
Thursday, April 11 and Friday, April 12
Fun topics and an easy, laid-back atmosphere make these festival favorites. This year, we are scheduling two days of seminars and classes! More options and times for you to enjoy! Held across town in several different locations, a class is always close by. Be sure to fit one (or more!) into your schedule. Plan a downtown lunch, shopping or dinner around your classes of choice. Have fun!
Tickets are sold individually. Seats are limited!
Must be at least 21 years of age to participate in any seminar.
Click Here for TICKETS!
Seminars
WINE & CHOCOLATE
Meadowbrook Inn
Thursday, April 11 4pm
Friday, April 12 12 noon
Not only are wine and chocolate delicious, but as excellent sources of antioxidants, they are really good for you. In this seminar you will learn which chocolates best accompany a specific type of wine and vice versa. Get ready to indulge in some incredible pairings of two of the world's favorite guilty (or maybe not so guilty) pleasures! Presented by Johnson & Wales University.
$25.00
WINE & CHEESE
Meadowbrook Inn
Thursday, April 11 2pm
Friday, April 12 2pm
Cheese and wine seem to be made for each other. While many combinations are quite enjoyable, certain pairings really excite your tastebuds. In this seminar we will explore the fundamentals of wine and cheese harmony and help you determine what cheese pairs best with your favorite wine. Presented by Johnson & Wales University.
$25.00
WINE & FOOD/SPICES
Location Hillwinds Inn
Thursday, April 11 3pm
Friday, April 12 11am
The spice is right! With so many spices, foods and wines available from all over the world on today’s market, the old adage of red wine with red meat and white wine with white meat just doesn’t always hold true. In this seminar learn how wine pairs with different spices found in food. Use this modern pairing method at your next dinner party and your guests will be asking how you came up with such an excellent combination. Presented by Christopher Brantley, owner of Christopher's Wine and Cheese and a Master Sommelier.
$25.00
RIEDEL CHALLENGE
Inn at Ragged Gardens
Friday, April 12 12 noon
Friday, April 12 4:30pm SOLD OUT
"The finest glasses for both technical and hedonistic purposes are those made by Riedel. The effect of these glasses on fine wine is profound. I cannot emphasize enough what a difference they make." (Quelle: Robert M. Parker, Jr. The Wine Advocate)
Discover the true deliciousness of wines by tasting them in a glass made exclusively for that variety. Natali Meetze, C.S.W. will demonstrate the luxury of Riedel glasses while tasting a variety of wines. And you get to keep the glassware at the end of the seminar - for future "research". Presented by Natali Meetze, C.S.W.
$55.00
HIDDEN TREASURES, BEST VALUES
Hillwinds Inn
Friday, April 12 1pm
Like many products, consumers often pay extra for the name on the bottle when it comes to wine. Now that there is more great wine available from more then 30,000 wineries worldwide, a lot of it is unfamiliar. So what are consumers supposed to do? In this seminar we will introduce you to some of the amazing wine values you’ve probably never heard of from all over the globe. Come and learn about these wonderful wines including the Treasure Hunter wines, who package some of the best wines in California under their own label for a very reasonable price. You will walk away from this seminar able to buy better wine for less money.
$20.00
CONVERT ME! I WANT TO BUY LOCAL
Inn at Ragged Gardens Cellar
Friday, April 12 2pm
With the great "Buy Local" push going on, it only seems to make sense to buy your wines locally too! Join us in a seminar presented by "Bruce Heye, the Wine Guy" for educational enlightenment of some of North Carolina's best wines. Next time you reach for a bottle of wine, make it a local purchase!
$20.00
BEST GRAPES YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF
Meadowbrook Inn
Friday, April 12 3pm
How many different types of wine can you name? Most wine drinkers know all of the basics like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Merlot. However, there are thousands of different grapes used to make wine. In this seminar we will explore some of the best varietals you have probably never even heard of. Some of them such as the Casavecchia, very popular in ancient Rome, have existed outside the mainstream for thousands of years. Be the first to introduce your friends to a Kerner, Marechal Foch or Seyval Blanc. Presented by Trevor Burton,
a connoisseur and wine columnist for Lake Norman Currents Magazine. He is a well respected expert on French wine. He introduces his readers to rare wine and wonderful finds.
$30.00
THE ITALIANS
Hillwinds Inn
Friday, April 12 3pm
Friday, April 12 5 pm SOLD OUT
Italy is a land legendary for their glorious wine and food and the harmony of how the two pair together accentuating the dance of their terroir. The Blue Ridge Wine & Food Festival celebrates Italy in this showcase seminar as we highlight the best varietals of wine from across Italy and pair them against some of most legendary flavors of Italian Cuisine. The flavors of truffle, olives, balsamic vinegars, basil and many others will be showcased against the dynamic varietals of grillo, vermantino, nero d’avola and other wines to entice your imagination and bring the ultimate smile of pleasure to your tongue. Presented by Christopher Brantley, owner of Christopher's Wine and Cheese and a Master Sommelier.
$25.00
COFFEE CUPPING
Saturday, April 13 beginning at 9am
Wake up with great coffee!! Taste coffee varieties at Bald Guy Brew on Main Street in Blowing Rock. Barista and coffee roaster Jason Campbell will walk you through the finer points of coffee beans, roasting, and brewing. Pour-over coffees will be discussed, too! Allow about one hour for coffee cupping.
$15 includes coffee tastings and a sample of Bald Guy Brew coffee beans to take home.
Tickets available through Bald Guy Brew. Call
828-406-1153 to reserve your spot!!
Click here for more about Bald Guy Brew
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Cooking Classes
COOKING WITH CHOCOLATE
Green Park Inn $65 per person
Saturday, 11am-2pm SOLD OUT
Join Chef James Welch, Blowing Rock’s only James Beard Foundation nominated Chef, for “Cooking with Chocolate”. Learn how to combine delicate and surprising ingredients as you prepare your dishes alongside Chef James in our state of the art 3000 sq. foot kitchen, designed by the Chef. Four courses, which you will enjoy for your lunch, include James’ famous “Chocolate Steak”, and chocolate infused lobster lasignette, among others. Wine parings served along with your 4 course “lunch and learn”. Bring your apron!
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