Seminars will be conducted all days of the Festival and be held at a variety of locations throughout the Town of Crested Butte. Some seminars are 60 minutes and others are 90 minutes. Guests must be at least 21 years of age. Each seminar is limited to approximately 25 guests, as limited by the size of the host venues.
Tickets are not issued for these events. Your name will be on the list at the door. Upon purchasing your tickets, you will receive a confirmation that includes the location of your seminar.
Coming in from out of town? See our lodging and ticket packages available through Crested Butte Mountain Resort!
2010 events are listed below. Additional events will be added as they are scheduled.
Online ticket sales have now closed but tickets for most events are still available!
Please visit the Festival Headquarters located at Maxwell’s between the hours of 11:30- 2:00 PM and 4:30- 7:00 PM; Saturday 11 AM- 1:00 PM to purchase tickets.
Seminar and Winemaker Dinner tickets can also be purchased at the restaurants who are hosting. We recommend calling ahead to ensure availability.Grand Tasting tickets will also be available at the event on Saturday, the event is from 2:00- 5:00 PM at the base of the Red Lady lift at the Crested Butte Mountain Resort.
You may also call the Festival Hotline: 303.809.0404
Wednesday, July 21
Local Cheeses & Great Wines - Soupcon, 1 to 2 p.m. $35
This unique seminar will extend your knowledge of fantastic wines at great prices. Enjoy three wines paired with locally-made cheeses.
"Wine Country" Tasting - Crested Butte Mountain Resort, 5 to 7 p.m. $25
The "butte-ful" Crested Butte Mountain will serve as the breathtaking backdrop for this fun and lively tasting. Guests will enjoy a variety of wines paired with hors d'oeuvres and live country music. David Walden of Heck Estates will be on hand to educate and pour you wines from Valley of the Moon, Kenwood Vineyards & Lake Sonoma Winery.
Nibbles & Sips - The Dogwood Cocktail Cabin, 7:30 p.m. $50
Don't miss this-- an original, house-infused artisan cocktail tasting. Each guest will receive 10 2-ounce tastings of original, house-infused martinis and cocktails.
Thursday, July 22
Learn How to Saber a Bottle of Champagne - EastSide Bistro, 12:00 to 2:30 p.m. (private instruction sessions anytime during these hours) $35
This.... you can't miss! You will be the talk of your next party when you learn how to entertain your guests by sabering a bottle of champagne with a saber or sword! Champagne and protective eyewear included.
Wine 101 - Timberline Restaurant & Mountain Spirits, 1 p.m. $35
Local wine professionals Aaron Tomak, proprietor of Mountain Spirits Liquor and Drew Shields, sommelier of Timberline Restaurant host their second season of "Desmystifying Wine". The class will tackle a single wine topic in a fun, social, and unpretentious atmosphere. In Wine 101, questions will be answered like "what is a balanced wine?" and "just what is the wine balancing...exactly?"
Local Cheeses & Great Wines - Soupcon, 1 to 2 p.m. $35
This unique seminar will extend your knowledge of fantastic wines at great prices. Enjoy three wines paired with locally-made cheeses.
Unique, Interesting & Fabulous White Wines - EastSide Bistro, 2:30 p.m. $35
So, you think white wine is for beginners? Think again! Join Leah A. Deane, wine specialist for RNDC in Colorado, on a tour of the unique and obscure white wines from around the world. You will be saying"Where have you been all my life?" to grapes like Falanghina, Roussane and Assyrtiko. We will try wines from Italy, Spain, Australia, California, Austria and even Greece! Careful, you just might find yourself wearing white after Labor Day.
Enchanted Princess Garden Picnic - Fete Events at The Princess Wine Bar, 1 to 3 p.m. $45
Nothing is better than a beautiful hike coupled with a perfect picnic. In fact, some might call it a perfect summer day. Staged in the beautiful princess garden on Elk Avenue, this seminar will teach participants how to pair gourmet picnic fare with varieties of wine. Picnic basket and accoutrements included.
Vintage Wine Tasting - Maxwell's Restaurant, 2 to 3 p.m. $20
Maxwell's will open it's impressive stock of wines for this special event so that guests may enjoy tasting a variety of vintage wines and experience the complexity of aged wines.
Crested Butte Land Trust Night of Conservation, 5:30 p.m. $100
Crested Butte Land Trust's Celebration of Conservation with keynote speaker David Gann, of The Nature Conservancy will be featuring the savory and tantalizing cuisine of Kurt Boucher Executive Chef/Owner of the Butcher's Table, and Eric Jaeger, Executive Events Chef at Crested Butte Mountain Resort.
Ticket includes small plates paired with select wines. Proceeds benefit the Crested Butte Land Trust.
Friday, July 23
Learn How to Saber a Bottle of Champagne - EastSide Bistro, 12:00 to 2:30 p.m. (private instruction sessions anytime during these hours) $35
This.... you can't miss! You will be the talk of your next party when you learn how to entertain your guests by sabering a bottle of champagne with a saber or sword! Champagne and protective eyewear included.
Local Cheeses & Great Wines - Soupcon, 1 to 2 p.m. SOLD OUT
This unique seminar will extend your knowledge of fantastic wines at great prices. Enjoy three wines paired with locally-made cheeses.
Interesting & Unique Reds - EastSide Bistro, 2:30 p.m. $35
Learn about distinctive red varietals that may be unfamiliar but provide a nice change for your palate. Featuring the following varietals: Carmenere, Tempranillo, Pinotage, Petite Syrah, and Grenache.
Wines of Spain - django's, 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. $25
Join Sommelier Susie Mayr of Folio Fine Wines for a captivating presentation of Spanish wines, which are benefitting from a huge surge in popularity. The Far from Ordinary Wine Guide explains:"Spain's wine industry is undergoing a brilliant explosion in quality and diversity that is unprecedented in the history of wine. Wine has been woven into the fabric of Spain's culture, commerce, and cuisine for millennia. But a burst of new wines emanating from all corners of Spain, a movement that began in the 1980's and has been accelerating ever since, has redrawn the map. And this revolution has landed Spain clearly front-and-center on the world wine stage."
Wines of South France – Maxwell's, 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. $35
The Ianguedoc Roussillon (a.k.a., South France), is the largest vineyard in the world. The taste and flavor of the wines are as varied as the landscape that produces them. Discover the stunning wines of South France as presented by wine expert Barbara Hermann, Fine Wine Buyer for Binny's. Barbara is a six-time winner of the professional blind wine tasting contest in Chicago, and is responsible for selecting the fine wines from France, U.S., Italy and South America for the 19 Binny's stores in Chicago and suburbs.
What's Shakin' and Stirrin' - django's, 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. $19 (or free with dinner)
A featured selection of cocktails made with wine and vinous spirits will be presented and paired with hors d'oeuvres. Guests will receive all of the recipes for the drinks featured during the seminar along with several examples of traditional and odd concoctions from around the world.
Colorado Food & Wine Tasting - Timberline Restaurant, 4:45 to 6:00 p.m. $55
Alfred Eames, owner of Puesta del Sol Vineyards and Eliane Wissocq of "The E-Vine" will educate attendees on 4 red wines from two of Colorado's wineries located closest to Crested Butte. Although the wineries are both above 6,000 feet and located within only 10 miles of one another, the wines are of very different styles. Timberline Restaurant will create hors d'oeuvres to pair with and complement the wines. Best yet, each participant will leave the seminar with two bottles of wine tasted at the event (a $40 value).
Celebrity Chef Tour benefiting the James Beard Foundation – Uley’s Cabin, 6 p.m. $200 per person or $375 per couple. More information
Winemaker Dinner – EastSide Bistro, 7 p.m. $125
Experience an exquisite 5-Course Dinner paired with wines from the Krupp Brothers Winery in Napa Valley. A dinner event not to be missed!!! Featured guest, Sandy Huffine of Krupp Brothers Winery.
Saturday, July 24
Grand Tasting - Crested Butte Mountain Resort, 2 to 5 p.m. More information
Wine Maker Dinner – EastSide Bistro, 7 p.m. $125
Experience an exquisite 5-Course Dinner paired with wines from the Mercer Estates Winery. Join winemaker Rob Mercer as he discusses his fabulous wines from Washington. A dinner event not to be missed!
Sunday, July 25
Champagne Brunch - Timberline Restaurant, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A la carte brunch menu
Enjoy Timberline's popular brunch paired with an offering of different champagnes and sparkling wines
Daring Pairings - django's, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. $19 (brunch only) $15 (additional wine pairings)
Unusual, difficult and fun pairings for the adventurous bruncher. Enjoy a breakfast of champions, paired with a little "hair of the dog" to send you off from the weekend's festivities.
Learn How to Saber a Bottle of Champagne - EastSide Bistro, 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. (private instruction sessions anytime during these hours) $35
This.... you can't miss! You will be the talk of your next party when you learn how to entertain your guests by sabering a bottle of champagne with a saber or sword! Champagne and protective eyewear included.