Guests to sip eco-friendly wines at SCCF fundraiser
Drinking fine wine is an experience in itself, but tasting that same wine amidst Sanibel Island’s unique ecosystem is beyond comparison.
The Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation’s annual fundraiser, Wines in the Wild, offers guests a chance to stroll along the Nature Center’s trails, tasting wines that are organic, sustainable, or biodynamic.
The event is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 9 from 6-8 p.m. and proceeds benefit SCCF’s programs for the conservation of coastal habitats and aquatic resources on the island and surrounding watershed.
Last week, the Wines in the Wild Host Committee met at SCCF to put the finishing touches on the list of wines. They tasted each of the samples and shared whether or not it was enjoyable and a reasonable representation of what it’s supposed to be at the event.
Event Coordinator Tom Uhler said that two years ago the committee started choosing wines that were sustainable, organic, or biodynamic to fit with a new theme.
“That was really hard to do because the wineries were a lot less forthcoming back then about what they were really doing with their wines, but now it has become en vogue and everyone is talking about it,” said Uhler.
Whether a wine falls into one of the three categories depends on the winery conditions and how it’s made. Sustainable, for instance, could mean a farmer takes pruned cuttings or used grape skins and composts them back into the vineyard, while organic farmers use natural, organic fertilizers rather than chemicals.
Biodynamic farmers see the land as a holistic organism and even incorporate metaphysical practices. These type of farmers engage in practices that may seem to strange to those on the outside, such as packing a cow horn full of dung to bury underground, scattering ashes on fields as pest control, and only planting on certain phases of the moon.
Although finding a biodynamic winery is harder, Uhler said they typically make the best wine in the world.
“Truth of the matter is that some of it is very sensible and it really works,” said Uhler.
He added that each of the wines chosen for Wines in the Wild fall under one of the three categories.
“What we tried to find this year are wines that at least embrace an organic way of doing things,” he said.
Besides the variety of wines, food will be available from island caterer Leslie Adams. Guests will also have a chance to bid on wine and food experiences.
Tickets for Wines in the Wild are $75 per person in advance and $85 at the door. Reservations can be made by calling SCCF at 472-2329.
Presenting sponsor for Wines in the Wild is Bank of the Islands. The Host Committee sponsors are Nancy and Pete Bender, Linda and Wayne Boyd, Tory and Bill Burch, Leone and George Graham, Anne Haslem and Ed Wheeler, Sally-Jane Heit, Janie Howland, Mike Kelly, Deborah and John LaGorce, Ellen and Erick Lindblad, Kay and John Morse, Roberta and Philip Puschel, Joyce and Don Rice, Nancy and Chip Roach, Lucy and Paul Roth, Donna and John Schubert and Nanelle Wehmann.
For more information on SCCF, visit sccf.org.