A toast to Cellarbration

Event raises funds for Big Bend Community College Foundation

MOSES LAKE — There couldn't have been a more appropriate moniker for an event where wine was the shining star of the evening, from start to finish.

Cellarbration combined wine, gourmet cuisine and both silent and live auctions for an evening of fund-raising for the Big Bend Community College Foundation on Saturday. The fourth annual event was held for the first time at the Advanced Technologies Education Center where the dining tables set up in the conference center were thick with at least seven glasses for each person at the tables for eight.

Butch Milbrant of Milbrant Brothers Vineyards near Mattawa sourced the wines for the event for the fourth year by selecting about 15 wines for the tasting group to then choose from and pair with the evening's five-course meal.

All of the wines Milbrant suggested were made with grapes from Milbrant Brothers Vineyards' 950 acres, ensuring a local flavor at Cellarbration. Milbrant said other factors in his wine sourcing process included picking food friendly wines and those not very well distributed, and therefore lesser known.

Within a few years, Milbrant's own wines may be on the menu as Milbrant Brother Vineyards will begin bottling its own wines soon. The Milbrants will break ground on their own wine making facility next month to start using those grapes remaining after the vineyard sells the fruit to more than 50 wineries.

"It was just time," Milbrant said. "It was the next step."

This year's wine selections included a sparkling wine from Domaine Ste. Michelle, three white wines, two reds to accompany the main course and a Canoe Ridge Muscat with dessert — all from area wineries. All were introduced with commentary by John Allen of Vino! A Wine Shop in Spokane. The wines were paired with food prepared by Sodexho executive chefs Storm Hodge, regional executive chef for the western U.S.; Gabe Kinney, executive chef for northern California; and Christine Dozier, executive chef for Gonzaga University. The chefs received a standing ovation from the crowd at the end of the evening for an extravagant meal which included a uniquely Washington soup that combined caramelized Walla Walla Onions and Granny Smith Apples.

Speakers throughout the evening included BBCC president Bill Bonaudi, as well as Lance Gonzalez, a BBCC student and BBCC Foundation scholarship recipient who had this advice for attendees: "Bid high and bid often."

The live auction event was led by Chuck Yarbro, Jr. with assistance from Kelsie Yarbro, Craig Dorsing and Stroud Kunkle, and included numerous wine and dinner packages.

Bob and Jackie Hardin were among those at Cellarbration Saturday.

"I think that it's a very good cause," said Bob Hardin, who described the event as well run, with an exciting auction and good food. The Hardins are one of ATEC's biggest sponsors and recently had a room named for them.

"I think junior college is really important, universities are getting so expensive," Bob Hardin said. "It's been fun watching this school grow over the years.