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ENLARGE
If you're looking for a relaxed getaway full of food, wine and mountain fun, check out the Crested Butte Land Trust Wine & Food Festival, July 22-25.
In its third year, the festival highlights hundreds of international wines and culinary experiences led by some of the finest chefs. Friendly sommeliers will be on hand to educate guests about a variety of wines, from inexpensive to pricey, and award-winning chefs will participate in wine-themed parties and activities that allow guests to “sniff, swirl and sip their way through the weekend,” according to spokesperson Kirsten Becker.
Sommelier Brett Zimmerman, of Domaine Select Wine Estates, loves the Crested Butte festival because it's “a little more relaxing and a little more organic in its feel” than similar events in places like Aspen. Due to smaller crowds, sommerliers and chefs are more approachable; guests will find themselves sitting in seminars with 20 people, rather than 150.
“It's more of a community feel,” Zimmerman said.
This year, he is the master sommelier for the James Beard Celebrity Chef Tour, a new event, scheduled for Friday, July 23. Zimmerman will focus on value-oriented wines this year, not because of the economy, but because the category of wines under $20 or $15 is so flooded that it can be extremely confusing to consumers.
“Anyone can spend $100 on a bottle of wine and probably be in a good spot — it's like spending $60,000 on a car,” he said, adding that such is not the case for wines under $20. He'll focus on international and regional organic, low-yield quality wines, rather than those driven solely by marketing.
Celebrity chef Ryan Hardy of The Little Nell's Montagna in Aspen will create an amazing multi-course dinner in Ulley's Cabin, located mid-way up Crested Butte Mountain Resort. The tour is one of only 20 stops in the nation this year, and it's hailed as one of the most memorable events of the weekend. Tickets are $200 per person (or $375 per couple), and proceeds benefit the James Beard Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to exploring how food enriches lives.
The signature event, the Grand Tasting, occurs from 2-5 p.m. Saturday. Guests can choose from hundreds of wines and hors d'oeuvres from more than a dozen local restaurants. To accommodate everyone, the event will be held outdoors at the base of the mountain. Tickets are $70 in advance at www.crestedbuttewine.com.
Throughout the weekend, award-winning chefs will present exclusive dinners in private homes, and various restaurants will host parties, seminars, culinary demonstrations and wine dinners. For a complete list, visit www.crestedbuttewine.com.
Festival proceeds benefit the Crested Butte Land Trust, which protects open space and wildlife habitat, provides trail access and preserves the valley's ranching heritage.
“One of the greatest parts of the Crested Butte food and wine festival is you get a chance to be outdoors (in a beautiful mountain setting) within a small and friendly community,” Zimmerman said. “It's kind of a mini vacation — and it's educational and fun.”
For more information, call (303) 809-0404 or visit the websites listed above.
In its third year, the festival highlights hundreds of international wines and culinary experiences led by some of the finest chefs. Friendly sommeliers will be on hand to educate guests about a variety of wines, from inexpensive to pricey, and award-winning chefs will participate in wine-themed parties and activities that allow guests to “sniff, swirl and sip their way through the weekend,” according to spokesperson Kirsten Becker.
Sommelier Brett Zimmerman, of Domaine Select Wine Estates, loves the Crested Butte festival because it's “a little more relaxing and a little more organic in its feel” than similar events in places like Aspen. Due to smaller crowds, sommerliers and chefs are more approachable; guests will find themselves sitting in seminars with 20 people, rather than 150.
“It's more of a community feel,” Zimmerman said.
This year, he is the master sommelier for the James Beard Celebrity Chef Tour, a new event, scheduled for Friday, July 23. Zimmerman will focus on value-oriented wines this year, not because of the economy, but because the category of wines under $20 or $15 is so flooded that it can be extremely confusing to consumers.
“Anyone can spend $100 on a bottle of wine and probably be in a good spot — it's like spending $60,000 on a car,” he said, adding that such is not the case for wines under $20. He'll focus on international and regional organic, low-yield quality wines, rather than those driven solely by marketing.
Celebrity chef Ryan Hardy of The Little Nell's Montagna in Aspen will create an amazing multi-course dinner in Ulley's Cabin, located mid-way up Crested Butte Mountain Resort. The tour is one of only 20 stops in the nation this year, and it's hailed as one of the most memorable events of the weekend. Tickets are $200 per person (or $375 per couple), and proceeds benefit the James Beard Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to exploring how food enriches lives.
The signature event, the Grand Tasting, occurs from 2-5 p.m. Saturday. Guests can choose from hundreds of wines and hors d'oeuvres from more than a dozen local restaurants. To accommodate everyone, the event will be held outdoors at the base of the mountain. Tickets are $70 in advance at www.crestedbuttewine.com.
Throughout the weekend, award-winning chefs will present exclusive dinners in private homes, and various restaurants will host parties, seminars, culinary demonstrations and wine dinners. For a complete list, visit www.crestedbuttewine.com.
Festival proceeds benefit the Crested Butte Land Trust, which protects open space and wildlife habitat, provides trail access and preserves the valley's ranching heritage.
“One of the greatest parts of the Crested Butte food and wine festival is you get a chance to be outdoors (in a beautiful mountain setting) within a small and friendly community,” Zimmerman said. “It's kind of a mini vacation — and it's educational and fun.”
For more information, call (303) 809-0404 or visit the websites listed above.
