Back for another good year– bottles of them (forgive the pun)-- the Wine Festival of Colorado Springs makes its returns to the Broadmoor. Celebrating 31 years, the Wine Festival continues to be one of the Springs’ premier charity events, and this year, they’ll celebrate the occasion by showcasing “The Wines of Northern Italy”. Read on to learn more about each sumptuous detail, and get your ticket to attend.
From March 2nd through the 4th, get ready to experience three days of world-class events featuring wine, history and philanthopy at The Broadmoor, TAPAteria & The Warehouse Restaurant & Gallery where gourmet meals are only enriched by the company of visiting winemakers sharing their stories, vintage journeys, and secrets. Wine and cheese tastings, tapas nights, and more offer a buffet of delectable and informative opportunities to learn about wine while you dine, and have a good time. Here’s what you can expect!
Pre-Wine Fest Spirits Celebration
Classic Cocktail Class & Tasting - $40 per person
As those in the business might say, little tastes better than a well-crafted cocktail before enjoying a wonderful glass of wine! Join in the fun with professional mixologists from The Pouring Parlor at Westside Cantina for the Pre-Wine Festival celebration of classic cocktails. Learn to craft your own Gin French 75, Classic Tequila Margarita, Fresh Lime Rum Daiquiri, Rye Whiskey Manhattan, Penicillin Scotch Cocktail, and Vodka Bloody Mary. Sip your creations and snack on cheese, charcuterie, and snacks and toast to the 31st Annual Wine Festival of Colorado Springs. All proceeds benefit Colorado Springs Conservatory.
How To Love Wine!
Wine Tasting & Appreciation Seminar- $50 per person
Maybe you’ve experienced the moment when you like a particular wine, but can’t for the life of you taste the hints of burnt leather, cheese rind, or even gasoline that others say are in their glass? If all you can smell is wine, this seminar is for you providing the right tools to help you learn how to detect aromas, flavors, and other nuances of wine. You’ll learn by sampling several different wines and discussing what you’re smelling and tasting. By the end, you’ll learn to love the wine you used to only like.
Vino e Cibo
Wine-paired Lunch with Winemakers & Guest Chefs- $100 per person
Experience a culinary sensation, as some of Colorado Springs’s top chefs including Jay Gust from Ascent Restaurant Group, James Africano from The Warehouse Restaurant, Pete Moreno from Prime 25, and Ketil Larsen from Picnic Basket Catering Collective join forces to create original dishes expertly paired with the wines of our Northern Italian guest vintners. Organizers are excited to offer this popular, always-sold-out event at the 2023 Wine Festival of Colorado Springs to watch it sell-out all over again.
The Wonderful Wines of Northern Italy
Northern Italian Wine Tasting & Seminar- $50 per person
This interactive wine seminar will explore the wines crafted in the Northern Italian regions of Piedmont, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and Trentino Alto-Adige. Winemakers and special guests from these regions will be present to guide guests’ tasting experience and discuss each of their wines as you sample them. You’ll learn why each of these regions is unique as you experience delicious wines that are like no others. Tasting what you’re talking about has got to be the ultimate way to learn about the featured beverage.
Barolo: The King of Wines
Barolo Wine Tasting & Seminar- $100 per person
Barolo is known as the “King of Wines” in Italy, and experiencing an aged Barolo is something very special indeed. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enjoy a side-by-side comparative tasting of fine, aged Barolos and recent vintages to appreciate the incredible changes that happen during the aging process. Regional experts on the matter will discuss the nuances of the Nebbiolo grape and why it makes Barolo wines so complex and age-worthy. Aged Barolos are expensive so don’t miss this opportunity to taste several of them without breaking the bank!
The Grand Tasting
Grand Social Wine Soirée with Food & Music- $125 per person
Known by many as the main event of the Wine Festival, The Grand Tasting is Colorado Springs’ favorite date night. Enjoy this sell-out soirée by sipping, savoring, and exploring more than 300 wines and curated food pairings from many of the region’s finest restaurants and caterers all while you dance the night away!
Formaggio e Vino: The Ultimate Match
Wine & Cheese Pairing Seminar- $100 per person
Italy not only makes great wine; it also makes some of the finest cheeses in the world, and when you match Italian wines with Italian cheeses, magic happens! In this “Festival Favorite” seminar, you’ll have the opportunity to taste several wines and sample several cheeses to find the Ultimate Match. Visiting Italian winemakers will be present to share their thoughts on matching their wines with certain types of cheeses. And as the theme of the event suggests, they’ll focus on cheeses produced in northern Italy. And when you taste one you like, they’ll let you know where you can buy them!
The Gala Dinner and Live Auction
Five-Course, Wine-Paired Gourmet Dinner with Guest Winemakers $275 per person
The Grand Finale of this year’s Wine Festival, the Gala Wine Dinner and Live Auction, is absolutely unforgettable. The evening begins with a gourmet culinary tour-de-force dinner, each course paired with the elegant wines of the Festival’s distinguished guests. The evening concludes with the region’s premier live auction of rare and one-of-a-kind collectible wines and wine-related travel and lifestyle packages. Dress to Impress!
Who are these visiting winemakers, you ask? From Friuli, we have Lorena Tosetto of Petrussa, Simone Secchi of Ronco Delle Betulle, and Pierpaolo Rapuzzi of Ronchi Di Cialla. And from Piemonte, we have Andrea Zarattini and Monica Genesio of Poderi Colla, and Joanie Bonfiglio of Elvio Tintero & Guido Porro.
Sounds good enough to drink, doesn’t it? Tickets are in short supply with some events already close to selling out. So act fast and reserve your spot online! Call Cheyenne Mountain Resort to book your stay with us while you’re here!
