Yavapai College has embraced the Verde Valley’s emerging wine industry by creating a viticulture program on the Clarkdale campus.

To help support their efforts, the Yavapai College Foundation Greater Verde Valley Chapter is hosting its third annual Art, Wine and Dine in the Verde Countryside gala event Thursday, Oct. 25, in the campus’s new outdoor pavilion.

“We decided to rebrand the event this year from French Flair in the Verde Countryside because of the focus. The art in the new title is the art of winemaking,” said Paul Kirchgraber, director of development for the Yavapai College Foundation. “We’re particularly excited because the Verde Valley and Sedona communities are coming out in full force to support our campaign for the Southwest Wine Center we plan to create on the Verde campus. We’ve had incredible response from the community.”

The Oct. 25 event is important to help support the foundation’s $3 million campaign for the Southwest Wine Center, he said.

The event will begin with a wine tasting reception and silent auction of artwork and other prizes. Following will be a three-course, wine pairing dinner created by a local restaurateur.

For the full story, see the Friday, Oct. 19, edition of the Sedona Red Rock News.