Children
Big Winners
at Boca Bacchanal Winefest & Auction
Children's Causes in Boca Raton: Community
Education Programs of the Boca Raton Historical Society and the
Maternity and Children's Service at Boca Raton Community Hospital
to Benefit
BOCA RATON, FL - March 25, 2003 - It was a weekend of exquisite
dining, fine wines, "revelry on the green," a stunning
Auction Dinner and a lovely outdoor farewell brunch. When it was
concluded with a rousing "cheers" toast, it was the
children of Boca Raton who were big winners as the Boca Raton
Historical Society presented its first annual Boca Bacchanal Winefest
& Auction March 21-23 in Boca Raton, FL.
The "Bacchanal" name
is derived from the Roman festival of Bacchus, the god of wine,
celebrated in classical times with dancing, song and revelry.
This stellar fundraiser held true to its goal of celebrating wine
and food, offering many opportunities for the entire community
to join together in a festive atmosphere while supporting children's
causes in Boca Raton. The Community Education Programs of the
Boca Raton Historical Society and the Maternity and Children's
Service at the Boca Raton Community Hospital were this year's
beneficiaries.
The weekend began with Vintner
Dinners, ranging in size from 20 to 58 guests, held in the historic
Addison Restaurant as well as nine private homes and grand estates
in the Boca Raton area. Each venue was a magnificent setting for
the talents of the chefs and the outstanding wines poured by the
vintners. These acclaimed chefs included Jody Adams (Rialto, Cambridge,
MA); Michelle Bernstein (Azul, Miami, FL); John Besh (Restaurant
August, New Orleans, LA); Jim Dodge (The Getty Center, Los Angeles,
CA); Cesare Giaccone, (Ristorante dei Cacciatore, Piedmont, Italy)
; Nick Morfogen (32 East, Delray Beach, FL); Oliver Saucy (Café
Maxx, Pompano Beach, FL); Hiro Sone & Lissa Doumani (Terra,
St. Helena, CA) ; Allen Susser (Chef Allen's, Aventura, FL) and
Alice Weingarten (Alice's at La Te Da, Key West, FL)
The presenting vintners were Swanson
Vineyards, (Rutherford, CA); Columbia Winery, (Woodinville, WA);
Steele Wines, (Kelseyville, CA); Chalone Wine Group, (Napa, CA);
Bodegas Faustino, (Rioja, Spain) ; ZD Winery, (Napa Valley, CA);
Vietti (Castiglione Falletto, Italy); Benziger Family Winery (Glen
Ellen, CA); Maison Louis Jadot, (Beaune, France); Barossa Valley
Estates, (Australia).
On Saturday afternoon 17 of Boca
Raton's top restaurants cooked up a rousing BOCAnalia afternoon
at the Center for the Arts at Mizner Park. The event featured
more than 200 different wines, live music and a presentation by
Steve Abrams, Mayor of Boca Raton, to a delegation of city officials
and vintners from Alba, Italy. Michael Weiss, a wine and spirits
professor at the Culinary Institute of America in New Hyde Park,
NY, presented two wine seminars in the Museum of Art. Approximately
1,000 individuals took part in the BOCAnalia festivities.
On Saturday evening the Private
Bank at Bank of America presented the weekend's centerpiece event,
the Auction Dinner at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. The Resort's
Chef James Reaux presided over the dinner, along with his fellow
culinarians who had created the Friday night Vintner Dinners.
The 325 guests were vying for a host of extraordinary lifestyle
lots and wines. A bottle of Grace Family Vineyard wine was purchased
for $12,000 and a Maginifica Class trip to Italy aboard Alitalia
Airlines was purchased for $9,500. Other top Auction lots included
a trip to the Sun Valley Jazz Festival ($4,800), Marchese Antinor
Italina wines ($8,500) and an "Ultimate Slumber Party at
the Boca Raton Resort & Club ($5,500). Dick Grace, owner of
Grace Family Vineyards and a wine industry icon, served as Honorary
Master of Ceremonies. David Reynolds was Auctioneer.
Boca Bacchanal 2003 concluded
with a beautiful "farewell brunch" in the scenic Cloister
Garden at the Resort. Jeff Kaye and a trio of fellow Florida Philharmonic
musicians provided a musical backdrop.
General co-chairs and organizers
of Boca Bacchanal are Carla Marsh, Ann Rutherford, Margaret Mary
Shuff and Joan Wargo, along with Boca Raton Historical Society
Executive Director, Mary Csar. Honorary Chairmen are Mr. &
Mrs. Louis Green and Dr. & Mrs. Keith C. Wold. Other key chairs
include: Carter Strickland, Wine Committee; Mr. & Mrs. Timothy
Snow and Mr. & Mrs. Mike Baker, Vintner Dinners; Lisa Ring-Warren
and Christine Coyle, BOCAnalia; Renee Feder and Becky Davis, Grand
Finale Dinner, Kate Toomey and Joanie Robertson, Auction and Diana
Strickland, Brunch.
Boca Bacchanal corporate and private
sponsors include Dr. & Mrs. Keith C. Wold, The Private Bank
at Bank of America, Boca Raton Magazine, National Distributing
Company, Alitalia Airlines, Boca Raton Resort & Club, JM Family
Enterprises, Palm Beach County Tourist Development Council, The
Wine News, Carla Marsh Public Relations, Lou Bachrodt Chevrolet,
Master Design Group, Schmidt Family Foundation, Boca Raton Transportation,
Cendyn, Delray Lincoln Mercury, Mizner Park, Mr. and Mrs. Charles
E. Rutherford, The Palm Beach Post, Publix Supermarkets Charities,
Taittinger, The Marsh Family Foundation, SUNNY 104.3 FM and Un
Po' Pazzo, Inc.
For more information please contact
the Boca Raton Historical Society at 561.395.6766. Please monitor
the event website at
www.bocabacchanal.com
for an event photo scrapbook and for the announcement of the dates
for next year's event.
