12th Annual Westchester Wine Experience This Saturday at Pace
By Martin Wilbur
For local wine connoisseurs and foodies, the Westchester Wine Experience has become one of the more highly anticipated dates on the calendar.
That will be no different this year when the 12th annual event once again takes over Pace University’s Kessel Center in Pleasantville. Presented by the Rotary Club of Pleasantville, this year’s proceeds from the Wine Experience benefits the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital in Valhalla.
More than 20 restaurants and caterers will be joined by over 20 beer and wine vendors where guests can sample some of the best food, wine and beer offered in Westchester, said Charles Hellmich, this year’s event chairman for the Pleasantville Rotary.
Some of the more recognizable restaurants who have signed up to participate are Iron Horse Grille, Mediterraneo Ristorante, The Riviera Restaurant and Louie Linguini’s from Pleasantville; Crabtree’s Kittle House from Chappaqua; Mythos Greek Restaurant from Thornwood; and Restaurant North from Armonk. Prospero Winery and Captain Lawrence Brewery are included on the list of wine and beer vendors.
Hellmich said each year the service organization selects a different recipient to be the beneficiary from the event. With Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital close by and having a long history of outstanding treatment of children and their families, it was a natural to be selected.
An anticipated crowd of between 300 and 400 is expected on Saturday. Typically, the Westchester Wine Experience has raised between $10,000 and $20,000 each year, Hellmich said.
While this is the Wine Experience’s 12th year, only about half those years has it been held at Pace. Hellmich said not only is it close by for the Rotary and many vendors, but the venue is centrally located and easy to reach from anywhere in the county.
For those who are interested in attending, tickets are $55 in advance and $60 at the door. To purchase tickets, view the complete list of vendors and get directions, call 914-310-0739 or visit www.westchesterwineexperience.com.
The Westchester Wine Experience is sponsored by Mahopac National Bank, WFAS Radio, Westchester Magazine and Pace University.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.