Spring Wine Tasting Fundraisers

The season is upon us. If you try, you can almost find a major catalogue tasting every weekend in February. For usually $50-100 a ticket, you can have your fill of all sorts of wines and any manner of snacks. It can be a great way to get a jump on the wines you'll see a lot of this summer, or if you're not in the mood for crowds, it might just be a frustrating exercise in trying to get a sip of something, anything. If there's one thing I can say about these sorts of wine tastings, they're popular. Most sell out or come very close which means come ready to deal with lots of people and the ubiquitous one-ounce pour. But, they're a great way to see old friends, meet new ones, and try some wines you wouldn't normally buy unseen. Here are a few of the big ones coming up:

Friday, February 10: WFYI's Indy Wine Fest, Indiana Roof Ballroom, 140 W. Washington St., 5:30-8 pm. General admission tickets are $50. Special Connoisseurs Area tickets are available for $100. Order online or call (317) 715-2002 for tickets.

Friday, February 24: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Wine Opener, Indianapolis Children's Museum presented by Roche Diagnostics. 125 wines and samples from 10 local chefs plus a market place, specialty martinis, imported beer for those of you who don't want wine, live entertainment, silent auction and raffle. 6:30-7:30 for VIPs; 7:30-10:30 main event. $55 for regular tickets. $100 for VIP. Call the CFF office 202-9210 for tickets. ** This event sells out two to three weeks in advance every year so get tickets early to avoid a shut out.

Monday, March 13: Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization International Vintners Wine Tasting, at the Montage on Allison Pointe, 6-9 p.m. Wines and hors d'oeuvres, $75 per person. Call 844-6017 for tickets.

Friday, April 21: Midwest Cabernet Experience (one of my favorite tastings of the year). Presented by Kahn's Fine Wines to benefit the Heart Center at Riley Hospital for Children. 7-10 p.m. at the Montage on Allison Pointe. Tickets are $75 in advance for general admission and $90 at the door. Tickets for the Collector;s Room are $125 in advance and $140 at the door. You can purchase tickets at Kahn's Fine Wine Marketplace and the Cardiology Office at Riley Hospital.