SPANISH FORT, Ala.—Red and white were definitely the most popular colors Saturday at Catholic Service’s second annual Wine Festival.

The festival was held at Five Rivers Delta Resource Center where attendees got to participate in wine tastings, food, cooking demonstrations and live music.

More than 100 different wines were available for tasting and purchase.

Attendees got to snack on some of the area’s finest foods and watch area chefs demonstrate how to make different dishes.

Chef Andrew Selz of Café Malbis in Daphne, executive chef Matt Shipp of The Pillars in Mobile and executive chef Kevin Brooks of Blu Bistro in Mobile were some of the area’s top chefs who prepared their best delicacies for the event.

Area restaurants such as Richee’s Barbeque, Chris and Carla’s Catering, The Fresh Market, Olde South Gumbo, Alec Naman Catering, the Battle House Hotel, the Original Oyster House, Dreamland Barbeque and Zoë’s Kitchen provided food and desserts for the event.

Attendees also took part in activities that didn’t involve food or wine. Some took a break from the festival and enjoyed free 30-minute Mobile-Tensaw Delta tours onboard The Pelican pontoon.

“The wine and the food,” Jill Oglesby, of Mobile, said for the reason she attended the festival two years in a row. “You can’t go to a nice restaurant and eat food and (drink) wine like this for 50 bucks.”

Oglesby said her favorite dish was the shrimp and grits prepared by the Renaissance Riverview Hotel in downtown Mobile.

Others appreciated how helpful vendors were with wine and food selection.

“The food and wine vendors did a great job of helping me pair my wine and food together,” Kay Mooney, of Fairhope, said.

Cooking demonstrations allowed festival-goers to learn how to cook like a chef.

“Learning how to make sushi was awesome,” Ruby Tanner said of her favorite demonstration by Shipp.

New Orleans Bourbon Street blues artist J.B. Davis provided the musical entertainment, as well as the steel drums played by Coconut Dave. 

“I’m glad I came because if I didn’t I wouldn’t know how good German wine is,” Rebekah Kennedy, of Mobile, said. “It was fabulous.”

Proceeds from the festival benefit The Service Center of Catholic Services—at 555 Dauphin St. in Mobile—and helps households in need with utility bills, food banks, emergency assistance, rent and medication, Ann Stein, festival chair, said.

“We’re leaving it open-ended for the service center this year,” Stein said. “We’re going to give it to them for whatever emergency need comes in.”

The center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Last year’s festival raised almost $21,000, Stein said.

About 600 guests attended the festival this year, however, all of the profits haven’t been calculated at this time.

“I thought this year’s festival was a lot bigger and a lot better than last year,” Stein said. 

“We had more wine distributors, more restraurants and more music.”