Celebrity Friendship Leads to Wine Tasting at Sarasota Trading Company

When you're in the fine antiques business, you never know who you're going to meet.

Napa Valley royalty Jean-Charles Boisset and Gina Gallo recently purchased some French gilded high-style pieces from Sarasota Trading Company, and a friendship was formed between the famous wine makers and Andrew and Elizabeth "Lathrop" Ford, owners of Sarasota Trading Company and sister company Sarasota Estate Auction. Before long, the Fords were invited to an intimate dinner party at the celebrity couple's home -- the former Robert Mondavi estate in Napa Valley -- and Sarasota gained a wine tasting event.

Guests recently sampled fine wine and hors d'oeuvres while enjoying 50 percent off storewide on art, antiques, furniture and collectibles at Sarasota Trading Company in downtown Sarasota. And whose wines were featured? You guessed it. Among the samples were pinot noirs from the DeLoach and Buena Vista wineries, cabernets and chardonnays from Raymond Vineyard and JCB champagne.

Located in the historic Burns Court district at 522 S. Pineapple Avenue, Sarasota Trading Company is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Telephone: (941) 953-7776.

PHOTOS:

Janet Casserly

Andrew Ford with Carmen & Larry Lawrence; Janet Casserly and Frida Bagel; Gail and Jerry Kanesky; Sharon Miller and Shelley Stein; Lisa and Donald Reuter, Lathrop Ford and Loreen Rua; Mr. and Mrs. Glazer with Andrew Ford

Andrew and Lathrop Ford pose with Doug Page's 1948 Chevrolet Convertible