UNLVino has become more than an annually held institution that provides scholarships and experience for University of Nevada, Las Vegas hospitality students. The 42-year old fundraising event emphasizes varietals, vintages and vineyards, and although the focus of the celebration is the grape, UNLVino also attracts some of the finest talent working in the kitchens of one of the world’s cuisine capitals as well as UNLV’s culinary program. That talent in turn attracts thousands of wine connoisseurs with sybaritic appetites year after year.

The event that grew out of a wine-tasting class begins April 14 with the “champagne under the stars” event Bubble-Licious at The Venetian. Sake Fever strikes in the western Vegas Valley at Red Rock Resort’s pool area April 15, while the climactic Grand Tasting takes place at Paris on April 16. Ales, lagers and other spirits are offered from among the more than 40 suppliers, but attendees come mostly to sample the Rieslings, cabernets, pinots and the culinary conceptions that participating chefs come up with to pair with the wines.

The Dom Pérignon Award of Excellence will be given to Jan Jones Blackhurst, Robert G. Goldstein and Brian Massie. Former Las Vegas mayor Jones Blackhurst is executive vice president of government relations and corporate responsibility with Caesars Entertainment, and helped the Caesars Foundation in both philanthropic activities and distributing more than $66 million in gifts since 2013. Massie developed successful restaurants for the Light Group (Fix, Stack) before masterminding the menus for Red Rock’s new venues as corporate executive chef for Clique Hospitality, while Goldstein’s 20 years of executive leadership at Sands Corporation contributed greatly to the success of The Venetian and The Palazzo before he became Sands’ president and CEO in January 2015.

Bubble-Licious, The Venetian, 7-10 p.m. April 14, $100 in advance, $125 at the door, 21+.; Grand Tasting, Paris, 7-10 p.m. April 16, $100 in advance, $125 at the door, 21+; Sake Fever, Red Rock Resort, 7-10 p.m. April 15, $75 in advance, $100 at the door, 21+; all prices plus tax and fee. unlvino.com