Members of the John’s Island Foundation Leadership Circle were treated to a very special wine tasting reception last Tuesday evening at the John’s Island Club, sponsored by Northern Trust Bank. The exceptional wines, donated by John’s Island residents John and Pam Mariani, came from Castello Banfi, their vineyard in Tuscany.

“Ours is a family business; this next year it will be 100 years old,” said John Mariani. “Forty years ago we developed property in Tuscany, in Montalcino. When we moved there it was seven wineries; it was the poorest hilltop town in all of Tuscany. Today, there are 297 wineries and it’s the wealthiest hilltop town in Tuscany.”

A remarkable selection of dishes, from passed hors d’oeuvres to a generous buffet, paired beautifully with the impressive assortment of award-winning wines.

Ken Wessel, JI Foundation board president, paid tribute to the wonderful John’s Island staff, particularly Executive Chef John Farnsworth, saying “John took an embryonic seed of an idea and worked it into what you see this evening.”

Thanking Leadership Circle members for their support, Wessel noted that donations to the foundation last season rose 13.4 percent. The Leadership Circle was accountable for 51 percent of that.

“So on behalf of the disadvantaged people that we serve through agencies in Indian River County, we thank you very, very much,” said Wessel.

The John’s Island Foundation distributed $612,000 in grants to 19 local agencies this past spring. Since its inception, it has granted more than $10.57 million to 84 different local nonprofit agencies.