Cheers! Boca Bacchanal Toasts Successful Winefest & Auction

Heritage Education Program Benefits from Fundraising Efforts

Boca Raton, FL – April 1, 2008 - The Boca Bacchanal Committee is toasting its recently concluded sixth annual winefest and auction as the “best ever”. The gala food and wine event is presented annually by the Boca Raton Historical Society as the organization’s major fund-raiser. Patrons of Boca Bacchanal, held in Boca Raton, FL, sipped, savored, strolled and set a torrid pace for bidding at silent and live auctions. The committee reported that more than $475,000 was raised in support of the Boca Raton Historical Society and its Heritage Education Programs.

“We were honored to welcome a great roster of world-class chefs and vintners to Boca Raton. We appreciate their participation, and their efforts in doing so much to enhance appreciation of food and wine, and to make this event so enjoyable for our community. We were equally thrilled with the support we received from our partners, volunteers and guests.” said Wine Chairman Chris Kearney, Vice President of Fine Wine and Education at Republic National Distributing Company. “Their generosity will have a direct, positive effect on the lives of many people in our community, now and in the future.”

The weekend event began on Friday, February 29, with eight “sold out” Vintner Dinners held at private estates homes in the Boca Raton area, with guests enjoying 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 presenting chefs were John Doherty (The Waldorf=Astoria, NYC); Carlos Guia (Louis’s Las Vegas and Louis’s Fish Camp Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV) ; Donald Link (Herbsaint, New Orleans, LA); Cindy Hutson (Ortanique, Coral Gables, FL) ; Chris Prosperi (Metro Bis, Simsbury, CT); Pilar Sanchez (Pilar’s, Napa, CA); John Tesar (The Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas, TX) and Brian Young (The Tavern on the Green, NYC).

The presenting vintners were Silver Oak Cellars and Twomey Vineyards, Napa and Sonoma, CA (Tom Johnson); Champagne Taittinger, Reims, FR ( Jerome Jeandin); Bodegas Julian Chivite, Navarra, Spain (Chris Helies);Swanson Vineyards, Oakville, CA (Chris Phelps) ; Craggy Range, Hawk’s Bay, North Island, New Zealand (Terrance Peabody); Van Duzer Vineyards, Willamette Valley, OR (Tanna Massar Kutz) ; Truchard Vineyards, Napa , CA (Anthony Truchard) and Justin Vineyards & Winery, Paso Robles, CA (Justin Baldwin) .
On Saturday evening, the weekend’s centerpiece event, the Bacchanal & Auction, presented by Stanford Financial Group, was held at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. The Resort’s Executive Chef, Andrew Roenbeck, presided over the grand tasting reception and multi-course dinner, created by the Vintner Dinner chefs and Vintners. Toni May of WXEL-TV was Master of Ceremonies. DawnMarie Kotsonis was the entertaining and vibrant auctioneer.

On Sunday, top chefs from 30 area restaurants gathered to cook up a rousing Grand Tasting, a “by the bite” luncheon at the Centre for the Arts at Mizner Park. The event featured more than 140 different wines and a separate area for desserts, coffees and dessert wines. More than 1,500 food and wine aficionados attended the festivities.

Three additional events, a Wine Seminar, held March 4 at the Boca Raton Museum of Art, with Virginia Philip, Master Sommelier at The Breakers Palm Beach; a Luncheon and Tasting, held March 7 at Lynn University’s School of Hospitality Management; and the “Taste of Napa”, comprising a Joshua Bell concert, held March 14 at the Centre for the Arts, the concluding event of the Festival of the Arts Boca, and a food and wine “by the bite dinner”, completed Boca Bacchanal 2008.

The Boca Bacchanal Committee included Honorary Chairmen Tom and Marti White and General Chairmen Sharon and Bill Shubin. Joining them were Mary Jane Evans, Vintner Dinners; Tabitha La Tourneau and Jon Meyers, The Bacchanal & Auction; Julia Johnston, The Grand Tasting ; Carla Marsh, Vintner Dinner Chef Selection and Public Relations; Lauri Saunders, Vintner Dinner Chef Liaison; Robin Deyo, Website; Chris Kearney and Roxana Garciga, Wine Committee; Jaime Guttenberg, Joyce DeVita, Jerry Ruderman, Karen Larkin , Rob Sadowsky, Shari Gherman and many others.

Event partners include Republic National Distributing Company, The Boca Raton Resort & Club, Boca Raton Magazine, Crown Wine & Spirits, The Wine News, Cendyn, Stanford Financial Group, Daphne Seybolt Culpeper Foundation, Carla Marsh Public Relations, Legal Sea Foods, MDG Advertising, R.A. Ritter Foundation, WXEL-TV, Citibank, Champagne Taittinger, Publix Supermarkets Charities, JM Family Enterprises Inc., Palm Beach County Cultural Council and the Palm Beach County Tourist Development Council.

Boca Bacchanal benefits the Boca Raton Historical Society’s Heritage Education Programs, which take the past, as well as the unfolding history of Boca Raton, into the community. In 2007, over 3,800 students participated in BRHS education programs; 4,900 residents and visitors enjoyed BRHS history tours, exhibitions, lectures and archival services; 45,000 people visited Boca’s historic landmark buildings, Town Hall and the F.E.C Railway Station (Count de Hoernle Pavilion), which are maintained by the Boca Raton Historical society for the community.

The Boca Raton Historical Society is located at 71 North Federal Highway. The seventh annual Boca Bacchanal is scheduled for February 27- March 1, 2009. For information call 561-395-6766 X 101, or visit the website at www.bocabacchanal.com