Eat, Drink, Savor: Gabilan Seneca celebrates 69th Annual Wine & Food Tasting

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Gabilan Seneca held its 69th Annual Wine & Food Tasting on Sept 6, returning to Paicines Ranch after holding it for two years at Swank Farms. A total of 60 vendors—30 restaurants and food services, along with 30 wine, beer and beverage producers—offered samples of their wares during the three-hour event in support of the Seneca Family of Agencies.

Seneca Director of Communications Anne Greenberg expressed gratitude to the Gabilan chapter for hosting this event every year and for supporting the work of the parent organization, which provides services for foster and adopted children in 11 counties including San Benito.

“We are filling a very big gap in resources in the county,” she said, “and it’s the generosity of the community and the people who attend that ensures our Hollister clinic can provide the high level of care that it does.”

The event allows participants to highlight some of their most popular offerings, like Harvest Time Roadhouse’s popular tri tip chili, have fun with some off-the-menu items, like Flapjack’s Citrus Achiote Infused Turkey (a family recipe), and debut new releases, like winemaker Ryan Stirm’s Pajaromas white blend, made with Albariño and Ferment along with grapes from the first harvest of Vermentino grapes from his vineyard in Aromas.

The tasting featured ten more vendors than were at last year’s fundraiser, including the first appearance as a vendor for long-time guest Jesus Zavala who brought his new JJ’s Burgers food truck and served up samples of his amazing cheeseburgers.  Other newcomers included The Brass Tap, Cosmos Bar and Grill, Santa Clara’s Twice Tyger Winery and Megan Ward’s Salt & Peppertree. 

While she had attended the event in the past, either as a guest or to help pour her family’s Guerra Cellars wines, Ward made the most of her first appearance with a pasta salad made with organic San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, and pesto.

“I love this event,” Ward said. “It is so holistic with the beautiful scenery and all the people and local vendors. And the cause itself is so great, bringing us all together to raise money to help children within the community.”

Another great discovery was Centamo, a newly opened winery on the outskirts of San Juan Bautista.  Winemaker Vince Sandoval’s debut offerings were Centamo Apricot Wine and Apricot Imperial Cider, both using classic B&R Farms Blenheim apricots.  

“We were really happy to be invited,” Sandoval said. “It is great to be here, it is a great cause, and it is a pleasure to have this chance to pour our wines for everybody.” 

Other delights at the event included Swank Farm’s Gaspacho soup made with their Early Girl tomatoes, Persian cucumbers, Japanese cucumbers, and what owner Dick Swank referred to as a “secret ingredient.”  (It’s a little bit of red beet—don’t tell anyone.)  

Bliss Blendz offered Lemon, Strawberry Acai and Peach Mango Refreshers, Heavenly Bakery served crostini and the best crème brûlée imaginable. Dunneville Market joined its legendary tri-tip with sauteed onions on flatbread as an appetizer, along with meatballs created from its house-made sausage and served with a tomato-yogurt sauce. 

The triumvirate of greats from Cienega Valley—DeRose, Calera and Eden Rift wineries—were there, along with local favorites like Kobza Wines, Mad Pursuit Brewery, Grillin & Chillin Alehouse, Pinnacle Brewery and Pelayo Cider.

San Juan Bautista resident John Hopper, who said he has been attending the event with his wife, Diana Carr, for over 20 years, described Gabilan Seneca as “one of the great causes in this county.”

“We know folks that have had the opportunity to adopt children,” he said, “and we’ve always had a place in our hearts for this organization. We just believe it’s a wonderful thing.”

The evening ended with an auction of donations that ranged from getaways to Pollock Pines, Templeton and Lake Nacimiento, use of the Swank Farms event barn, a BBQ dinner for 12 and even a guided pig hunt.

Although the total amount raised will not be released until a few days after the event, Gabilan Seneca member Kris Waller estimated the fundraiser will make or exceed the $125,000 raised last year, with the auction alone accounting for $27,000 of the total.

All proceeds support the network of services provided by the Seneca Family of Agencies, which assists children in foster care or adoption and provides clinics for mental health counseling.

According to Greenberg, the San Benito County outpatient clinic offers a formal suite of specialty mental health services. She said the three practitioners there, including two who are bilingual, currently serve around 50 clients, offering individual and family therapy and working with parents to equip them with the necessary tools to handle challenging situations.

“It is a small clinic,” she said, “but mighty. It has been having a great ripple effect, and this fundraising is absolutely critical to our work in providing a vital option for people who might not have very many options for support.”

Auction items with donors: 

• Cozy River cabin getaway in Pollock Pines, CA: Johanna Gallo, Realty World Advantage 
• Guided pig hunt for two in San Benito County: The Bourdet family of Hollister 
• Swank Barn event venue for up to 200 guests: Swank Farms
• The Cantinas Retreat at Lake Nacimiento: Mike and Tracy Nino & family
• Upscale in-home BBQ dinner experience for 12: Donnovan McAbee/McAbee Meats
• Vaquero Verano with bunkhouse and loft in Templeton, CA: Steve Nino 

Participating restaurants, wineries, breweries, cideries and water companies

Restaurants	Beverages
3 Queens Carnitas	Aimee June Winery
Apricot King	Blair Estate
Bliss Blendz	Calera Winery
Brass Tap	Casa de Fruta Winery
Cosmos Bar & Grill	Centamo Winery
CW Farms Focaccia Bread	Clos LaChance Winery
Dunneville Market	Crave Wine Company
El Rinconcito	Damm Good Water
Farmhouse Cafe	Damm Vineyards
Flap Jacks	DeRose Vineyards
Grillin & Chillin Alehouse	DIVUM
Harvest Times Roadhouse	Duckhorn
JJ Burgers	Eden Rift Vineyards
La Catrina Mexican Grill	Fortino Winery
Las Micheladas Bar & Grill	Grillin & Chillin Alehouse
Los Cuates Taqueria	Guerra Cellars
Margot’s Ice Cream Parlor	Guglielmo Winery
Overlook Restaurant	Hecker Pass Winery
Paine’s Restaurant	Kobza Wines
Round Table Pizza	Mad Pursuit Brewing Company
Salt & Peppertree	Martinelli’s
San Juan Oaks Golf Club	Morgan Winery
Swank Farms	Pelayo Cider
The Heavenly Bakery	Pessagno Winery
Triple El Lumpia	Pinnacles Brewery
Vertigo Coffee Roasters	Puma Road Winery
The Smoke Point BBQ	Stirm Wine Co.
Wind Chime Foods	The Garden Shoppe
Windmill Market	The Swank Beer Experience
Wise Goat Organics	Twice Tyger

Recommendations for future Eat, Drink, Savor articles can be emailed to roberteliason@benitolink.com.

BenitoLink thanks our underwriters, Hollister Super and Windmill Market, for helping to expand the Eat, Drink, Savor series and give our readers the stories that interest them. Hollister Super (two stores in Hollister) and Windmill Market (in San Juan Bautista) support reporting on the inspired and creative people behind the many delicious food and drink products made in San Benito County. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.

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