This year the Nevada Museum of Art will celebrate the 25th Annual Taste for Art, a wine and food fund raising extravaganza to support art education and exhibitions at the Museum. In past years, the Museum has attracted well over 1000 participants to the wine tasting which was held in the courtyards of IGT. This year we decided to take advantage of our award-winning Museum facility and appeal to a smaller crowd of participants with higher-end wines and food pairings.

The evening will feature the Wine Spectator’s food editor, Sam Gugino. Nominated for a James Beard award in 1997, Chef Gugino will sign his best selling book, Cooking to Beat the Clock and provide cooking demonstrations in the Prim Theater throughout the evening. Curtis Worrall from Whispering Vine, Mark Gibson from Encore Beverage and Sommelier Christian O’Kuinghttons from the Atlantis Hotel and Casino have selected twenty-five wineries and wine maker participants to pour at this year’s event with an emphasis on boutique wineries and premium wines. Frank Family Vineyards, Rombauer, Whitehall Lane and Kenwood are among a few of the featured wineries. Fifteen talented chefs from a range of local restaurants (Charlie Palmer’s Steak House and Café Musée to name a few) will prepare delectable bites to complement the wines and create an unforgettable tasting experience. Live jazz will infuse the event from the second floor landing and a band will play music on the roof.

There will also be a small but select wine themed silent auction which will feature food and wine packages, trips, large format bottles and other collectors’ bottles. In addition, in the Founders’ Room a “Tasting Plus” will be held offering an exclusive vertical tasting and wine maker panel discussion between 6 and 8 PM. Moderated by Christian O’Kuinghttons, the panel will include very highly-regarded wine makers Ric Forman of Forman Napa Valley Winery (one of Robert Parker’s “ten most influential people” in the wine industry), Gary Brookman of Miner Family Winery, Ray Coursen of Elyse Winery and Barry White from Tanner Bey Winery.

A vertical tasting of limited release wines from one of the wine makers will follow the panel discussion. These select wines will be paired with small plates prepared by Charlie Palmer’s Restaurant. Tasting Plus participants will gain early access to the event at 5 PM. The Founders’ Room event will begin at 6 PM. Only fifty tickets are available at $200 each for this special tasting. Reservations are on a first come, first served basis. Summer evening cocktail attire is suggested. No one under twenty-one will be admitted. There will be a variety of volunteer opportunities available, please contact Rosalind Bedell for more information at rosalind.bedell@nevadaart.org To purchase tickets visit the Museum web site at www.nevadaart.org or contact Edie Hofmeister at edie.hofmeister@nevadaart.org.