New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
Sip. Savor. Celebrate. That is what you’ll be in for if you attend WHALE’s upcoming Annual International Wine Festival and Auction on Friday, September 16 from 5:30-9:00 pm in Custom House Square in New Bedford. Presented by WHALE and Westport Market, the Wine Festival has long been known as the largest wine tasting event south of Boston. If you are a wine or food connoisseur or you simply enjoy delighting your senses with tasty food and libations, you should attend this fun, fundraising event.
Tickets are $70 for WHALE members and Westport Market customers and $85 at the door. Tickets can be purchased in advance at WHALE, 128 Union Street in New Bedford and Westport Market in Westport or online at http://www.waterfrontleague.org/support-us/donations/. In addition, they can be purchased at the following locations: New Bedford – A Spa, The Bay/The Cottage, Celia’s Boutique, Freestone’s City Grill, and Travessia Urban Winery. Marion – My Fair Lady Consignment Boutique, Mattapoisett – Panache in Mattapoisett, South Dartmouth – The Packet, Details & Design.
Under festively decorated tents in Custom House Square, this is the place to be to enjoy more than 150 fine wines from around the world, champagnes from France, vintage and tawny ports, cognacs, single malt scotches, cocktails, and domestic and imported beers and ales. These libations are poured by professionals who can answer any and all of your questions and give you sound advice and tips on the best wine and food pairings. In addition, 18 local restaurants and caterers will be on hand to serve samples of their tastiest signature dishes.
The annual event attracts more than 500 guests annually. Allison Cresswell, of Westport Market and vendor recruiter says that they are ready for the crowds. “Westport Market is pleased to continue the longstanding tradition of excellence the Wine Festival is known for” stated Cresswell. “It is truly a world class event and this year will be no exception.” Cresswell adds that you don’t have to be a wine connoisseur to benefit from the event. “This a great opportunity for anyone to sample over a hundred wines to find your favorite one. It is far more economical to sample these wines than to purchase bottle after bottle looking for the wine you like the best.”
The Wine Festival is not just for wine enthusiasts notes Cresswell. “There will be beer, single malt scotches, and other liquor, too. There really is something for everyone.” And the professionals pouring the wine are ready to help, too. “They will be able to suggest the perfect food to go along with your favorite wine.”
It is true that rules for wine and food pairing have relaxed a bit, but the fact remains that certain flavors of food and wine mix better together than others. These days you’re more likely to hear food and wine pairing suggestions than hard and fast rules. There’s considerable room for experimentation and expression of your own personality in pairing food and wine. The bottom line is the wine and the food should complement each other.
At the Wine Festival you can learn how to achieve that perfect combination of food and wine tastes that will surely satisfy your family and your guests. For example, you can tempt your taste buds with Naked Grape Pinot Grigio or our own local Westport Rivers Riesling paired with flavorful and spicy foods like Jambalaya and corn bread from Morton’s catering or quesadillas from No Problemo. Pizza from Pizzans and Brick or chicken tortellini from The Pasta House will go perfectly with Fritz Chardonnay or Pinot Gris from Coastal Vineyards in Dartmouth. Try a sample of DonQ rum or Flavored Vodka from Vodka1 with the tapas appetizers from Cork. Be adventurous and try the Wicked Kicken Cheesecake with a “Naughty lemonade” made by TyKu Asian liquors. The Wine Fest will also be a great night to try the crab cakes from Not Your Average Joe’s with beer from Harpoon Brewery in Boston.
There are many more restaurants who will be serving their delectable dishes and many more wine pairings to be discovered at the upcoming Wine Festival. There are simply too many to name all the possibilities. Go and enjoy them all!
In addition to having the ability to taste more than 100 wines, champagnes, ports, and beer, Wine Festival guests who bring their wristband to Westport Market after the event through October 15 can get 15% off any liquor purchase at the store (groceries are not eligible for discount.). It will be a great time to pick up that bottle of wine you fell in love with at the Wine Fest.
Organizers note that the Wine Festival is not just about the food, wine, and auction. It is also about the cause. Proceeds from the Wine Festival will benefit WHALE. “WHALE is an exceptional nonprofit organization whose preservation efforts have transformed the way New Bedford looks forever,” noted Joyce D. Lopes, Event Co-Chair and WHALE Board Member. “Without successful fundraisers like the Wine Festival, WHALE couldn’t continue to fulfill its mission of saving important, endangered historic buildings – like the 1834 Howland House – in New Bedford. In our 49-year history, WHALE has rescued nearly 50 buildings and historic resources, all of which were deemed ‘impossible’ including the Zeiterion Theatre, The Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum, the Union Street Lofts, The Grinnell Mansion and Congregate Home for the Elderly, and now the Howland House.”
“WHALE is a cause worthy of our community’s support,” noted Wine Festival Co-Chair and Board member Michael J. Murray, “and we invite everyone to join us as we celebrate 49 years of preservation at this memorable event.”
Whether you are a wine novice or a connoisseur, this event is designed to satisfy even the most discriminating palate. For more information or to purchase your ticket please call WHALE at 508-997-1776 and come Sip, Savor, and Celebrate at the Wine Festival & Auction on Friday, September 16.
Culinary Delights Provided by:
- Brick Pizzeria Napoletana
- Beach Plum Bakery Café
- Cork
- Cravings Café & Cakery
- Dee Dees Delights
- Freestone’s City Grill
- Harriet’s Catering
- Morton’s Fork Catering
- Narragansett Star Café
- New England Clam Jams
- No Problemo
- Not Your Average Joe’s
- On A Roll
- The Pasta House
- Pizans
- Rose Alley Ale House
- Whaling City Diner
- Wicked Kickin Cheesecakes
