Tickets are still available for this week’s Rotary Club “Le Tour De Vin,” a weekend of winetasting that benefits the Mary Abbott Children’s House,
an agency that assists abused children. Set for Friday and Saturday, the weekend offers an opportunity to sample rare and collectable wines paired with fine foods, attend live and silent auctions, be entertained with musical performances, and support a deserving charity. Hundreds of people are expected at the seventh annual Le Tour De Vin, which has become known as an event that showcases unusual, little-known wines as well as those from boutique vineyards. “Two examples of the family wineries being offered for tasting are the Hendry and Bouchaine vineyards. They do little marketing because their production is limited, but the wines are wonderful,” said Keith Busking, a Rotarian on the Le Tour De Vin committee. Friday is California Dreamin’, featuring California wines by Republic National Distributing Company, food pairings by Benvenutis, and entertainment by Norman vocalists. Held poolside at the Ashton Grove home of David and Lisa Williams, each wine and food pairing will be introduced with a vignette of a song that relates to it. Performances are directed by Pam Talley and feature Cindy Parsons, Charlene Bradley, Mark Krittenbrink, Sharon Pyeatt, Jay Potts, Peggy Doviak and Talley. Seating is limited. The main event, Le Tour De Vin, is set for Saturday. Held at the Kerr McGee room of the Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, overlooking the OU football field, the evening offers one of the most comprehensive wine tastings in the area, with over 200 wines poured by Republic National Beverage Company. For those who enjoy other pleasures, Le Tour De Vin provides many. The silent and live auctions offer trips and diamonds, and a certified 2009 gray Toyota Corolla from Fowler Toyota of Norman guarantees exciting bidding and a good time. Succulent pairings are also offered, with food by Benvenuti’s, Fancy That, Forward Foods, Justin’s Bar and Bistro, La Baguette, The Mantel Wine Bar and Bistro, Misal of India Bistro, Othello’s Restaurant, Panera Bread, Seven 47, and University of Oklahoma Catering.
The beneficiary of the fundraiser is Mary Abbott Children’s House, an agency that serves children of sexual and physical abuse and neglect and their non-offending family members. It offers a place where an interagency team of professionals can interview a child in a neutral setting, hopefully only once. This offers better outcomes in terms of both the child’s trauma and in preservation and presentation of evidence. Abbott House also counsels families, advocates for children, and offers education to help prevent abuse and neglect. Norman’s three Rotary clubs are using Le Tour De Vin as a vehicle to raise money for the expansion planned by Abbott House. Last year the three clubs collectively donated $45,000, with additional monies raised used by each club for individual philanthropies.