Seeds of change afoot for wine fundraiser

To borrow a theme that has dominated American discourse for countless months, The Southwest Florida Wine & Food Fest is all about change this year.

Well, it's really all about wining and dining for a good cause, but there's much that's different for the Feb. 27-28 festival.

- Organizers moved the event from November so that more seasonal residents could participate.

- A new nonprofit group has been created to run the growing event, which began in 2004 as a project of the Downtown Fort Myers Rotary.

• The festival’s Grand Tasting & Auction has moved south to a bigger venue because of demand for tickets.

“We are very excited about how things are progressing,” said founding chairman Steve Machiz. “We’ve been able to assemble a group of 10 trustees with a commitment to fine wine and food and children’s charities. Each has made significant financial contributions that will allow us to give 100 percent of proceeds to charities.”

Tickets prices of $500 to $1,000 for private dinners and $300 for the auction will benefit The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida and Edison State College Pediatric Nursing Program. Last year’s fest raised more than $200,000, and organizers hope to boost the total to $500,000 despite this year’s recession.

This month’s Naples Winter Wine Festival netted about a third of the $14 million it raised last year.

“All 12 dinners will be sold out, and we anticipate over 400 at the auction,” Machiz said. “I think we’re on target. A lot of people are stepping up.”

The festival is attracting more wealthy patrons from south Lee County and Collier County, he said, “a demographic that has a capability to be more generous.”

What’s more, restaurants have been willing to send chefs on their busiest nights of the week and during their busiest time of year, he said.

Of course, the festival isn’t just about money.

It’s an opportunity to sip fine wines from California, Oregon, New Zealand and Europe while supping on cuisine prepared by visiting and local chefs. The highest profile in the kitchen this year is Keegan Gerhard, best known as the host of “Food Network Challenge,” who will prepare dessert at the local home of Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp.

Known for its Cabernet Sauvignons, Silver Oak of Napa and Alexander valleys was selected as the honored signature vintner this year. Festival wine director Jerry Greenfield had the choice assignment of traveling to California to taste and choose other wines to be served. He also coordinates wine and menus for the event.

“It’s more work than I ever imagined, but it’s a labor of love,” he said.

Like Silver Oak, most of the featured wines are readily available on the market, but some are expensive (Cakebread) and a few (V Madrone) are from boutique wineries that produce only 250 to 300 cases a year.

“One of the things we tried to do this year was to source wines from the grape’s native places,” Greenfield said. “If we’re drinking Pinot Noir, it’s coming from Burgundy or Oregon. The Cabernets are from Bordeaux or California.”

It’s an opportunity to sip fine wines from California, Oregon, New Zealand and Europe while supping on cuisine prepared by visiting and local chefs. The highest profile in the kitchen this year is Keegan Gerhard, best known as the host of “Food Network Challenge,” who will prepare dessert at the local home of Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp.

Known for its Cabernet Sauvignons, Silver Oak of Napa and Alexander valleys was selected as the honored signature vintner this year. Festival wine director Jerry Greenfield had the choice assignment of traveling to California to taste and choose other wines to be served. He also coordinates wine and menus for the event.

“It’s more work than I ever imagined, but it’s a labor of love,” he said.

Like Silver Oak, most of the featured wines are readily available on the market, but some are expensive (Cakebread) and a few (V Madrone) are from boutique wineries that produce only 250 to 300 cases a year.

“One of the things we tried to do this year was to source wines from the grape’s native places,” Greenfield said. “If we’re drinking Pinot Noir, it’s coming from Burgundy or Oregon. The Cabernets are from Bordeaux or California.”