February 4th – 6th
Each year in February The Triangle Wine Experience brings to you, right here in Raleigh, exclusive wine dinners and free wine tasting events with winemakers from California and all over the world. You will have the opportunity to attend auctions where you can find lots that you never thought you could find of rare vintages and oversized bottles. Vacations to Italy, Mexico, Napa Vally and Hawaii!!! Meet new friends and simply have the evening to remember full of what a glass of wine does best ~ bring people together in celebration!
“This event is now receiving national recognition. Consumers are realizing that we have depth and quality of auction lots, offering rare `cult’ Napa Valley producers and Bordeaux selections. Internationally acclaimed vintners host our winemaker dinners and our participating restaurants serve extraordinary food. And – we’re fun!”
The Triangle Wine Experience is the Triangle and Carolina’s premier wine event encompassing tastings, dinners, and a Grand Gala with Fine Wine Auction over a three day period. Winemakers from all over the world participate in this truly amazing event.
All proceeds from the Triangle Wine Experience go to the Frankie Lemmon Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the education and support of children with special needs. The Frankie Lemmon School is a local public preschool in Raleigh NC for children ages 3 to 6 with developmental disabilities ranging from mild autism to Down’s syndrome, from sight impairment to mobility challenges. The Frankie Lemmon School is public and does not accept tuition, but with only 40% of the school’s budget coming from the North Carolina Public School Fund and rising costs of operating the school, they depend on the funds from The Triangle Wine Experience to keep them going.
If you can’t make all events, pick one and join me for the fun! Even if you are out of town you can help by donating wine or a product. Each year I pick a few special bottles from my collection and although it’s hard to give up and hand over, it feels really good to know that I am helping these kids out, kids I have gone to see at the school and have tugged on my heart strings. So give it up people…share the good stuff! And for any wineries out there that couldn’t attend locally we are still accepting wine donations and would love to have you participate in future events. You can contact the foundation at (919) 845-8880.
When in Raleigh can you enjoy an intimate winemaker dinner at one of our fine restaurants? Thursday February 4th you will have that very opportunity! Hey, you might not be able to do everything during this 3 day event, but a wine dinner in Raleigh with a high end wine that is affordable and goes to charity sounds like a no brainer to me! Believe me, I have been to several as both a volunteer and guest, and it’s an experience that I cherish and tons of fun, not a stuffy boring wine dinner at all! There are 29 restaurants participating in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill.
Which wineries are involved? To name just a few, come dine with Miner Family Vineyards, Cakebread, Caymus, Kosta Browne, Patz & Hall, Reynolds Family Winery, Switchback Ridge, Duckhorn, Realm Cellars, Robert Foley or Pride. For a complete list of restaurants and wineries involved visit The Triangle Wine Experience.
FRIDAY FREE EVENT ~ Evening Sip, Shop & Sign 5-6:30pm
Winemakers will be pouring, discussing and selling their fine wines at select wine retailers. Come sample, buy a bottle and have it signed. This is a great opportunity to learn a little more about wine and make new friends while you’re at it. This event is free and no reservations are required. You’ll find me at Taylor’s Wine Shop giggling and having fun with Taylor and Gail. Join us Friday February 5th from 5-6:30 at any of the participating retail wine shops. Click here to find out which of the 15 wine stores are closest to you!
SATURDAY GRAND GALA & AUCTION
Come join me for one of the most fun nights you will have all year!! Getting all dressed up in your black tie digs with somewhere to go, drinking incredibly special wines, meeting new friends, having the opportunity to bid on and take home some rare finds that you can’t find commercially and dance the night away….. all while fighting for a great cause!
Please come join me for this grand gala with a Hollywood theme “Hollywood & Vine”. There will be two spirited auctions ~ one live and one silent. You will be delighted to see such spectacular wines, rare vintages and oversized bottles. You will see some really cool lots up for auction such as 20 (3) Liters of California wines as well as a lot with over 20 magnums! Kosta Browne, DR Stephens Estate Wines and Wind Gap have “pianos” of Wine (375’s/750’s/mags/3L/6L). You can bid on the owner’s box for a Yankees Game with Steve Reynolds that includes flight, hotel, and a DelFrisco’s private dinner. Vacation time…..there will be trips to Italy, Mexico, Hawaii, CALIFORNIA! You will find SO many wonderful things especially for the Triangle Wine Experience. The live auction will be presided over by Paul Hart of Hart Davis Hart Wine Company. After the auctions, come get your groove on dancing the night away to a live entertaining band. I would not steer you wrong my friends, I look forward to this event every year and each year, it just keeps getting better!
Cheers from The Traveling Grape!
Carolina Ale House is the Exclusive Host of the Canes Cool Bar Tours Once Again
