Wine and Food events have become popular methods of raising funds for local charities. One of the best wine-focused events is the annual Keep the Promise Wine Tasting Benefit which supports The Wooden Floor’s programming of dance education, academics, college and career readiness, and family services.
At Keep the Promise, held this year at Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m., guests sample 12 of the world’s most exceptional wines, all with an average rating of 97 points and above, from such celebrated wine regions as France, Italy, Germany, South Africa and Australia, as well as California, Washington, and Oregon.
The wines are blind tasted for the first part of the event, then unveiled so guests can see if they have guessed each wine correctly (the most correct guesses wins a wine prize). Duringn the event, guests enjoy signature small plate dining options prepared by Chef Craig Strong, listen to success stories from students, and participate in opportunity drawings and a silent auction.
In previous opportunity drawings, guests have won gifts such as a $1,000 South Coast Plaza gift card and a selection of the evening’s wines. Previous silent auction items included GRAMMY Museum Musical Exploration and Dining Experience, as well as rare vintner-signed wines plus travel and sports experiences.
At the 2024 Keep the Promise Benefit fundraiser, The Wooden Floor grossed nearly $410,000.
“We are grateful for the outpouring of community support over the years for our mission to inspire and transform the lives of young people through the power of dance and access to higher education. Our students gain life-changing experiences with a focus on social, emotional, and academic wellness, which have been increasingly important in recent years,” said The Wooden Floor’s CEO, Dawn S. Reese. “Due to the stalwart commitment of our community of supporters, 100 percent of our students who have graduated from The Wooden Floor have enrolled in higher education since 2005, with the Class of 2025 being our 21st consecutive graduating class.”
Tickets are $400 per person with $250 tax deductible. Sponsorships begin at $1,500. For tickets, visit www.thewoodenfloor.org/winetasting.
The Wines
Reds: 2020 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge Pessac-Leognan, Tenuta Guado al Tasso (Antinori) Bolgheri Superiore, Cirq Pinot Noir Russian River Valley, Porseleinberg Swartland, Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Domaine Courbis Cornas Les Eygats.
Whites: Manincor Lieben Aich Sauvignon Blanc, Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series, Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, Weingut Clemens Busch Marienburg Raffes, Paul Lato Chardonnay Le Souvenir Sierra Madre, The Eyrie Vineyards Chardonnay.
About The Wooden Floor
Founded in 1983, The Wooden Floor is one of the foremost creative youth development nonprofit organizations in the country. They inspire and transform the lives of young people through the power of dance and access to higher education. In Orange County and through national licensed partners, they use a long-term approach grounded in exploratory dance education to foster the confidence and gifts within each child to innovate, communicate, and collaborate – skills necessary for success in school and in life. All of the students who graduate from The Wooden Floor enroll in higher education. Visit www.TheWoodenFloor.org.
