The Downtown LaGrange Development Authority will host the second annual Ciao Vino! food and wine tasting event on Sept. 6 at the Del’avant Event Center.

This year the event will feature five notable, local chefs, who will share their culinary creations while attendees have the opportunity to sample international wines from Italy, France, Australia, Argentina, Spain and South Africa. A selection of domestic wines will also be available for tasting, and a curated selection of local craft beers, bourbons and vodka will be included. However, local chefs are expected to be the real highlights of the event with food pairings chosen specifically to go with the wine.

“Wines are created to be enjoyed with food, so this is a way to educate people about how to pair food and wine for the enjoyment of both the food and the wine,” said Barbie Watts, director of promotions and marketing for the DLDA. 

Tulla White of Venucci and Tulla White Cuisine & Catering will be the featured chef at the premiere tasting portion of the event in Del’avant’s McLellan Parlor. The premiere tasting starts at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. 

Other local chefs will share their own creative pairings, like chocolate donuts and red wine. 

“We are going to feature some Beacon Beer and the Beacon restaurant will also be doing some food pairings specifically with their Beacon beers,” Watts said. “That will be really nice. Then we will of course feature Wild Leap beers and hope to feature the Wild Leap Vodka, some of their specialty drink samples of their new product. 

We are so excited to be able to feature those new items at this event.”

The other chefs featured at the event will be Devin White of C’sons, Mare Sol and Beacon Brewing Company; Jamie Keating of EPIC and Jamie Keating Culinary; Patrick Mote of Brickhouse Grille and Kimberly Hunter of Dixie Donuts. Those chefs will share their culinary masterpieces from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. 

“People loved the event last year,” Watts said. “They were very excited that downtown was hosting an event for the adults in our community.”

The event will also feature live music by the Rare Funk Band, a jazz, rhythm and blues group, featuring local drummer Cornell Long.

A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit the LaGrange Art Museum’s youth programs.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit Ciaovinolagrange.com. Tickets can also be purchased at Plum Southern and Market on Main. 

For additional questions, call (706) 298-4534 or email Watts at barbiew@downtownlagrange.com.