Fundraiser bottles up a grape time in S.B.
Library wine tasting on Dec. 6 will go toward improvements and cafe
BY CHRIS MURINO Staff Writer

PHOTOS BY DANIEL HULSHIZER staff From the top: Jayne Daube, of South Brunswick, looks at bottles of wine on display at a wine-tasting fundraiser for the South Brunswick Public Library Foundation at the South Brunswick Miele offices on Dec. 6. Bella Delgado, Megan Behrend and Kikkan Dass (l-r) sing with the South Brunswick High School Concert Choir during the fundraiser. Howard Melman pours a sample for Jennifer Fraley of East Brunswick.

SOUTH BRUNSWICK - It was a night of socializing, singing and sipping wines at the fifth installment of Music, Merlot & Miele, a fundraising event run by the South Brunswick Public Library Foundation on Dec. 6.

The Miele Showroom was transformed into a wine-tasting extravaganza. Tables of wine distributors were set up throughout the room. An array of food was displayed on the countertops: shrimp, pizza bread, cheese platters, bruschetta, buffalo wings, wraps - just about any food your taste buds could possibly desire. If the lights were dimmed, it would have been the re-creation of a jazz club, with the Carl Aquino Jazz Quartet performing for all those who attended.

Ira Matthias, of Dayton, was impressed. It was his first time at the event.

"It's very nice, very open," Matthias said. "It's not congested. You can move around; you can move from station to station."

He only had one problem.

"I'm just trying to keep my wife away from the appliances," Matthias joked.

"This is the type of affair that I think everybody enjoys," said Mayor Frank Gambatese, also a member of the library board. "It's mostly socializing. We have all this food, most of it homemade. It's a very quiet, nice time just before the holiday rush."

"It's a really wonderful, unique event, probably the most unique event in South Brunswick," said Councilman Chris Killmurray, also a member of the library board. "And it just keeps getting better and better."

Ellen Gambatese, the co-chair of the event and the vice president of the library board, said this year's gala had a few differences from past years. One was that this was the first year Suzanne Hayducka co-chaired the event.

"We have our own chef," Gambatese said of Hayducka. "She'll be showing her fine cooking artistry. In fact, she's our own Rachael Ray."

Hayducka even did a cooking demonstration for about 25 people, quipping jokes and making her pitch to be the new face of the Food Network.

Other food was provided by local restaurants from around the area.

Another new feature was an appearance by the South Brunswick High School Concert Choir. They performed Christmas favorites like "Deck the Halls" and "O Come All Ye Faithful" in front of Miele's Christmas tree, adding to the holiday feel of the evening.

It was also the first Music, Merlot & Miele event for Christopher Carbone as director of the library. He talked about his favorite part of having this event.

"Just the social aspect of it," Carbone said, adding, "Making new friends around the holidays."

The money raised from this fundraiser will be used to improve a specific part of the library.

"We'll be making some major improvements in the library building that will lead to a café," Gambatese said.

Art Schneier, a salesman for Meritage Wine, has been at the event every year.

"People can taste all the different wines and hopefully they'll come out and buy them," Schneier said. "There are good people. There's always a music component to it. The food is looking better and better."

Everyone had their favorite wines. Matthias was fond of a variety of 3 Blind Moose. Mayor Gambatese preferred the red wines.

"It's not a secret that I'm a beer drinker," said Councilman Chris Killmurray.

He did, however, try some Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale.

"It's not Guinness, but it's very good," Killmurray said.