Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation's Tasting of Champions Slated for Jan. 30

Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF) will kick off its 10 year anniversary with the Annual Tasting of Champions at Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, Jan. 30 from 6-8 p.m. Guests will have an exclusive “first taste” of the medal winning wines featured in the upcoming South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival this spring. 
 
This Annual Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF) event features more than 600 wines to sample and preview from the 2015 South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival (SoWalWine) entries, including medal winners in more than 60 categories as well as food stations.
 
“Our goal is to reach the $10 million in donations to children’s charities in Northwest Florida after our 10th annual auction this year,” said John Russell, president of Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation. “Tasting of Champions is the kick-off event to our incredible 10th anniversary year and great things to come for all of our benefitting charities in 2015.”
 
Prior to the event, a panel of regional wine experts will score the 600 wines entered into the South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival private wine judging competition. The judges will select a gold, silver, and bronze medal winner in each category. On the evening of January 30, the Tasting of Champions event invites the public to taste all the wines entered in the competition, including “Best in Show Red” and “Best in Show White” winners. The event is structured in a walkabout format with the wines grouped by category, making this an ideal event for wine aficionados and beginners alike.
 
The event is also a prelude to the Northwest Florida Beaches Ultimate Wine Week, April 23-26, when South Walton becomes the epicenter of the wine world. Wine, charity and fun converge as the world’s most preeminent winemakers and wine lovers gather for the Destin Charity Wine Auction and the South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival events. 
 
Proceeds from the Tasting of Champions as well as the South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival benefit Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation and children in need in Northwest Florida.  In 2014, DCWAF donated $2.035 million to 12 local children’s charities, including Children in Crisis, Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast, Children’s Volunteer Health Network, Youth Village, Shelter House, Habitat for Humanity of Walton County, Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, Emerald Coast Autism Center, Horizons, Pathways for Change, Opportunity, Inc. and Food for Thought.
 
Tickets are $50 per person and may be purchased at www.DCWAF.org/tickets.  
 
Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation’s (DCWAF) mission is to connect wine enthusiasts to raise money to benefit children in need in Northwest Florida. Founded in 2005, Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation has donated more than $6 Million to Northwest Florida charities through hosting world class wine and culinary events. These funds have impacted the lives of over 50,000 youth, including those afflicted by health issues and abuse. DCWAF is recognized as one of the nation’s ‘Top 10 Charity Wine Auction in the U.S.’ by Wine Spectator Magazine. Learn more at www.DCWAF.org or www.facebook.com/DCWAF.  
 
South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival is an annual charity event held the last weekend of April. The festival features a showcase of the best wines the world has to offer. Celebrity wine producers and chefs present fine wine and food pairings from the world’s most famous appellations. The Savor South Walton Culinary Village offers a sumptuous array of foods to taste, wines to pair, as well as wine and food seminars, cooking demonstrations and live entertainment. The event is a major fundraiser for Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, which benefits children in need in Northwest Florida. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: www.SoWalWine.com.