By Wendy Hood, Staff Correspondent
The North Alabama Wine Trail will present the first biannual Farm To Table event on Saturday, Oct. 15 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Wills Creek Vineyards at the Windmill located at 12661 Duck Springs Road in Attalla.
The North Alabama Wine Trail is comprised of six wineries, including Wills Creek Winery in Attalla; Jules J. Berta Winery in Albertville; Maraella Winery in Hokes Bluff; The Fruithurst Winery Co in Fruithurst; High Country Cellars in Heflin; and White Oak Vineyards in Anniston.
Farm To Table is an event to celebrate local bounty. There will be a five-course food and wine pairing and local music. The menu has been especially prepared by Chef Damon of Local Joe’s Trading Post in Rainbow City.
“Each course has been consciously paired with a wine from the Trail,” said Wills Creek Winery owner Janie Coppey. “We will also have additional wines available for tasting.”
The menu consists of assorted cheeses, baked goods, and salad with an entree of Maple Glazed Chicken or Smoked Pork Loin stuffed with pear, pecans and goat cheese. A dessert of Caramel Apple Crisp and after dinner drinks will be served.
Coppey emphasized that the menu items will be exclusively local. Food providers include Dayspring Dairy, Artisanal Baked Goods, Owls Hollow Farm and Triple C Farm.
“Everything on the menu has come from the area north of I-20,” she said.
The North Alabama Wine Trail is planning to make this a biannual event each spring and fall with each of the six wineries having the opportunity to host. The proceeds from the event will go into a fund to scholarship a local agriculture student.
Tickets for the event are $75 per person. Seating is limited. Call 256-891-5115 to purchase tickets.
In addition to the Farm To Table event, Wills Creek Winery will host its annual Harvest Festival on Oct. 8 on the winery grounds.
“We will have hay rides to the vineyard and grape-stomping in a bucket,” said Coppey.
Food items such as cheese platters and chicken fingers will be available for purchase. There is no admission fee for the Harvest Festival.