Sarasota-Manatee Originals supporters wine and dine
The Forks & Corks Grand Tasting was held on Jan. 28 at the Feld Entertainment Studios.
By
Kayleigh Omang
| 2:57 p.m. January 28, 2018
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After a last minute location change, the Sarasota-Manatee Originals pulled off another successful year of Forks & Corks on Jan. 28 at the Feld Entertainment Studios in Palmetto.Â
Inside the venue, 45 restaurant booths and an abundance of wines were lined up to taste by a sold-out crowd of 1,500.
Among the wines, 81 were given the 2018 "Top of Class" Medals. The winners were chosen in late November by a panel of 16 beverage professionals. In all, 300 wines were entered in the competition.
This year's best of show winner in the red wine category was a Cabernet Sauvignon from Bell Wine Cellars out of Napa Valley, California. In the white wine category, unoaked chardonnay, "304" by Neyers Vineyards out of St. Helena, California, took the cake.Â
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Anne and Hudson Smith
Melissa Schindel-Kaplan and Todd Kaplan
Champagne is poured for the VIPs in the shopping room.
Felicia and Gary Tonson
Kettle of Fish
Nannette Cobb and Elvina Bergmann
Selina Ray and Joe Richardson
House smoked fish dip with capers and red onion, served with a hemp cracker at the Beach House.
Renee and Tom Brady
Zack Bozarth, a cook at the Sandbar Waterfront Restaurant, tops the hemp crackers with green tomato pie with caviar.
Hemp cracker with green tomato pie, topped with caviar at the Sandbar Waterfront Restaurant.
Rochelle Nigri, Kara Saunders and Candice Muller
Tony Abbott and Olivia Lemke
Payton Saturen, Mikayla Klauber, Terri Klauber, Steve Rogers, Jimmy Shavery and Co-Chairman Michael Klauber
Christoff at Salute! serves up a spinach tortellini.
Stephanie and Jordan Hallam
Michael and Sarah Mackie
Jill Hanlon, Pam Scott, Audrey Corso, Nicole Castillo, Monique Ross and Jamie Jalwan
Sherry Reed and Charlene Putnam
Denise Ellis, Kelly Regan and MaryBeth Kosmicki
Debra KealKahn and Kristina Nonnemacher
Paul Lipinski and Sawsan El Okdi
Guests learned about the wines at 2880 Wines.
Maura Naughton pours a glass of wine from La Favorita.
Harry's double fudge.
Lynn Clement, Cynthia Miller, Jean Rebel and Erin Reid
Mike and Adriana Traver, Mark and Jen Conner, Christine and Mark Tuchman and Rene and Brad Moyer
A bottle from Willamette Valley Vineyards out of Willamette Valley, Oregon, signed by the founder of the company, was up for bids at the silent auction.
Nathan and Bethany Carr, David and Jen Otterness and Erica and Taylor Aultman
Telese McKay, Jennifer and Randy Simms and Sandy Moore
Leo Hurtaeo and Lauren Glassman
Shelley Booth tries a red bled, "Enjoy La Vie," from Cordier out of Bordeaux, France.
Bart Lowther and Jessica Fuesy
Tiffany Cureau serves beer from Goose Island.
Attendees were able to buy their favorite wines from the buying room during Forks & Corks.
