRave, scheduled from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. on Nov. 8 at Belo in the Gaslamp, is $40 in advance and $50 at the door. It will feature such libations as the Earthquake wine series by Michael David Winery, Zig Zag Zin by Mendocino Wine Co., plus Peroni Beer and trendy liqueurs.

The activities continue on Nov. 9 and 10 with an array of wine and cooking classes conducted by top regional chefs and wine experts. Among them is openly gay chef Dave Lawrence of Los Angeles, author of Boy Eats World: A Private Chef Cooks Simple Gourmet and who was recently voted “hottest chef” by Out magazine.

Lawrence will present “Cocktails and Hors d’oeuvres To Die For,” from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Nov. 9 at the San Diego Wine and Culinary Center (admission is $55) and will present another class based on his book from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Nov. 10 at Macy’s School of Cooking (admission is $60).

Nearly a dozen more classes are scheduled at various local venues within those two days, featuring other food and wine experts who will focus on everything from sparking wines and Napa cabernets to making the perfect paella and creating meals from autumn harvests. A detailed listing of classes is available at www.worldofwineevents.com.

The festival’s pinnacle event is the Grand Tasting, scheduled from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. on Nov. 11 at Embarcadero Park North behind Seaport Village. (Admission is $95 or $150 for VIP access.)

Here, visitors will be wowed by nearly 60 notable chefs from San Diego County and 150 international winemakers as they dispense samples of gourmet foods and luscious wine varietals. Participating restaurants include Oceanaire, Celedon, Nine-Ten, JRDN and George’s at the Cove, to name a few.

“The chefs look at this event as a friendly competition among their peers,” says Metter. “So they all try to outdo each other, which means that the kind of cuisine you get to eat is amazing.”

A majority of the participating wineries are from California, including a strong contingent from Paso Robles. But Metter adds that the number of international wineries taking part this year has increased, as well as those from Oregon and Washington states.

New to the Grand Event is “a lifestyle tent” for lounging and soaking in live music, as well as an olive oil tasting tent hosted by the California Olive Oil Commission.

“There will be 50 different kinds of oils available for sampling, with representatives from the commission discussing their complexities and cooking tips,” Metter adds.

The five-day program wraps up with a Hornblower cruise and Mumm champagne brunch, as well as the Grand Cru Golf Classic at Cottonwood Golf Club in Rancho San Diego, both scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 12.

For more information about the events, call (619) 342-7337 or visit the Web site.