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| Taste of wine and cheese for the kids |
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 By Jeremy JohanskiFor the 21st year in a row, wine connoisseurs and even those who enjoy a casual glass will be greeted with the best tasting event around. A Taste of Wine & Cheese will once again be held at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in Green Bay on Friday, Feb. 12. The annual event lets guests raise a glass in sampling more than 400 different wines and a huge assortment of gourmet cheeses, all to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay. Nick Arlt, public relations director for Festival Foods, one of the event’s major sponsors, noted, “The wine trend in the industry is increasing as far as volume, variety and numbers so it’s nice that this event is paralleling the trend across the nation.” Several years ago wines available for sampling at the event numbered around 200. In recent years, attendance, like that of the wine varieties offered, have increased greatly. Attendance at last year’s event topped 1,200. Due to that continued growth in the wine industry and the support from the event sponsors, attendees have been able to experience selections of wines that cover much of Wisconsin, the United States and the world winemaking industry. With the diversity in selection present at this event, it is no matter if you have your own private cellar that has been building for decades or whether you just had your first glass of a Riesling and would like to try more, exploration awaits. Denmark, Wis.-based BelGioioso Cheese has been a longtime major sponsor of this event and will once again provide samples of almost every imaginable variety of their cheeses. And when looking for which variety of wine might pair well with any of the numerous selections of cheeses, do not hesitate to ask. BelGioioso representatives will be on hand to chat as they pass out samples to guests and likewise, all the wines one could taste will be served at tables where experts can help coach how to choose, taste and pair anything one would sample. Representatives from vineyards and distributors across the country and world attend this event to make sure that every opportunity is given to enjoy their product. The Winemaker’s Dinner will again be held the evening before the event (Thursday, Feb. 11). This evening social and five-course meal provides an intimate setting to enjoy wines offered by Trapiche Winery from Argentina. The winemaker will be on-hand to offer samples of his wines and pair them with five dinner courses throughout the night. This event is geared toward those who have taken a thorough interest in wines and are willing to spend significantly more per person to attend this exclusive event. Friends of wine tasters need not be left alone either. This event truly reaches out to incorporate other tastes, interests and even designated drivers. Additional features of this year’s event will once again include a Jack Daniel’s tasting section, Pinnacle Vodka martini bar, a cognac tasting area and a mocktails station. Soda and water are also readily available at the event, free of charge through Pepsi, another event sponsor. Liquids and cheese are certainly not the only items on the table at the event either. Festival Foods makes sure tasters have ample opportunity to enjoy some fantastic hors d’oeuvres as well. Festival Foods has taken a very supportive role through their sponsorship with the Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay and provides the opportunity for event attendees to easily access many of the varieties of wines and cheeses tasted at the event. The wineries like coming to the annual Taste of Wine & Cheese event in Green Bay, largely because of the relationship that Festival Foods has with the event at large. “Almost exclusively, all (in the high 90 percentile range) of the wines available for tasting are available through Festival Foods’ Wine & Spirits departments…we’ve tried to do that because it’s a service we want to provide to people coming there,” said Arlt. Providing services that people need is nothing new to the Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay either. “A Taste of Wine and Cheese has become our largest fundraiser, raising over about $130,000 annually and over $1.5 million in its 21-year history,” said Angie Pestka, director of special events and promotions for the Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay. Pestka explained that two locations and seven after-school programs service the 8,300 Green Bay area children that are members benefiting from the services of the Club. “Each of those memberships cost the Club $279 per child,” noted Pestka, and thanks to donors and events like A Taste of Wine & Cheese, children and their families are only charged $5 annually. Tickets for A Taste of Wine & Cheese can be purchased in advance of the event at area Festival Foods locations, the same place that featured wines will be available for purchase after the event. For tickets to the Winemaker’s Dinner call Angie Pestka at 920-494-7090 ext. 1015. Complete details about the event are available online at atasteofwineandcheese.com. |
