A Menu for Hope III -- December 11-22

For the past two years, members of the food and wine blogging community have raised money for various charities through a tremendous project called A Menu for Hope.

The original event was conceived shortly after the Asian tsunami a couple years by my friend Pim (of the Chez Pim blog) to raise aid money for the victims. That initial project was a great success and last year, the culinary blogging community raised an amazing $17,000 for UNICEF by doing an online raffle of various culinary/food/wine items.

It's time for A Menu for Hope III and this year's beneficiary is the United Nations' World Food Program.

Through the generosity of the Long Island wine country community (along with some things from my own cellar), LENNDEVOURS is happy to contribute six separate lots to the raffle:

Taste the Hamptons Wine Basket (WB17)
Long Island's Hamptons are best known for the celebrities who summer there and the lifestyle they bring with them. But, two of Long Island's best wineries, Channing Daughters Winery and Wolffer Estate Vineyards, also reside there. With a slightly cooler and shorter growing season than the North Fork, white wines rule the Hamptons. Taste and experience these delightful wines for yourself with the "Taste the Hamptons" basket, which includes:

• One (1) bottle of Channing Daughters Winery 2005 Vino Bianco
• One (1) bottle of Wolffer Estate Vineyards 2003 Reserve Chardonnay
• A free tasting for four (4) at Channing Daughters Winery's tasting room
• A VIP Tour and Tasting for two (2) at Wolffer Estate Vineyards
• Four (4) tickets to a summer performance at the Southampton Cultural Center
• Approximate value: $250

"Big" Reds of Long Island (WB18)
The word "big" is a relative term in the world of wine. You won't find any 15% alcohol, big tannin, ultra-ripe red wines on Long Island. Rather, winemakers craft smoothe, refined and nuanced wines made with restraint. This basket includes two wines from 2001 -- one of the best Long Island vintages ever -- and the red that was named Long Island's red blend last summer at the 2006 New York Food & Wine Classic. These wines are the "big" reds of Long Island both for their flavor and because two of the bottles are large format. This package includes:

• One (1) 3-liter bottle of Raphael 2001 First Label Merlot
• One (1) Magnum of Castello di Borghese 2001 Merlot
• One (1) 750ml bottle of Roanoke Vineyards 2003 Blend 2
• One (1) 750ml bottle of Peconic Bay Winery 2000 Cabernet Franc -- NEWLY ADDED
• Approximate value: $295

A Romantic Getaway for Long Island Wine Lovers (WB19)
Long Island's North Fork is one of the most beautiful, bucolic places in New York. With beautiful vineyards stretching from Great Peconic Bay to the Long Island Sound, quaint villages and rustic tasting rooms, it makes the perfect spot for a romantic getaway -- especially for wine lovers. This package includes a bottle of sparkling wine to toast the person you love, a night at one of the North Forks best bed and breakfasts -- including a gourmet breakfast -- and a van wine tour for two with one of Long Island's most knowledgeable tour guides.

• One (1) night at Harvest Inn B&B, including gourmet breakfast the next morning
• Tour for two (2) with Vintage Tours, which includes a 5-hour tour of at least three wineries and a gourmet picnic lunch
• One (1) bottle of Martha Clara Vineyards Brut Sparkling Wine
• One (1) bottle of Peconic Bay Winery 2001 Steel Fermented Chardonnay -- NEWLY ADDED
• Approximate value: $425

Learn About and Taste Wines on Long Island (WB20)
One of the greatest things about wine is that you can always learn more. Expand your wine knowledge with one of Long Island's most dynamic wine education organizations, Grand Cru Classes, spend the night at a bed and breakfast and enjoy two bottles of wine from one of Long Island's smallest, most hands-on wineries. This special package includes:

• One (1) night at Red Barn B&B for two, including a country breakfast in the morning.
• Two (2) gift certificates for two (2) people to take classes at Grand Cru Classes (4 classes total)
• One (1) bottle of Waters Crest Winery Reserve Merlot
• One (1) bottle of Waters Crest Winery Reserve Chardonnay
• Approximate value: $520

Taste the North Fork of Long Island (WB21)
Long Island is making some of the most exciting wines in America today. Get a taste from many of the region's best wineries with this basket, which includes tastings and in some cases tours with winemakers:

• A free tasting for two (2) at Paumanok Vineyards and a 35% discount on wine purchases up to $500
• VIP Tasting and Tour for four (4) at Bedell Cellars, which includes a behind-the-scenes tour of the facilities, a wine and cheese pairing, and tastes of their premium wines.
• A Private Tasting for you and your friends at Martha Clara Vineyards at their private tasting bar.
• A Private Tour and Tasting for six (6) at Waters Crest Winery, conducted by the owners and winemaker
• A Tour and Tasting for four (4) at Shinn Estate Vineyards, conducted by the owners
• Four (4) Cuvee Tasting Flights at Macari Vineyards and a $25 gift certificate for the tasting room
• Approximate value: $400

Personal Tour of Long Island Wine Country (WB22)
Anyone can drive around Long Island's East End and visit wineries, but where should you go? What wines are the best? Who is pouring the latest and greatest releases? There's nothing better than tasting through wine country with a local wine expert.

Win this lot and enjoy a personal tour for two (2) of Long Island wine country with me. I'll talk to you beforehand to customize the itinerary to your wine tastes and then join you as you visit some of my favorite wineries and taste my favorite wines. Approximate value: $200

To donate to this great cause and buy raffle tickets:

1. Go to the donation page
2. 2.   Make a donation, each $10 will give you one raffle ticket toward a prize of your choice.  Please specify which prize or prizes you'd like in the 'Personal Message' section in the donation form when confirming your donation. Note the WB#s above. This is very important. Tell us how many tickets you want to allocate per prize, and please use the prize code -- for example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for WB17 and 3 for WB19.
3. If your company matches your charity donation, please remember to check the box and fill in the information so we can claim the corporate match.
4. Please also check the box to allow us to see your email address so that we could contact you in case you win.  Your email address will not be shared with anyone.
5. Check back on Chez Pim on January 15 when we announce the result of the raffle.  (The drawing will be done electronically.  Our friend the code wizard Derrick at Obsession with Food is responsible for the wicked application that will do the job.)

If you'd like to see more wine-related prizes, visit Vinography for a complete list.

Comments

[Raffle Tickets]

Congratulations for raising $17,000 for UNICEF by doing an online raffle of various culinary/food/wine items. All of you involved should be commended for this noble and humanitarian gesture. I am certain that you will be rewarded for your generosity if you have not already been.