Michael Klauber, owner of Michael's on East and founder of Forks & Corks, returns to preview the 18th year of one of Sarasota's biggest food and wine events, and he opens with a number that surprises even the hosts: the grand tasting's roughly 1,200 tickets sold out in under two minutes, leaving more than 800 people on a waiting list. Klauber co-founded the organizing group, Sarasota Manatee Originals, back in 2003 with eight independent restaurants determined to compete against an influx of national chains. That group has since grown to 69 member restaurants, all required to have been open at least a year and to contribute to a shared marketing and mentorship fund pulled partly from broadline vendor purchases.
The event itself unfolds over a full week. An online auction of food and wine items opens the Monday before, followed by wine dinners at 19 member restaurants Thursday and Friday nights, each pairing a multi-course meal with an in-person visit from a winemaker or owner rather than a regional sales rep. Saturday brings what Klauber calls Forks & Corks University, a series of master classes where six or seven winemakers per session pour and discuss their wines for audiences of 60 to 70 people, alongside retail tastings around town. The week culminates Sunday with the grand tasting itself in the Ringling Museum courtyard, featuring roughly 45 restaurants and wineries representing 13 countries.
Klauber is especially proud of the retail component built into the grand tasting, where attendees can buy bottles they have just sampled and take them home the same day, a rarity in the wine industry that he says keeps winemakers coming back year after year because they can see direct sales rather than just pouring free samples into a crowd. Proceeds fund the organization's marketing and mentorship programs for member restaurants, many of which lean on the group for guidance on everything from building a first website to navigating funding applications during difficult stretches like the pandemic.
Asked what listeners should do if they cannot land a grand tasting ticket, Klauber points them toward the wine dinners and master classes, several of which still had openings at the time of taping, and to the Eat Like a Local newsletter for early notice on next year's sales. His closing pitch is simple: support Sarasota's independent restaurants, because the money, and the people who run them, stay in the community.
What you'll take away
- The Forks & Corks grand tasting, roughly 1,200 tickets, sold out in under two minutes this year, leaving more than 800 people on a waiting list.
- Sarasota Manatee Originals, the organization behind the event, grew from 8 founding restaurants in 2003 to 69 members today.
- The event spans a full week, including 19 wine dinners, Saturday master classes with winemakers from 13 countries, and a Sunday grand tasting at the Ringling Museum.
- Attendees can purchase and take home wine they sample at the grand tasting, a rare direct-sales feature that draws winemakers back annually.
- Membership requires restaurants to have operated at least a year and to participate in shared marketing, mentorship, and gift certificate programs.
“It's like a Feeding Frenzy when these tickets go on sale.”
“We're stronger together than any of us is independently.”
Places mentioned: Ringling Museum, St. Armands Circle, Michael's Wine Cellar