The Long Island Merlot Alliance will launch its new LIMA East End Viticulture/Enology Scholarship & Internship Program at a fundraising dinner and silent auction Sunday, April 24, at Wölffer Kitchen in Sag Harbor.
The merlot-pairing dinner prepared by Wölffer Kitchen executive chef Brian Cheewing is designed to show off the grape’s diversity with five courses including fish, fowl and lamb.
The $3,500 scholarship will be awarded each year to a student in Suffolk County between 18 and 25 years old to study viticulture and enology at Cornell University. The award will also offer a summer-long internship to study the merlot grape at Wölffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack, Martha Clara Vineyards in Riverhead , Raphael in Peconic, T’Jara Vineyards in Mattituck and McCall Wines in Cutchogue.
“I think one of the beautiful things about living and growing in a cool-climate, maritime region like Eastern Long Island is that it sets the stage for merlot that really takes on that perfect combination of food-friendly attributes—zingy acidity, juicy, ripe fruit, just-right tannins,” said LIMA executive director Amy Zavatto. “I think these wines pleasantly surprise you with their diversity at the table.”
The dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. and the cost is $85 per person. For reservations, call Wölffer Kitchen at (631) 757-0101 or visit wolffer.com/events.
27east on Apr 15, 2016