If pairing a glass of pinot noir with the cooler temperatures and changing leaves sounds like an ideal fall evening, check out these wine tastings and festivals across the country — and the pond.
Fête Du Bordeaux Dinner at Herons
The Umstead Hotel and Spa’s Herons will host a party on October 25 showcasing the current release — the 2010 vintage — from the top Médoc châteaux. Leaders from the region will be the special guests of a dinner that pairs the 2010 vintage, the 2011 Blanc de Lynch Bages and other select wines with a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star menu from Herons’ chefs.
Denver Wine Fest
The Rocky Mountains are a great backdrop for the eighth annual Denver International Wine Festival at the Grand Hyatt hotel in downtown Denver from November 7 to 10. More than 18 countries will be represented through wines, along with food and vino sourced locally from around Colorado. Check out festival events like a dinner prepared by master chefs with wine pairings, tastings of international wine and a VIP tour of three Colorado wineries.
The Beaujolais Nouveau Festival
Venture to Beaujeu, France, for the first taste of the season’s new wines. One of France’s most famous reds, Beaujolais Nouveau, is fermented for just a few weeks before being released each year at midnight on the third Thursday in November. The five-day Les Sarmentelles festival rings in the new wine with tastings, music, entertainment and more from November 14 to 18.
The celebration doesn’t stop in France: Events across the world commemorate the fruits of the French vineyards’ labor. On November 16, the 20th annual Festival Du Beajolais Nouveau in Seattle will have a wine bar with pours from France and the Northwest U.S., music and a gourmet buffet at the Columbia Tower Club. On the same day, the French-American Chamber of Commerce and the Alliance Française of Portland present the 11th annual Beaujolais Noveau Festival at The Heathman Restaurant & Bar. Work your way through multiple food and wine stations, bid in a wine and art auction and, of course, try the newest French wine.
