Gourmet & Grapes Features Wine, Food to benefit Hollings

Food & Wine Celebration Showcases Wines From Three Continents

Gourmet & Grapes Benefiting Hollings Cancer Center to be Held February 6-8, 2015, at The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort

January 30, 2015, Charleston, SC – The Seventh Annual Gourmet & Grapes Culinary Extravaganza offers guests a chance to sample gourmet food and select wines from around the world while raising money to fund critical research at the Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Notable wineries joining the lineup for this year’s celebration include French winemaker Louis Latour and Napa Valley standout DAOU Vineyards and Winery. Featuring a wide range of varietals and price points, ten wineries will be on hand to showcase wines from Europe, North America and Australia. A complete list of participating wineries can be found at http://www.kiawahresort.com/gourmet-grapes/wineries.

In a first-of-its-kind event, the weekend will kick off with a reunion of the four chefs who ran the kitchen at the acclaimed Woodlands Inn before it ceased operations. Chefs Scott Crawford, Ken Vedrinski, Tarver King and Nate Whiting will collaborate on a multi-course paired dinner at this black tie affair. The weekend continues with several events Saturday and into Sunday, with each showcasing chefs from across the region and wine pairings to complement.

Now in its seventh year, Gourmet & Grapes raises funds to support cancer research that is making a difference in South Carolina and beyond. The weekend-long celebration is scheduled for February 6-8, 2015, at The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort. This festive weekend boasts a number of events geared to all levels of appreciation for great food and wine – from novice to connoisseur – with a line-up of top chefs from across the Southeast and winemakers from around the world.

The weekend is largely underwritten through significant sponsorships. Major sponsors for the 2015 event include Kiawah Wines and MUSC Physicians. Additional sponsors include AT&T, Alliance Oncology, Motley Rice Law Firm, Nice Ice, and PNC Bank, among others. Media sponsors include the Post-Courier, The Local Palate and Charleston Magazine.

Tickets and Details

Gourmet & Grapes tickets may be purchased for the entire weekend or individual events, and special room rates are available as well. A range of sponsorships are also available for all events. For event details, please visit www.gourmetandgrapes.com or contact the Hollings Cancer Center Office of Development at 843-792-9335 or gourmetandgrapes@musc.edu.

For those looking to make the most of the weekend, The Sanctuary Hotel is offering an exceptional value with special rates for Gourmet & Grapes attendees. Gourmet & Grapes attendees wishing to make reservations at The Sanctuary are encouraged to call 800-654-2924.

Since its inception in 2009, Gourmet & Grapes has raised more than $850,000 for cancer research programs at Hollings Cancer Center. With declining federal funding, this contribution has proved invaluable to cancer research conducted in South Carolina.

About Kiawah Island Golf Resort

Located just south of Charleston, South Carolina, along 10 miles of pristine beach, Kiawah Island Golf Resort was recently named the No. 1 island in North America and the No. 2 island in the world by readers of the prestigious Conde Nast Traveler magazine. The publication also named Kiawah as the No. 3 golf resort in North America. Travel+Leisure magazine named it the No. 3 family resort in the U.S. Kiawah Island also has been named of the 10 best beaches in America by famed “beachologist,” Dr. Stephen Leatherman, also known as Dr. Beach. In addition to The Sanctuary, the resort’s Forbes Five Star/AAA Five Diamond Hotel, the resort also manages over 500 private villas and luxury homes, nine restaurants, two tennis centers, a renowned recreation and nature program and has five championship golf courses, including The Ocean Course, host of the 1991 Ryder Cup and the 2012 PGA Championship.