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Keystone Wine and Jazz Festival returns with sweet treats

Weekender staff report
The Keystone Wine and Jazz Festival returns this weekend with over 300 varieties of wine, along with numerous wine seminars that demonstrate all that wine can be paired with, including candies, cheeses, breakfast foods and more. For additional information, visit KeystoneFestivals.com.
Ben Lindbloom / Special to the Weekender |

Topic: “War of the Roses”

Presenter: Scott Thomas

Where: Warren Station Center for the Arts

When: Saturday, July 15 @ 12:30 p.m.

It’s not just White Zinfandel anymore. Wines described as magenta, rose, salmon, blush, fuchsia, watermelon or coral can be dry, sparkling, crisp and refreshing…a perfect combination for a hot summer day or leisurely afternoon on a patio. Rosé is now a serious wine, made from many different grape varieties and countries. We’ll explore the many shades of pink with all of its attributes and styles from across the globe.

Topic: “Say Cheese (and Wine) – Finding the Perfect Cheese for your Wine”

Presenter: Jerry Combs

Where: Warren Station Center for the Arts

When: Saturday, July 15 @ 3 p.m.

Effective pairing of wine and cheese is an essential component to enhance tasting experiences. Each texture, flavor, ripeness, and even firmness of cheese classification generates a unique catalyst effect – and when strategically joined with the proper varietal – results in an optimal fusion. Join us for a practical and informative session as Jerry Combs from Republic National Distributing shares best practices and tips to effectively pick the perfect cheese for your wine. The fun and interactive session will include a panel of wine industry experts.

Topic: “Cigar and Craft Distillers”

Presenter: Chris Galante

Where: Quaking Aspen Amphitheatre

When: Saturday, July 15 @ 4 p.m.

Join us on the Warren Station Patio for one of the most unique seminars of the Wine and Jazz Festival, Cigars and Craft Distillers! Tim Elias will discuss the similarities between cigars and wines, how to properly cut and punch a cigar, and tips on pairing cigars with craft spirits. If you have interest in the major tobacco growing counties, tobacco plant strength, or construction of cigars in the rolling factory, this seminar is perfect for you! Furthermore, our cigar expert will discuss myths of Cuban cigars, counterfeiting cigars, and the difference between hand rolled cigars and machine rolled. Whether you are a cigar expert, or someone looking for a new hobby, this seminar will be informative and exciting.

Topic: “Prosecco & Pancakes”

Presenter: Jeromy Krug

Where: Warren Station Center for the Arts

When: Sunday, July 16 @ 10:30 a.m.

Warren Station hosts a sparkling morning brunch to the nationally acclaimed Wine and Jazz festival. Begin your Sunday festival experience with delicious Prosecco cocktails featuring a unique mix of pancakes, toppings and classic breakfast sides.

Topic: “Willy Wonka’s Wild Wine Ride”

Presenter: Ashley Rowe

Where: Warren Station Center for the Arts

When: Sunday, July 16 @ 2 p.m.

Tantalize your palette with the tasty sensations of six different wines paired with dozens of candies and treats. You never know what is coming next, just know it will be the most fun and interesting wine experience, and at the end of the ride it all makes sense. Come and join us and explore flavor sensations unlike any before at the Willy Wonka’s Wild Wine Ride!

Around 5,000 people are expected to flock to Keystone this weekend for one of life’s finest combinations: wine and jazz. Back for its seventh year the Keystone Wine and Jazz festival is offering 300 varieties of wine with an app this year, so attendees can keep all that they sampled accounted for and keep all the music events straight. The wine seminars located in Warren Station always focus on new and trending wine topics. This year, the focus is on sweet treats. Over the course of two days there are numerous seminars to attend, including candy pairings, pancakes and prosecco and the war of the rosés.

New this year is the Oxygen Bar, which will be located right outside of Warren Station for guests to take a rest and regroup throughout the festival.

“The Keystone Wine and Jazz Festival is one of the most popular wine events in the state and has grown into one of the largest events of its kind,” says Maja Russer, director of events and marketing for the Keystone Neighbourhood Company, the group that produces the Keystone Wine and Jazz Festival along with other popular Keystone festivals like the Bluegrass and Beer Festival and Mountain Town Music Festival. “This year we’re sweetening the pot with another incredible lineup of wine seminars and events like the Prosecco and Pancakes event on Sunday morning followed by the Willy Wonka’s Wild Wine Ride seminar that pairs candy and sweet treats with wine.”



The mix between educational seminars, culinary experiences, quality jazz and the mass amount of wine that will be poured makes this event one-of-a-kind.

“The Sunday Wine Seminar: Willy Wonka’s Wild Wine Ride! Wine paired with jelly beans and other sweets and should be on your list of can’t miss experiences,” said Maja Russer.



The entire Keystone culinary community puts its best food forward, including staple Keystone establishments like the Alpenglow Stube and the Ski Tip.

The festival starts on Friday, July 14, with the sultry singing of the Linda Styles Band at the Reserve Wine Tasting event at the Warren Station Center for the Arts in River Run Village at Keystone. Tickets are $85 in advance and $90 at the door and the event features appetizers and dishes paired with special wines and hard-to-find varietals.

Saturday’s festivities start at noon with free jazz music. Throughout the weekend, groove to the tunes with free shows by Joel Rodney Siemion, Scruffy Pearls, Flat Irons Jazz Orchestra, Brian Simpson Band, Michael Lington, Vincent Ingala and back for another year the Phil Denny Band.

“Seeing that most of our performance venues today consist of theaters, clubs, and festivals, bringing the show to the Colorado mountains provides a completely refreshing experience for us all, and reminds us of the power that music holds, and where it can take us,” said Vincent Ingala.

Throughout the weekend, the wine will be flowing in River Run Village with the Grand Tasting happening from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For more information, visit KeystoneFestivals.com.


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