'Harvest East End' to Be Held During Hampton Classic

When Harvest East End, a food and wine charitable celebration put on by Long Island Merlot Alliance and Long Island Wine Council, returns for its third year, changes will be in store.

While in 2011, Harvest East End events were spread out over three weekends in September at various locations, this year the wine tasting has been moved up to August, keeping it "in season," and it will take place during the Hampton Classic Horse Show in Bridgehampton.

Up to 40 East End winemakers are expected at the event on Aug. 25, with more than 200 wines from the North and South Forks available to sample, as well as 30 regional chefs with locally sourced dishes. As in the past, the beneficiaries of Harvest East End will be East End Hospice, and the . radio personality Bonnie Grice will host the tasting.

Event chair Roman Roth said Harvest East End is excited to partner with the Hampton Classic during the equestrian event's 37th year. “The audiences for our two events are quite compatible," he said. "Both draw a well-heeled crowd interested in elegant wines, fine food and the beauty and bounty of the East End."

“Having Harvest at the Hampton Classic enables us to accommodate a larger crowd, more East End wineries and more talented regional chefs,” added Roth, the winemaker at as well as the executive vice president of Long Island Merlot Alliance and vice president of Long Island Wine Council.

Also new to Harvest East End this year is the media sponsor, Edible East End.

“The magazine celebrates local, seasonal wine and food, and the people who produce them, in the same way that Harvest does: in a thoughtful, elegant venue," Roth said.

During Harvest's inaugural year, Wine Spectator was the media sponsor, followed by Food & Wine magazine in 2011.

Harvest East End will continue to hold winemaker dinners in private homes and gardens, though these events will be by-invitation-only in 2012. Only 10 guests will attend each dinner, which will be prepared with food and wine sourced from a 10-mile radius. Invitations can be requested by emailing info@longislandmerlot.com.

Harvest East End will be Aug. 25 from 6 to 9 p.m.

"Vin-IP" guests will have access an hour early with a sparkling wine reception and raw bar.

Tickets go on sale July 1. Order before August 11, and general admission is $125 per person. The price then goes up to $150. "Vin-IP" tickets are $250 per person or $2,500 for a table of eight.

More information is available at www.harvesteastend.com.