Instead of traveling to central Washington or the Willamette Valley in Oregon for a winery tour, stay closer to home at this year’s Gusto! Fall Festival of Wines and Food.
Sample wines from about 40 wineries and food from a dozen local restaurants at the Everett Community College Foundation’s ninth annual wine festival on Saturday at Marine View Conference Center.
The event features representatives and wine makers from some of the Northwest’s top wineries, plus food and entertainment.
“We are expecting anywhere from 1,200 to 2,000 people this year,” said Sharla Stritzke who works with the college advancement program at Everett Community College.
Stritzke said people have called to say they are coming to the Everett event from as far away as Bellingham and Oregon.
“The event has expanded immensely,” she said. “Last year, there were 15 wineries and this year there are 41. We’re using all 9,000 square feet of the venue for this event.”
There will be cooking-with-wine demonstrations from chefs of local restaurants, including Lombardi’s, Luca’s and Picaroons. The demonstrations will be early in the afternoon, Stritzke said, so plan on arriving when the doors open if you want to take part.
Local restaurants providing tasty tidbits include the Flying Pig, Apulent and Emory’s.
Mix and mingle alongside other wine aficionados in the flight tasting room where participants can sample various wines.
“There are four varietals people can sample, including Chardonnay, syrah, Merlot and cabernet sauvignon,” Stritzke said. “People will be able to taste four different brands of each one.”
This year’s silent auction includes art and wine-related items.
“We’ve got over 80 items,” she said. “There are large format bottles, like magnums. Some are signed by the winemakers.”
Wine gift baskets, pieces of art and private wine tastings are all for auction. The auction will include a weekend trip to Pismo Beach, Calif., and a trip to Rosario Resort on Orcas Island, she said.
A student art show features works by students in the Everett Community College art program.
The “Ask the Expert” booth is staffed by wine industry representatives, who will offer answers to questions you might have.
“The booth will be staffed by either sommeliers, distributors or owners of wine shops,” Stritzke said. “They’ll also primarily be in the flight tasting room.”
The Tim Koss Group will provide light jazz for entertainment throughout the day.
Tickets are $25 and include a commemorative glass and plate with the Gusto logo. Proceeds “go directly to supporting student scholarships and programs on campus,” Stritzke said.
Please leave the kids at home, she said. “ID will be checked. If they’re not old enough, they won’t get in the door.”
“Get ready to have a really good time,” she said. “It’s turning into a premiere event in Everett.”
Reporter Tanya Sampson: 425-339-3479 or tsampson@heraldnet.com.
Gusto!
The Everett Community College Foundation hosts its annual Gusto! Fall Festival of Wines and Food features 41 wineries and foods from local restaurants.
When: 3 to 9 p.m. Saturday
Where: Marine View Conference Center, 404 14th St., Everett.
Tickets: $25, available at the door.
Information: 425-388-9535.
Gusto!
The Everett Community College Foundation hosts its annual Gusto! Fall Festival of Wines and Food features wineries and foods from local restaurants.
When: 3 to 9 p.m. Saturday
Where: Marine View Conference Center, 404 14th St., Everett.
Tickets: $25, available at the door.
Information: 425-388-9535.
Participants
Participating wineries include:
Adytum Cellars
Arbor Crest
Argyle Winery
Carpenter Creek
Chateau Ste. Michelle
Columbia Crest
Columbia Winery
Covey Run
Eola Hills
Fidelitas Winery
FireSteed
Flying Pig (microbrewery)
Forgeron Cellars
Glen Fiona
Goose Ridge Estate Vineyards
Hedges Cellars
Hogue Cellars
Hoodsport Winery
Hyatt Wine Cellars
Maryhill Winery
Montinore Vineyards
Preston Cellars
Saintpaulia Vintners
Samson Estates Winery
San Juan Vineyards
Sawtooth Winery
Scuttlebutt Brewery (microbrewery)
Silver Lake Winery
Sky River Meadery
Snoqualmie Vineyards
Sokol Blosser
Van Duzer
Waterbrook Winery
Woods Lake Winery
XS Vintners
Yakima Cellars
Yakima River Winery
Participating restaurants include:
Apulent
Bistro Vino
Central Market
Edmonds Community College Culinary Program
Emory’s
Flying Pig
LaCascina
Lombardi’s
Luca’s
Lumieres
Picaroons
Participating wineries
Adytum Cellars
Arbor Crest
Argyle Winery
Carpenter Creek
Chateau Ste. Michelle
Columbia Crest
Columbia Winery
Covey Run
Eola Hills
Fidelitas Winery
FireSteed
Flying Pig (microbrewery)
Forgeron Cellars
Glen Fiona
Goose Ridge Estate Vineyards
Hedges Cellars
Hogue Cellars
Hoodsport Winery
Hyatt Wine Cellars
Maryhill Winery
Montinore Vineyards
Preston Cellars
Saintpaulia Vintners
Samson Estates Winery
San Juan Vineyards
Sawtooth Winery
Scuttlebutt Brewery (microbrewery)
Silver Lake Winery
Sky River Meadery
Snoqualmie Vineyards
Sokol Blosser
Van Duzer
Waterbrook Winery
Woods Lake Winery
XS Vintners
Yakima Cellars
Yakima River Winery
Participating restaurants
Apulent
Bistro Vino
Central Market
Edmonds Community College Culinary Program
Emory’s
Flying Pig
LaCascina
Lombardi’s
Luca’s
Lumieres
Picaroons
Participating restaurants
Apulent
Bistro Vino
Central Market
Edmonds Community College Culinary Program
Emory’s
Flying Pig
LaCascina
Lombardi’s
Luca’s
Lumieres
Picaroons
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