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Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Gearing up for the Cincinnati International Wine Festival
For one weekend a year, many Dayton-area wine lovers turn their attention southward.
No, not Florida. Too far south. Tempting, though.
The Cincinnati International Wine Festival enters its 17th year this year with a few new wrinkles and a lot of old favorites. The Grand Tastings — the festival’s centerpiece that captures the most attention among us northerners — will be held March 23-24 in the Grand Ballroom on the third floor of the newly completed Duke Energy Center at 525 Elm St. in downtown Cincinnati.
The festival organizers have scheduled three Grand Tastings, during which 135 wineries offer more than 600 wines for sampling: 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. March 23, 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on March 24, and again from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. March 24. Tickets for the evening tastings cost $65 in advance, $70 at the door; the shorter afternoon tasting is $50 in advance, $55 at the door. Advance tickets are available at several Dayton-area wine shops. Last year’s Grand Tastings drew about 6,000 people in total, including winemakers and volunteer pourers.
This year, festival organizers are adding some food options to the Grand Tastings: they will include 10 food booths organized by Kroger that will offer samples of items such as pastas, pita chips, chocolates, and deli-style meats in addition to the food that the festival’s caterer has provided in previous events, according to Michelle Powell, the festival’s executive director.
The meager food offerings has been a criticism of festival-goers who otherwise gave last year’s event good reviews. We Miami Valley wine enthusiasts are no doubt a bit spoiled by the dazzling food selection of this region’s premier wine event, the Fleurs de Fete.
The Cincinnati wine festival grand tastings portion “is not meant to be dinner — it is a wine tasting,” Powell said.
The festival has other events that throw more of a spotlight on dining, including a series of winery dinners at Cincinnati-area restaurants on March 22, and — new this year — a Charity Auction and Luncheon on March 24 at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza’s regal Hall of Mirrors. A reception starts at 10 a.m., the auction at 11 a.m., with the luncheon following the auction. Tickets are $125 for the auction and luncheon, $50 for the auction only. The auction will include limited-release bottlings, winemaker-signed large-format bottles, rare wines and trips to wine destinations such as Bordeaux, Burgundy, Italy and California.
Carolyn Wente from Wente Family Estates will serve as honorary chair for this year’s grand tastings.
All events benefit various arts, education, and health and human services charities in the greater Cincinnati area Since 1991, more than $2.25 million has been raised and donated to local charities. For more information on tickets and a complete list of events, go to the festival’s web site at www.winefestival.com or call (513) 723-9463.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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