Downton/50 Shades Wine Tasting Spices Up HK Project

Are you Christian Grey – or Lady Mary? Find out when local wine expert Hank Zona (“The Grapes Unwrapped”) curates a special “Downton Abbey & Fifty Shades of Grey Wine Tasting Event” at Highland Place on Wednesday, July 10 at 7:30 p.m. 

This sure-to-be saucy, spicy and scintillating evening is a fundraiser for the HK Project, and all proceeds will support local programs and initiatives. Guests are advised to come in costume (imagine the possibilities) or as they are. 

“Because of what I do, I notice wine references everywhere, and there are many of them in pop culture phenoms like Downton Abbey and Fifty Shades,” said Zona.  “The Fifty Shades author actually has a page on her website listing all the wine references in the books.  So I thought it would be fun to do an event where I can discuss and have people taste the wines that are mentioned in both.” 

Guests will sample six wines along with some light food, and Zona said he might even call on some brave souls to come up and read (wine-related) passages from the books.  

Intimate familiarity with the Shades of Grey books is not a prerequisite to attendance. 

"HK Project is always looking for fun ways to engage the community,” said Amy Jo Curran, executive director. “We thought this was a different fun night out and making it a small fundraiser was a win/win." 

“At $40 a ticket ($300 for a table for eight), to taste six wines and have some food and have it all go to a worthy local organization is a pretty great value,” Zona said.

Tickets are available online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/409682. Or mail a check to: HK Project, 515 Valley Street, Ste. 130, Maplewood, NJ 07040 (write “Downton Abbey” in the memo).