Grape to Glass Gala set for May 18
The Vineyard and Winery Technology Program at Yakima Valley College will host the 15th Annual Grape to Glass Gala — A Winemaker’s Dinner on Saturday, May 18, at 6 p.m. The festive event raises funds for vineyard and winery technology student scholarships. Held at the Yakima Valley College Conference Center, 1704 W. Nob Hill Blvd. in Yakima, the event will include a dinner, beer and wine tasting, live music and a silent auction.
The winemaker’s dinner will include a gourmet meal prepared by Bon Vino’s Bistro and a dessert auction by Scratch Bakery. This year’s event theme is “Meet the Maker” and features a dinner paired with wines from YVC’s award-winning Yakima Valley Vintners as well as a happy hour with offerings created by alumni of YVC’s program working at Terveri Cellars, WIT Cellars, Dineen Vineyards, Moonshot Brewing and Wheel Line Cider. In collaboration with the YV-Tech Culinary Arts Program, YV-Tech students will assist the caterer with dinner service and YVC students will serve wine.
YVC student Lorenzo Sanchez said the support provided by this annual event is essential to helping students like him complete their degrees and succeed in Washington’s wine industry. He noted the scholarship money has helped eased the financial burden on him and his family.
“I am honored to be a recipient of the vineyard and technology scholarship,” Sanchez said. “I will make sure I use that money wisely to continue to help my childhood dream of graduating college.”
Yakima Valley Vintners produces 400-700 cases of wine per year. Its award-winning wines were first released during the 2008 Yakima Valley Spring Barrel Tasting. Produced by students of the Vineyard and Winery Technology Program, these wines have now garnered the most Platinum awards of any student-made wines in the state. Tasting rooms in Yakima and Grandview offer the public an opportunity to taste and purchase YVV wines.
Early bird tickets for the Grape to Glass Gala are $95 per person or $540 for a table of six ($110 per person if purchased after April 15). Tickets are on sale online or at the Yakima Valley Vintners Yakima Tasting Rooms in Yakima and Grandview.