Where else can you get a wine experience like this??

Saturday, August 28
    
3:00 PM
Chocolaterie Stam "Store"
Start the festival off right with a savory delight or two from Chocolaterie Stam. 2nd floor, Rick's Boatyard Cafe.
The Papillion store opened in November 2009 and specializes in fine European chocolates, yummy Italian gelato (ice cream) and premium coffee drinks. For a snack, for a gift, for a place to relax, stop in their store at Shadow Lake Towne Centre in Papillion. For now, visit them upstairs at Ricks and get your chocolate fix for the festival. They're only there until 4:45!
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4:00 PM
A Match Made in Heaven: Pairing Wine with Chocolate
Featuring Suzi Bonnett, owner of Papillion's Chocolaterie Stam and Robert Bolden, owner of WineStyles Aksarben
Learn the basics of pairing chocolate with wine as you sample delectable white, milk and dark chocolate matched with the perfect quality wines for each. Could there be a more perfect pair? You'll be on cloud nine!

5:00 PM
Wines of the Mediterranean: Greece - New Wines from the Old World
Featuring Dale Sparks, founder/owner of Quench Fine Wines
Introducing Greek wines from Diamond Importers
Prior to founding Quench, Dale has a colorful wine history that spans 2 decades, including reinvigorating the beverage program at Phoenix's Phoenician Resort, assembling Arizona's finest wine portfolio at Boutique Wines and serving as the first sommelier at Anthony's in the Catalinas in Tucson. Dale and his wine lists have been featured in the LA Times, USA Today, Restaurant Hospitality, Wine Enthusiast, Food & Wine, Wine Spectator and Restaurant Wine. His wine education includes an Advanced Diploma from the Court of Master Sommeliers and participating in the 1992 crush at Swanson Vineyards in Napa Valley. He has written a monthly wine column for 18 years, served on tasting panels and has been invited to be a sommelier at the annual Wine Spectator Wine Experience several times. Having just arrived back home to Arizona from a tasting trip to Greece, he'll introduce you to his favorite New Wines from the Old World.

6:00 PM
Enjoy the Good Life: Napa Valley Cabernet
Featuring Connie Wolfman of Heitz Cellars 
A Nebraska native, Connie has been enjoying the good life in Napa Valley since 1994. She's been on the sales and marketing team with Heitz Cellars for the past 6 years. She has been instrumental in the development of the online store, website content, and marketing materials for the tasting room. Connie is proficient in the history of the winery, so don't be afraid to ask a question. She will be discussing the merits of 3 Heitz Cellars Cabernets (and they're the good ones!). Don't miss tasting some spectacular Napa Valley Cabernets:
        2005 Martha's Vineyard Cabernet
        2005 Trailside Vineyard Cabernet
        2005 Napa Valley Cabernet

7:00 PM
Wine 202: Tasting Like a Pro
featuring Robert Bolden, owner of WineStyles Aksarben
Our favorite wine retailer, Bob opened his first WineStyles store in 2005 after 20 years in the food industry. Bob's presence has grown and is now the area developer for 6 states including Nebraska, Colorado and South Dakota. Bob has served on the WineStyles nationwide Wine Commission responsible for sourcing wine and providing customer insight. Taste, Learn and Enjoy with Bob every Friday night at WineStyles located at 72nd and Pacific in the Shoppes at Aksarben for a fun and educational Styles Tasting. For now, join Bob as he shares some of his secrets for Tasting Like a Pro.

Sunday, August 29
    
2:00 PM
Wine & Food: Perfect Pairings Made Easy
Featuring Dr. John Fischer, Author and Instructor
We all know and love John, a member and two-time president of the Omaha Branch of the International Wine & Food Society, past director of the Nebraska Chapter of LADV, and the founding member of the Council Bluffs Branch of the International Wine & Food Society. He teaches a course on matching wine with food at the Institute for the Culinary Arts in Omaha and is the author of the books The Evaluation of Wine: A Comprehensive Guide to the Art of Wine Tasting, and Wine and Food 101. John insists that if you know a little bit about the wine, pairing the food is easy as pie. To drive home the point, you'll be tasting a cabernet sauvignon and a zinfandel.  

3:00 PM
The Big Cheese: Exploring Wisconsin Cheeses
Featuring Judy "a la carte" Gilliard, Wisconsin Cheese Ambassador
Author of 10 cookbooks and former feature writer for Emeril Lagasse (yes, as in THE Emeril), Judy is currently an ambassador for Wisconsin Cheese. Last year, "Judy a la carte" joined the team of Three Eagles Communications to bring its very successful show to Lincoln, Nebraska, which airs weekdays from 10-11 AM on KFOR 1240am. She also syndicates a 1-minute feature called Courage in the Kitchen, designed to give listeners quick and easy tips to make the kitchen a fun place to enter. Enjoy your time with Judy during this memorable exploration through Wisconsin Cheese. Bon appetit!

4:00 PM
Mighty Malbecs and More: Big Wines from Argentina
Featuring Tim Desmond, National Sales Manager of Vinos del Sur
Tim has a quarter century of experience in the wine industry and has done it all: Retailer, distributor and supplier. After a long career with the Seagram Wine Company, he has more recently held regional and national sales and marketing positions with several family-owned, estate wineries in California. Tim is a member of the Society of Wine Educators and enjoys spreading the word about the high quality wines now coming out of Argentina. We'll be tasting these big wines: 
        Don Cristobal Torrontes
        Benegas Finca Libertad Blend
        Gran Estirpe Malbec

5:00 PM
Go Big Red: Wines from the Cornhusker State
Featuring Jennifer Reeder, Deer Springs Winery
Jennifer owns Nebraska's beloved Deer Springs Winery in Lincoln, along with her family...she's the winemaker and general manger. Recently, Jennifer completed a term as President of the Nebraska Wine and Grape Growers Association, and is currently serving as the Marketing Committee Representative of the newly formed Southeast Nebraska Wine Trail. Her winemaking adventures began nearly a decade ago when the first vineyard was planted at Deer Springs. Plans for opening a winery came to fruition when the basement began to overflow with five gallon carboys of fermenting Nebraska Wine (claims Jennifer, "it was done to save the marriage!"). Jennifer will discuss the growth and success, and share with you some fine examples of top quality wines produced by Nebraska wineries.