NJSO presents summer wine tasting in Red Bank

NJSO Chamber Players brass ensemble to perform at fundraiser for Orchestra’s artistic and education programs

June 13 at Locust Hill Vineyard in Red Bank

NEWARK, NJ (May 22, 2015)—The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra presents a summer wine tasting on the picturesque grounds of Locust Hill Vineyard in Red Bank on Saturday, June 13, at 5 pm. Attendees will enjoy a variety of artisanal New Jersey wines, light refreshments and a performance by an NJSO Chamber Players brass ensemble. Proceeds from the wine tasting will benefit the Orchestra’s artistic and educational programs.

Tickets for the 21-and-older event are $75 and are available for purchase online at www.njsymphony.org/summerwine or by phone at 1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476)—tickets must be purchased by Friday, June 12. The event’s rain date is Sunday, June 14.

Event attendees will taste wines from the vineyard’s spectrum of different varietals, Locust Hill owner James Abate says. “We will sample different wines, starting with the lightest and building to the heaviest. We’ll start with a light white wine that’s unoaked, then go to an oaked white, then reds, then a steel-only port and, to finish the night, a barrel-aged port.”

Abate, a Wall Street executive, purchased the Red Bank property 15 years ago and turned its grounds into a vineyard. He uses his wines exclusively to support non-profit organizations like the NJSO. “We use our wines exclusively for charitable events, and I feel that the combination of the wine we produce and [picturesque setting of Locust Hill Vineyard overlooking the Navesink River] combined give us the capability to host an event that’s unique in this area of New Jersey,” he says. “I’m a classical music fan, and I’ve been to a number of NJSO concerts. We want to give back and benefit worthwhile charitable organizations like the NJSO, particularly given the number of concerts the Orchestra performs in Red Bank [at the Count Basie Theatre].”

In the 2015–16 season, the NJSO expands its offerings at the Count Basie Theatre. In addition to presenting its annual five-concert classical series, the Orchestra adds two pops concerts, featuring Broadway and television stars Megan Hilty (February 12, “Valentine’s Day with Megan Hilty and the NJSO”) and Cheyenne Jackson (April 15, “Music of the ‘Mad Men’ Era”). View the full slate of 2015–16 NJSO concerts in Red Bank at www.njsymphony.org/redbank.

RELATED: Read the NJSO's full Q&A with Locust Hill Vineyard owner James Abate

SUMMER WINE TASTING

Saturday, June 13, from 5–7:30 pm | Locust Hill Vineyard in Red Bank

713 Navesink River Road (at the corner of McClees Road), Red Bank, NJ 07701

Rain date: Sunday, June 14.

Full event details are available at www.njsymphony.org/summerwine. For more information, contact Renée Pachucki at 973.735.1722.

This event at Locust Hill Vineyard is proudly sponsored by Centre Funds.