Arts, Dining & Entertainment, Featured

Elevate your taste buds at the Killington Wine Festival

Tastings, wine trail, wine dinners and even golf on weekend agenda

Friday-Sunday, July 20-22—KILLINGTON—The Killington Wine Festival has earned a reputation for being one of the Killington region’s signature summer events. Over the years, the festival has grown immensely and now features more than 500 wines from a collection of over 40 vineyards around the world. Organized by the Killington Pico Area Association and hosted by Killington Resort, the annual event is a weekend well spent, tasting fine wines with Killington Peak and the Green Mountains of Vermont serving as a scenic backdrop. The festival returns to the region Friday-Sunday, July 20, 21 and 22. Break out the fancy attire and plan to attend one or more of the events.

Done tasting? Is wine with food more your thing? Hit the wine trail, with participating Killington region restaurants offering a special wine or food and wine pairing. The trail runs 6-10 p.m., and participating restaurants include: Inn at Long Trail, Peppino’s, The Foundry, JAX Food & Games, The Garlic, Sushi Yoshi, Liquid Art, Birch Ridge Inn, Highline Lodge, Choices Restaurant, Domenic’s Upscale Pizza Joint, Killington Art Garage, Lookout Tavern, and Preston’s at Killington Grand Hotel. Contact the individual restaurants for details.

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By Jerry LeBlond

The grand tasting is the signature event of the festival, held Saturday afternoon, July 21, Killington’s Roaring Brook Umbrella Bars, 1-4 p.m. Guests will have the opportunity to move through the different venues, enjoying a seemingly endless variety of wines produced domestically and from places as far away as France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Germany, New Zealand, Japan, Chile, Argentina, and South Africa. The grand tasting will also feature Vermont wines and spirits as well as local artisanal foods including cheeses, chocolates and more. Admission to the event includes tastings, wine-friendly fare, a round-trip scenic gondola ride, and signature tote with wine glass. VIP tickets gain early access, for an upgraded experience. Dress to impress for this event!

Saturday evening, the Killington region’s most discerning restaurants will hold special culinary events ranging from wine samplings to multi-course gourmet wine dinners. Special guests from the wineries represented throughout the festival weekend accompany many of these dinners and offer interactive discussions on a variety of wine topics. Space is limited at these events and early reservations are encouraged.

Capping off the weekend is the Wine and Nine golf tournament at Green Mountain National Golf Course on Sunday, July 22, at 2:30 p.m. Enjoy champagne and snacks at registration, then a shotgun start at 3 p.m. Play 9 holes of golf with friends, taste nine specialty wines selected from Baker Distributing’s extensive portfolio, and then enjoy a delicious dinner and prizes in the clubhouse. The Garlic Restaurant will host a special on-course “tapas tent” with delicacies prepared by Chef Bryan Guldelis and paired with wines from The Garlic’s wine list. Call 802-422-4653 to make reservations for this event.

All information, dates and times are subject to change. Guests must be 21 or older to attend tasting events. Day care is available at Ramshead Lodge.

For additional information, or to pre-purchase ticket to any of the events, visit killingtonwinefestival.com.

Featured Photo by Jerry LeBlond

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