The Corks for Kids event is an annual a two-day dinner and wine tasting extravaganza, in which all proceeds from the event go to the North Carolina Children’s Hospital. This year’s event kicks off on Friday, September 21st with a rare opportunity to dine with seven of Australia and New Zealand’s finest winemakers. Those lucky ones to reserve a seat at the wine dinner at ACME will enjoy a five-course meal, each course paired with one or two wines, as well as a winemaker per table of eight to talk to the entire evening about all things wine. Some wines being served include Hentley Beauty 2005 ($49.99), Small Gully Marananga Shiraz 2003 ($36.99), and Torzi Matthews Frost Dodger Shiraz 2005 ($39.99). Cost to reserve a seat at the wine dinner is $125 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Call (919) 968-1884 for reservations.

Saturday, September 22nd is the BIG event held at Chapel Hill’s William and Ida Friday Center. This event, set to start at 7:30 p.m., again will feature a tasting table to sample the wines of each of the seven Australian and New Zealand winemakers. There will also be a few tasting tables featuring other top wines and champagne. In all, over 60 wines will be poured for tastes, with over 20 wines rated 90 points or higher. Hors d’ouevres will be available at stations around the room, and a silent and live auction with items from a private Vietri shopping experience, to Carolina Panthers tickets, to rare and high-end wine will go on throughout the evening. Cost is $50 per person. Call (919) 968-1884 to make your reservation. Wines featured at both days of the event will be available for purchase. All proceeds from the event and sales of the wines will go to the North Carolina Children's Hospital.

And returning to this year’s event on September 22nd, Chapel Hill’s own Baum Jewelers will giveaway a pair of 1 ct. TW diamond earrings valued at over $3,000. As guests enter the event, they will have the opportunity to purchase, for $25, a champagne glass with a pouch tied to the stem. In the pouch is a stone. That stone could be the mate to the other stone in the diamond earring pair. Guests will then take their stone to the Baum Jewelers table where an Independent Appraiser will examine the stone and get the guest’s name. The person who had the real diamond will be announced later in the evening.

As background, Todd Wielar, the Owner of Chapel Hill Wine Company and Hillsborough Wine Company, started the Corks for Kids event to support the North Carolina Children’s Hospital because the doctors and staff of the hospital saved his wife’s and little girl’s lives. During delivery, Todd’s wife Amy had severe complications that required emergency surgery. Lily Mae was delivered and immediately transported to Intensive Care while the doctors went about trying to save Amy's life. After a long night with both of his girls in Intensive Care, Todd was finally the proud father of a healthy, redheaded daughter and the proud husband of his strong (and alive) wife.

To learn more about the N.C. Children's Hospital and the Corks for Kids event, please visit www.ncchildrenspromise.org. To make reservations for the dinner and wine tasting event, call (919) 968-1884.