WINE CLASSIC AIDS GOOD CAUSE YOUTH ORCHESTRA BENEFIT OFFERS FOOD, FUN.

Byline: Sharon Cotal Staff Writer

VALENCIA - Anyone who would enjoy an evening of fine wine, excellent food and live professional music can do so while supporting a good cause at the Santa Clarita Valley Wine Classic, from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday at California Institute of the Arts.

The wine tasting is the major fund-raising event of the year for the Santa Clarita Valley Youth Orchestra at College of the Canyons, an instrumental and educational music program for ages 8 through college.

Music ranging from classical chamber music to jazz and salsa will be performed and food will be provided by local restaurants including Le Chene, Gallaghers and Chiaso. The event will take place in CalArts' Main Gallery.

``With the decorations, the music and the beautiful room, the atmosphere at this event is always quite lovely,'' said College of the Canyons spokeswoman Sue Bozman. ``It's a very classy kind of event and a lot of people think it's one of the funnest parties of the year.''

While most wine tasting events only feature new release wines, the SCV Wine Classic is unique in that it also offers vintage library wines from private collections. Private collectors have donated vintage wines, some of them quite rare, and two Valencia retailers, International Wine & Liquor and Sunrise Spirits, also donated library wines from their cellars, Bozman said.

After attending the event the past few years, Bozman said she is now able to distinguish between different wineries and years, and the experience has made her more conscious of how things taste, even foods.

``I think it's like that with music, too. The more educated a person becomes about different music genres, the more they appreciate the different sounds they are hearing,'' she said.

The orchestra hopes to raise about $20,000 at the event that will go toward buying instruments and providing scholarships for area musicians.

``This program would not exist without support from the community,'' Bozman said. ``We want to make sure that music stays alive for the next generation.''

Tickets to the SCV Wine Classic are $60 each and $100 per pair in advance, or $70 each and $120 per pair at the door. Designated drivers can purchase tickets for $30. To purchase tickets, call [phone].