HAMMONTON—For a town that prides itself on boosting the “Garden State” name, Hammonton’s community really knows how to make good wine. Hammonton’s Rotary Club hosted their 18th Annual Hammonton Rotary Wine Tasting on April 20.
The mild warm-weather evening brought Hammonton out for food, drinks and a free wine glass with their event ticket purchase. Winemakers participated and poured wine samples to guests, who voted on their favorite wines throughout the evening.
Volunteers within the community also stepped up to help accommodate guests with wine.
The contest consisted of guests choosing their favorite wines and cast their vote with a ballot box near the corresponding wine.
Blueberry wine was a surefire favorite for the guests, but other great tastes include California pinot noir and sweat pear. When necessary, guests ate saltine crackers to clean their palate and try more wine.
The Best of Show - Cello Division winner was Frank Raso. The first place professional’s choice winners were Frank and Kelly Raso, Austin Griffie, Georgeann Schenker, Greg Schenker and John Chilari, Dan and Eliza Schenker, Brandon Raso, Joseph DiGerolamo, Brandon DePasquale and Craig Samborski. Brandon DePasquale also walked away with the People’s Choice award.
This event was inspired by an idea that came from a laid-back, fun summer hangout.
“The idea came from a fellow Rotarian who lives in Key West that has a summer home that comes to our meetings in the summertime. Some of us would have homemade wine and just tell everybody about it,” Jerry Daunoras, Hammonton rotarian who put the event together, said.
That camaraderie sparked interest in making a whole homemade wine event something the Rotary Club would do for the next 18 years. In its first year, the Rotary Club hosted 90 people.
More than 200 people attended the event.
To pair with the wine tasting, guests who purchased tickets to the event were served a buffet-style arrangement of pizza, salads and Italian-style pulled pork from Rocco’s Town House. Two cakes celebrating the event followed the catered dinner.
In the main dining area, guests purchased raffle tickets for a gift basket giveaway. Tables were lined with local store gift cards to wine baskets and charcuterie boards.
The funds from the Rotary Wine Tasting event supports various charities and things the Rotary Club supports. In the past, the Rotary Club helped raise money for various charities and projects that they supported. Some of those past projects were for youth sports and handicap-accessible projects.
Like the 140 bottles available for tasting, there was no shortage of smiles as friends and family in the community came out for good fun for a good cause. Immediate Past District Governor and rotarian member, Michael Thompson, had a blast engaging with the community by pouring wine for guests.
“This event is awesome. It’s always fun to come out and have the Hammonton community out to support,” he said.
Friends and family of the winemakers came out to support and engage with other local winemakers. Annamarie DePasquale came out with her mother to support her fiancee, Brandon DePasquale, who was also last year’s Professional’s Choice winner.
Still going strong after 18 years, this is the fifth time the event sold out and the first sold-out event since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“People here love this event. The COVID year we didn’t have it. Before, it was a lighter version of it, but it was fun,” Daunoras said.
This article was produced in collaboration with New Jersey Civic Information Consortium and Rowan University.