Charities to benefit from wine festival

ENCINITAS — The Encinitas Rotary Club is hosting its fourth annual wine festival Saturday, an event that celebrates good wine and pairs it with food from local restaurants.

ENCINITAS — The Encinitas Rotary Club is hosting its fourth annual wine festival Saturday, an event that celebrates good wine and pairs it with food from local restaurants.

A dozen charities stand to benefit from the festival, which will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. at Quail Botanical Gardens, 230 Quail Gardens Drive.

The Rotary Club is hoping to build on the success of last year, when the event raised $56,000, said club member Naomi Trout.

This year’s goal is to raise $65,000.

To reach that number, tickets are selling for $75 and $100, organizers said. The $75 ticket will produce a $50 donation to a charity selected by the buyer. Every penny spent on a $100 ticket will be donated to charity.

Donors are encouraged to exercise their philanthropy online by visiting www.encinitaswinefestival.com.

The festival itself involves a back-to-nature visit to Quail Botanical Gardens, where a collection of more than 4,000 plants grows on 30 acres.

Guests can stroll among the rare specimens and an exotic bamboo garden while sampling local and imported wines. Hungry people can nibble at dishes and desserts provided by local restaurants.

The vocal stylings of two barbershop quartets will provide music by which to eat and drink.

The charities benefiting from the wine festival include: American Association of University Women; Class A.C.T.; Encinitas Rotary Foundation; Just in Time for Foster Youth; Mexican American Education and Guidance Foundation; North Coast Singers; The San Dieguito Sports Medicine Foundation; Encinitas Historical Society; Pacific Coast Harmony; Quail Botanical Gardens; Rancho Coastal Humane Society and The Sudanese Refugee Network.

To learn more, call (760) 431-5978 or visit www.encinitaswinefestival.com