Grape Nuts

It makes sense that the Cornell Alumni Association of CNY raises funds through a wine tasting. The Ivy League university sits above winery-rich Cayuga Lake and thousands of Cornell graduates studied or practice viticulture, many of them now operating wineries in the Finger Lakes Region. This year’s wine tasting and silent auction, set for Friday, Jan. 29, promises to be the biggest yet.

“When we started this, we began by looking for wineries with a Cornell connection,” said Jim Miller, naturally a Cornell grad, who chairs this event. “There are quite a few of them and we find new ones every year. This year we’ve got 17 wineries pouring probably 100 wines.”

The event also features a Plainville turkey carving station (company founder Bob Bitz graduated from Cornell and his name will grace the fourth scholarship the dinner has funded), a silent auction with nearly 150 items up for bid, a chocolate fountain, desserts and other munchies. It’s all to benefit scholarships for area students who attend Cornell, located in Ithaca. Last year’s event raised more than $14,000. 

For the fourth year, this event will be held at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, 1 Conservation Place. “It’s a wonderful venue,” Miller noted, “because the zoo has a strong connection with both the agriculture school and the veterinary school at Cornell. Last year we had 204 people show up, and we’re hoping for more this year.”

Far Above Cayuga’s Wineries takes place Friday, Jan. 29, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets cost $35 in advance and can be purchased at www.caacny.com, or $45 at the door. For more information, contact Miller at 422-4818.