Tables filled with bottles of wine and plates of food awaited a crowd of tasters Wednesday, all holding their plastic sampling plates with built-in goblet holder.
Over 400 peeople strolled through Bordine Nursery at the Clarkston Rotary Club Fall Wine Tasting, sampling wines from all over the world, as well as cuisine from local restaurants.
‘Bordines have been a great supporter of the Rotary,? said Gary Hanna, vice president of the Clarkston Rotary. ‘They’ve been kind enough to open up their business to us for one night.?
The wine tasting included varieties from France, South America, Germany, and Australia, as well as California, Washington State, and Michigan. Featured this year were sparkling wines.
Carolyn Jones, a Rotary trustee from Anchorage, Alaska, flew down especially because of that addition.
‘Last year, I had a wonderful time, but I saw that my beverage of choice was not represented ? there was no champagne,? said Jones, who travels around the world on behalf of the Rotary, and has most recently started clubs in Russia.
‘I told them that if they sell champagne, I would come back on my own nickel and pour it myself.?
Jones poured sparkling wines from Argentina, Italy, and Australia, as well as from Champagne, France.
This is the eighth year for the wine tasting. Money raised in the event, about $7,000, will all stay in Clarkston. It will fund projects including downtown Christmas lighting and decorations, scholarships, and Shoes for Kids.
The shoes program provides boots, hats, gloves, mittens, and other clothing items, in addition to shoes. It will help about 500 children in need in Clarkston this year.
‘It’s a really good cause,? Hanna said. ‘People think of Clarkston being an affluent area, but there are still a lot of people in need here.?
Other Rotary projects include the Labor Day parade, SCAMP picnic and other community activities.
Clarkston Rotary members all help out with the wine tasting, said Rotarian Mary Sloan.
‘It’s wonderful ? it makes the club more cohesive,? Sloan said. ?’Everyone joins in to sell tickets, and bring in wineries and restaurants.?
‘We all have jobs,? Hanna said. ‘It’s a lot of work to get ready and organized.?
The wine tasting featured 14 local restautants, said Rotarian Bart Clark, the organizer of the event this year.
Getting it ready took about two months, but club members made the job easier, Clark said.
‘I was more of a coordinator ? everyone jumps up to the plate,? he said.
Bordine’s owners and employees have been very cooperative, he said.
‘They’re as good as it gets,? he said.
The event is a good way to help the community, said Calvin Bordine, vice president of Bordine Nursery.
‘It’s easy for us and great for the community,? Bordine said. ‘It’s been a huge success ? who doesn’t like wine??
The Bordine family has always been supportive of Rotary, said Rotarian Jeff Lichty, who organized the first wine tasting event.
‘They go out of their way to help us ? it’s a pleasure to work with them,? Lichty said.
The first year, the event was planned for the winter. Looking for available space, Lichty and fellow Rotarians thought of Bordine’s, a nursery for plants.
‘It’s just grown since then,? he said. ‘People just want to have fun here. They see their neighbors ? it’s just a great community event.?