16th Annual Vineyard Fest at Château Élan Winery & Resort

Calling all wine lovers!  Enjoy the best of Georgia wines at Château Élan’s 16th Annual Vineyard Fest on Sunday, Aug. 26 from 1 to 5 p.m.  This annual event includes tastings of more than 100 international and domestic wines, live music and dancing, grape-stomping, cooking demos and wine seminars, and fresh farm-to-table food prepared by Château Élan’s very own chefs.

Domestic and international wines will be available for guest tastings from Argentina, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Australia and New Zealand, plus regional wineries from California, New York, Washington, Oregon, North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia.  Samples of locally crafted specialty beer, including Innis and Gunn, Red Hare, Sweetwater, Terrapin and many more will also be available for tasting.

Wine tastings will be held in Château Élan’s new air conditioned pavilion and Cask Room. All Georgia wines will be available for purchase during the festival.

The food tasting menu will include wild shrimp, local stone ground speckled grits with cheddar cheese and Andouille tomato ragout, and succulent pork that has been smoked for 20 hours, then served with a delicious homemade sauce. Local artisan cheeses from Sweet Grass Dairy and Flat Creek Lodge will also be offered for tastings.

“We are proud to offer this culinary event for the 16th year, showcasing the best of Georgia’s wineries,” said Doug Rollins, vice president of sales and marketing at Château Élan.  “This annual close-of-summer tradition attracts many wine and food lovers from around the region with the opportunity to sample some of the world’s best wines at the peak of the harvest season.” 

Vineyard Fest Package

As part of the weekend festivities, Château Élan is offering a special evening of dining al fresco on Saturday night, “Dining Under the Stars Chef & Winemaker Dinner,” that kicks off with cocktails at 7 p.m. followed by a multi-course dinner prepared by Winery Chef Justin Kurtz and paired with wines presented by the Château Élan Winemaker Simone Bergese.  The package includes overnight accommodations for two, a specially labeled bottle of Château Élan wine, breakfast for two in the Versailles restaurant and two tickets for Vineyard Fest the following day.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.chateauelan.com/exclusives/vineyard-fest-2012/