Boca Raton Historical Society "Cheers" Success of Boca Bacchanal
Winefest & Auction

Educational Causes in Boca Raton Benefit from Fundraising Efforts

Boca Raton, FL - (April 4, 2005) - The Boca Raton Historical Society is cheering the success of its third annual Boca Bacchanal Winefest & Auction, a fundraising event created to celebrate wine and food while providing the entire community an opportunity to join together in an enjoyable cultural event. Once again, the dynamic Boca Bacchanal committee presented a weekend of delectable festivities.

Starring were an evening of magnificent vintner dinners, a delightful tasting and sipping luncheon on the green, and an exciting auction and dinner…all to support the Heritage Education Programs of the Boca Raton Historical Society, the George Snow Scholarship Fund which provides need-based college scholarships for young people to reward excellence, and the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce's "Golden Bell" Education Foundation, providing assistance to local schools in grades K thru 12th. A highlight of the fundraiser was the presentation of the first Boca Bacchanal Awards of Excellence to famed cookbook author and teacher Marcella Hazan, and to legendary vintner Warren Winiarski, renowned as founder of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and wine educator.

“We were honored to welcome Marcella Hazan and Warren Winiarski, individuals who have done so much to enhance appreciation of food and wine, to Boca Bacchanal, and we were equally thrilled with the support we received from our sponsors, volunteers and guests at this year’s event,” said chairperson Kathryn Gillespie “Their generosity will have a direct, positive effect on the lives of many people in our community, now and in the future.”

Gillespie said that over 1,800 people attended the weekend festivities and that the event grossed $635,000, including in-kind sponsorships. She pointed out that the auctions raised $168,700, and that a “fund-a-need call” at the live auction netted $ 20,250 which will be used to complete the Newspaper Preservation Project at the Boca Raton Historical Society. This initiative provides for the digitized collection of hometown newspapers to be placed on a special website where they can be read and researched by history buffs and students, providing valuable primary information on the growth of Boca Raton from a small town to a
cosmopolitan city.

The weekend began with ten “sold out” Vintner Dinners held in private homes and historic sites in the Boca Raton area, with 360 guests savoring the exceptional food and wine. Each venue was a magnificent setting for the talents of the chefs and the outstanding wines poured by
the vintners.

The chefs were Miles Angelo (The Caribou Club, Aspen, CO); Jim Dodge (Bon Appetite Management, San Francisco, CA along with Celebrity Guest Chef Rich Vellante (Legal Sea Foods, Boston, MA); Carmen Gonzalez (Carmen the Restaurant, Coral Gables, FL); Edgar Leal (Cacao, Coral Gables, FL); Nancy Oakes (Boulevard, San Francisco, CA) Louis Osteen (Louis’s at Pawley’s Pawley’s Island, SC); Fulvio Siccardi (Ristorante Conti Roero, Monticella d’ Alba, Italy); Ken Vedrinski (Sienna Restaurant, Daniel Island, SC) and Johnny Vinczencz (Johnny V, Fort Lauderdale, FL).

The presenting vintners were Peter K. Huwiler (Merryvale Vineyards, Napa Valley, CA); John W. Gay (Rosemount Estates, Australia); W. Reed Foster (Ravenswood Wines, Sonoma, CA); Warren Winiarski (Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars); Dennis Cakebread (Cakebread Cellars, Rutherford, CA); Michaela Rodeno (St. Supéry Vineyards, Rutherford, CA) Aldo Rafanelli (Antinori Estates, Italy) Giovani Folonari (Tenute A & G Folonari, Chianti, Italy); Michael Weiss (Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY) and Italian producers Malvira’, Cigliuti, Borgo Maragliano, and Cascian Fontana (Piedmont, Italy).

On Saturday afternoon a talented troupe of Boca Raton’s top chefs and restaurants gathered to cook up a rousing Grand Tasting, a “by the bite” luncheon at the Center for the Arts at Mizner Park. The event featured more than 140 different wines, live music by Jeff Kaye and members of the Boca Raton Symphonia, and wine seminars by Michael Weiss, Chairman of the Wine Education Department at the Culinary Institute of America in New Hyde Park, NY. Approximately 1,000 individuals took part in the festivities.

On Saturday evening, the weekend’s centerpiece event, the Auction & Dinner, was held at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. The Resort’s Chef James Reaux presided over the grand tasting reception and multi-course dinner, created by the Vintner Dinner chefs and vintners. Auctioneer Dave Reynolds presented 39 extraordinary lifestyle lots and wines, deftly coaxing the bids higher and higher for each item.

Boca Bacchanal chairs include: Kathryn Gillespie, Tim Snow and J.C. Perrin, Co-Chairs; Chris Kearney and Saby Diaz, Vintners; Chef Jim Dodge, Chef Advisory Chair; Chuck Jabloski, Grand Tasting Chefs Chair; Chef James Reaux, Auction Dinner Chefs; Mary Jane Evans, Vintner Dinners; Ann Rutherford, Mary Glynn Toomey, and Lisa Warren Grand Tasting; Susan and Jerry Wolf Auction and Dinner; Kathryn Gillespie, Beth King and Cathy Spano, Auction; Carter Strickland, Wine Committee; Carla Marsh and John Lewis, Vintner Dinner Chefs; Lauri Saunders and Karen Larkan, Chef Hosts; Donna Geisert, Chef Liaisons; Carla Marsh, Public Relations; Cynthia Brown, Underwriting; Kae Jonsons, Pre-events; Mark Weinstein, Travel; Robin Deyo, Website and Roland Bressler, Program.

Boca Bacchanal corporate and private sponsors include Mrs. Elaine Wold, Boca Raton Magazine, National Distributing Company, Boca Raton Resort & Club, JM Family Enterprises, The Wine News, Un Po' Pazzo, Inc., Carla Marsh Public Relations, Legal Sea Foods, Luxuria, R.A. Ritter Foundation, Master Design Group, The Newman and Craske Families, Northern Trust Bank, Pointe Bank, Cendyn, Rutherford, Mulhall, PA; Publix Super Markets Charities, Champagne Taittinger and Classy 92.1 FM.

Vintner Dinner Hosts were Shelagh and Scott Adams, Denise and Lou Bachrodt, Cynthia Brown & Susan and Jerry Wolf, Robert B. Campbell, Peggy and Stephen Ruzika, Asa and Per-Olaf Loof, Orrine and Warren Orlando, Nova Southeastern University, Diane and Jean-Francois Roy, John Temple and Judith Gittinger and Liz and Tim Williams.

The Boca Raton Historical Society is located at 71 North Federal Highway. For information on next year’s Boca Bacchanal Winefest & Auction, call 561-395-6766.


Visit the event website at www.bocabacchanal.com.

Photo ID:   L-R Victor & Marcella Hazan with Warren Winiarski

Photo ID:   L-R Tim Snow, Mary Csar, J.C. Perrin and Kathryn Gillespie

Photo ID:   L-R Lucy Craske, Alice Waxman and Susan Whelchel