Red, White and Fiction

A crisp fall evening combined with regionally paired appetizers and wines made for a very successful second annual Wine Tasting Fundraiser at the Wilton Library. 

"The event is sold out," said Director of Development Anne Rowlands.  "One hundred tickets were sold and there are probably one hundred and five people here tonight." 

Guests were greeted with tasting glasses delicately decorated with festive name tags coiled around the stem. 

"Our department made all the decorations on the glasses," said Rowlands proudly. 

The library's benefit, which raised five thousand dollars last year, was made possible thanks to Wilton Library Trustee Jeff Barbour and his business New Canaan Wine Merchants.  Barbour's shop donated all of the wine for the evening's tastings and ten percent of orders placed the evening the event was held would also go to the library. 

"I hope all of you know what a beautiful gift you have in this library," said Barbour.

The informal and lively crowd enjoyed wines from Spain, Italy, France and the United States (mainly California).  Each regional station served hors d'oeuvres donated from five Wilton restaurants. 

Dina! Restaurant and Bar provided their famous pecan crusted chicken and artichoke and risotto balls, both served by none other than restaurant owner Dina Weitz.  Running back and forth between the oven and catching up with customers Weitz said, "Lots of people here tonight come to my restaurant."  Weitz is a Wilton local herself and a graduate of Wilton High School's Class of '81.  She was happy to help out such an important institution in the community in which she grew up.

Rahim Ouloul, manager of Mediterranean Grill located right down the street from the library, was on hand serving Spanish meatballs to go along with the Spanish wines at the table. 

"We always sponsor anything around town," said Ouloul.  "I love to serve." 

Other restaurants who donated plates of food to the event were Marley's, Luca Italian Restaurant and Bon Appetite Café.

While guests milled around and tasted wines from 25 different vineyards, library staff set up registers to take orders at the end of the evening.  Bottles of wine could either be delivered to residents' homes or picked up at New Canaan Wine Merchants.

Wilton residents Chris and Pat Terranova are regulars at the library. 

"We come to all the fundraisers," said Chris, who decided to order wine not for himself and his wife, but for the employees of his company in Germany.  The Terranovas ordered several bottles of California wines which will be shipped to Europe. 

All of the wines offered for purchase at the fundraiser are regularly available at the New Canaan Wine Merchants shop.  For more information visit www.newcanaanwine.com.