‘Drinking for a good cause’: Meet your tribe at the next Southern Utah Wine Guild social event

Written by Jessi Bang
October 14, 2023

ST. GEORGE — Sip, sip, hurray!

Members of the St. George Wine Club clink their wine glasses together against a red mountain backdrop, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Marianne Hamilton, St. George News
Members of the St. George Wine Club clink their wine glasses together against a red mountain backdrop, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Marianne Hamilton, St. George News

Do you love wine? Do you want more friends who love wine? If the answer is yes, you might consider joining the Southern Utah Wine Guild. This nonprofit organization is bringing the community together while raising money for local charities.

“The Southern Utah Wine Guild is a really terrific resource for our community,” co-founder of the nonprofit Marianne Hamilton said. “It connects people who share a common love of wine and typically good food. Not only is it a fun thing to do, but we end up drinking for a good cause.”

After moving to Southern Utah in 2014, she said she and her husband Doug Hamilton were in search of a wine club and were excited to discover that one already existed. Originally founded by Kit and Phil Loomis, the St. George Wine Club consisted of roughly 70 people.

Phil Loomis and his wife eventually asked the Hamiltons to take over the group. They agreed, and shortly after turned the wine club into an official 501(c)3 nonprofit organization called the Southern Utah Wine Guild, of which they are the co-administrators. That was nine years ago, and it’s still going strong. In fact, it’s grown to over 1,800 people.

While many on their mailing list want to stay in the loop, the largest gathering thus far has included some 300 attendees.

Marianne and Doug Hamilton, the founders of the Southern Utah Wine Guild clink wine glasses together inside their home in St. George, Utah, Sept. 26, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News
Marianne and Doug Hamilton, founders of the Southern Utah Wine Guild nonprofit, clink wine glasses inside their home in St. George, Utah, Sept. 26, 2023 | Photo by Jessi Bang, St. George News

The Southern Utah Wine Guild holds events once per month, hosted at a variety of places across Washington County. Guests are asked to bring a small appetizer, a bottle of wine and a $10 donation. The host for the event picks an organization to which the proceeds will be donated.

After signing into the event and putting on their nametags, attendees listen as announcements are made. Information includes where the donations are going and a check is presented. Upcoming events are announced and live entertainment from local performers finishes off the night.

The Wine Guild’s September event was hosted in the backyard of an individual who runs Cherish Families in Colorado City, Arizona. All donations went directly to Cherish Families, a nonprofit that provides individuals from polygamous cultures with the tools needed to create a successful new life. 

Doug Hamilton said they have given back to many other facilities in the area, including PAWS Animal Rescue and Utah Tech University, with a majority of the donations going to its athletic and music departments.

“Between donations and paying our live performers, we’re on track to give back $100,000 by the end of this year,” Marianne Hamilton said.

The Southern Utah Wine Guild puts on a wine social at Tuacahn in Ivins, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Marianne Hamilton, St. George News
The Southern Utah Wine Guild puts on a wine social at Tuacahn in Ivins, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Marianne Hamilton, St. George News

The monthly socials take place in a myriad of unique settings. This month’s wine social will take place on Oct. 22 at the Brio community clubhouse. November’s event will take place at the St. George Regional Airport inside a Southern Utah Wine Guild board member’s private hangar. And December’s annual ugly sweater Christmas party will be held at Ovation Sienna Hills.

Anyone over the age of 21 is welcome to join the Southern Utah Wine Guild. Currently, the wine guild’s median age is 64.

“For people trying to find a community, this really helps,” Marianne Hamilton said. “We hear over and over again, ‘You’ve helped us find our tribe.”

The couple also teaches “Wine for the Novice” classes, which cover basic wine information, growing regions, grape varietals and what foods pair well with various wines. 

For more information on classes and how to join the wine guild, visit the Southern Utah Wine Guild website or follow St. George Wine Club on Facebook.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessi Bang was born and raised in Utah and has a passion for nature and the great outdoors. She graduated from Kaplan University in California with a degree in criminal justice. She has extensive experience in marketing, content creation, photography and copywriting. You can find her showcasing outdoor adventures through her blog, “The Rambling Raccoon.” In her free time, she enjoys climbing mountains, trail running, working out and cuddling her two lovable pups.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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