Wistariahurst to host virtual wine tasting fundraiser

Feb. 15, 2021 | Danielle Eaton
deaton@thereminder.com

HOLYOKE –  The Wistariahurst Museum is continuing their tradition of an annual wine fundraiser despite gathering restrictions.

Sara English, enterprise coordinator for the museum said the fundraiser has been a tradition for years. “So the wine tasting has been an annual event for well over 10-years,” she said. Having been with the museum for nine years herself, she said the fundraiser was already “an established event” prior to her working at the Wistariahurst and sold out each year.    

In a normal year, she said the fundraiser would involve dozens of people gathering at the Museum to taste wine from dozens of distributors. “Our usual event, Liquors 44 pulls together 12 to 14 sellers of wines, people walked around and tasted all the different wines,” she said.

However, this year due to restrictions surrounding the coronavirus and financial restrictions, she said an in-person event just wasn’t a possibility. English said “realized at the end of summer it wasn’t going to be possible to do it the same way,” and began “looking around for an opportunity to keep it on the calendar” while also keeping people engaged.

It was after an online wine tasting was suggested, English said, that they found California winemaker Carol Shelton. “She’s a cool female winemaker, [and] is very interesting to talk to,” she said.

Shelton, she said, would be joining Wistariahurst Foundation board member, Gordon Alexander, who also owns Terroir Wines for a night of wine tasting over Zoom. The event, which costs $60 per person, will take place on Feb. 26 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. The fee for the event, she explained, included two bottles of wines and “a donation for the museum.”

English said those attending were registered for the event, they would be able to go to Liquors 44 where they could collect the two bottles of wine included with their ticket. After that, she said, attendees would receive a Zoom link. The event, she said, would feature Shelton explaining her wines, “how she makes them, the flavors, the ways of expressing wines” and have an opportunity for people to ask questions.

The money raised from the event, English said, would be used to help continue providing low-cost and free programming for the community, especially in light of a financially difficult year for cultural sites.

At the time of press, English said while there were “limited seats” for the event available, there were “still plenty left.” Those interested in registering for the event can do so by visiting https://wistariahurst.org/events/virtual-wild-thing-wine-tasting-fundraiser/. Additionally, those wishing to simply make a monetary donation to help the museum by visiting https://wistariahurst.org/product/donate-to-the-museum/.

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