A Cornucopia of Food and Wine

It’s Harvest Time

By Kelly Curry | Photography courtesy of Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation

The generosity of people and organizations throughout the Northwest Florida community is truly astounding. Especially nearing the holidays, it’s a joy to celebrate those who are making a difference in their communities. Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation’s (DCWAF) mission is to connect wine enthusiasts to raise money to benefit children in need in Okaloosa and Walton Counties and surrounding areas. During the weekend of October 19 to 22, 2023, guests from across the country came together to sip, taste, and bid, raising $175,000 for children in need.

The weekend kicked off on Thursday, October 19, with six intimate multicourse patron dinners in restaurants and private homes across the area, including Vin’tij Food & Wine, Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood, Cuvee 30A, Bijoux, and Fonville Press. Guests enjoyed an intimate dinner with family and friends as they learned about unique wine pairings alongside amazing nonprofits in our community. Special thanks go out to all the guests, chefs, patrons, and vintners who made those dinners possible.

A weekend highlight was curated by mixologist Christine Tarpey of Better Together Beverage on Friday, October 20, with a fun and engaging cocktail seminar in Crimson Park in WaterColor, presented by Driftwood Wine and Spirits. Tarpey led attendees through the history of spirits and taught guests how to mix things up in her interactive cocktail-making course.

Harvest After Dark returned this year, offering festival guests an opportunity to get to know the vintners and converse further with the featured culinary talent on the lawn in WaterColor beneath a beautiful canopy of twinkle lights. This newer addition to the weekend added a late-night layer to the festival for attendees to enjoy wine, spirits, and culinary delights crafted by celebrity chefs from across the Southeast.

Guests enjoyed nothing but blue skies and fabulous melodies as they meandered along the charming pathways and lawns to enjoy tasting stations from world-class vintners, as well as culinary stations manned by celebrity chefs from some of the best restaurants along the Gulf Coast and throughout the Southeast who presented throughout the weekend.

The festival’s signature event, the Grand Tasting, took place on Saturday, October 21, in WaterColor’s stunning Cerulean Park. Guests enjoyed nothing but blue skies and fabulous melodies as they meandered along the charming pathways and lawns to enjoy tasting stations from world-class vintners, as well as culinary stations manned by celebrity chefs from some of the best restaurants along the Gulf Coast and throughout the Southeast who presented throughout the weekend. It’s easy to see why the Harvest Food & Wine Festival is rated as one of the premier events of its kind in the Southeast, and the Grand Tasting is a must!

Closing out the weekend was a spirited cocktail brunch presented by Daytrader Tiki Bar, The Henry Haus, and 360 Blue at a beautiful private home in WaterColor. The finale featured an array of island-inspired culinary creations by Chef Nikhil Abuvala and cocktails by Better Together Beverage.

The Seventh Annual Harvest Wine & Food Festival raised more than $175,000 for children in need in Northwest Florida through ten events and the silent auction, which featured over one hundred prize packages comprising rare wines, unique trips, culinary experiences, and much more. Ranked as one of the Top Charity Wine Auctions in the US by Wine Spectator, DCWAF raises money for a whopping seventeen Northwest Florida children’s charities that assist at-risk youth by tackling a variety of issues, including homelessness, food insecurity, mental health, education, medical care, and much more. In August, DCWAF donated an impressive $3.4 million for its benefiting charities, bringing the combined total donated since inception to more than $32 million.

Congratulations, DCWAF, on another beautiful weekend for a great cause!

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Learn more about future events, news, partner charities, and how you can get involved at DCWAF.org.

VIE is excited to partner with ANR restaurant at the Camp Creek Inn to host an exclusive vintner dinner benefiting Children’s Volunteer Health Network in April 2024 as part of the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation weekend. Stay tuned for more news and ticket information at CVHNkids.org, or follow us on social media @viemagazine.