Schedule

Wine Tastings

THURSDAY, NOV 4TH

GATEWAY TO BIG SUR
Highlands Inn, Carmel- 6 - 9 pm

Join us for a wonderful evening in the Fireside Room and Lobos Lounge of the famed Highlands Inn - A Hyatt Hotel, for an unforgettable tasting of wines and sumptuous food. featuring the likes of Kent Torre from the Cheese Shop, Cal Stamenov of Bernardus, Christophe Grosjean of Auberge de Carmel, Craig von Foerster of Sierra Mar, Chef Domingo Santamaria of Deetjens Inn and Chef Michael Woods of Treebones paired with Pisoni, Heller, Talbott, Au Bon Climat, Hyde deVillaine and other great wineries. The festival will be supplying shuttles from the Highlands down to Big Sur, so please come and join us!

Wine Tastings

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH

CHARDONNAYS AND THEIR MUSE
10am-noon
Santa Lucia Room at Big Sur State Park

Ever wonder where exactly a wine maker gets his or her idea? Then come and listen to these amazing producers of Chardonnay (Pax Mahl of Wind Gap, Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat, Paul Draper of Ridge, Mark Pisoni of Pisoni Vineyards, David Ramey of Ramey Winery, James Hall of Patz and Hall, and others). These winemakers will not just talk about their divine inspiration, but also bring the wines that illustrate their journey of oenological discovery and descent into the madness of creating a wine that is so finicky.

COOKING DEMONSTRATION
Confernece Room next to the Restaurant at Ventana Inn and Spa
Very limited seating.
11:30am - 2:30pm

Join chef Truman Jones of Ventana Inn and Spa's award-winning restaurant and learn how to create some elegant yet simple dishes. Chef Jones has raised the bar at Ventana since his arrival just a few months ago, and is creating dishes that will excite your palate!

PINOT WALKABOUT
Only 100 tickets available.
1pm - 3pm
Back Deck of Restaurant at Ventana Inn and Spa

Exercise and red wine! Isn't that what every good doctor proclaims is beneficial for you? Then come and celebrate the mighty Pinot Noir on the back terrace of the Restaurant at Ventana with 22 of our own personal favorites, ranging from the south to the north, and quite a bit in between.

HIGH / LOW, HOT / COLD, FIVE MEN AND A SYREN
2:30pm - 4pm
Conference Room at Ventana Inn and Spa

Step up Ladies and gentlemen! Never see a real Syren before? If not, then join us to watch Morgan Clendenen of Cold Heaven as our Syrah Syren, as she boldly faces (entices?) our favorite Syrah producers - Bob Lundquist of Qupe, Bradley Brown of Big Basin, Justin Smith of Saxum, and Torbrek Vineyards, Pax Mahle of Wind Gap, and more. Isn't this why you're in Big Sur? For enchantment, of course.

WINEMAKER DINNERS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, 7:00pm

BIG SUR RIVER INN
Step into the cozy Big Sur River Inn and enjoy a wonderful evening of beer with the Beer Geeks and an amazing barbecue selection.

BIG SUR ROADHOUSE
Chef Wendy is putting together a wonderful feast to complement the rich wines of the Galante Family. Jack Galante, whose great grandfather founded the town of Carmel, and also built the famed Highlands Inn, will be on hand to talk about his Cachagua (Carmel valley) wines. Cowboy wines with Cowboy wisdom!

REDWOOD GRILL AT FERNWOOD
Join chef Dave and the inimitable Tobin James as they match food, wine and who knows what else in what was without a doubt the most over the top dinner at last year's weekend! Stay and watch Mother Hips, presented by Britt Goveah and FolkYeah!

BIG SUR BAKERY
Small but powerful, the Big Sur Bakery continues to put out amazing food in a truly intimate atmosphere. This Friday, join Frank Ostini of the Hitching Post as he presents his great wines, paired with Chef Phil's exquisite creations. The Hitching Post was the location for a number of scenes in the infamous Sideways movie, and we're sure Frank will have some juicy tidbits to share!

VENTANA INN
At Ventana's Private Dining Room (at the Lodge at Ventana)
7pm

Join Chef Truman Jones as he works his magic around the amazing wines of Chappellet. Winemaker Carissa Chappellet joins in to enhance the experience!

DEETJEN'S BIG SUR INN
An evening of culinary delights from chef Domingo SantaMaria accompany the remarkable wines of Miura, guided and made by the skilled hands of Master Sommelier Emanuel Kimiji.

TREEBONES YURT RESORT
Tonight features the tiny vineyard of Brochelle from the Paso Robles area going head to head with the organically produced wines of Heller Estate. Join an intimate crowd for this wonderful evening. Given the dramatic beauty of the south coast, plan on staying over night in one of TreeBones' unique yurts!

SIERRA MAR AT POST RANCH INN
To be announced. Please contact the Sierra Mar directly at 831-667-2200 or through their website.

NEPENTHE RESTAURANT
To be announced.

Wine Tastings

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH

PAST, PRESENT, AND SOMETHING ITALIAN!
10am - Noon
Conference Room at Ventana Inn and Spa

Our good friend Tim Mondavi (yes THAT Tim Mondavi!) presents his greatest hits from his days with the Robert Mondavi Winery and his new wine, Continuum Estate and from his days with the renowned Super Tuscan Ornellaia vineyards.

HIKING WITH STEMWARE AT RANCHO RICO
11am - 3pm

The very first event to sell out last year will surely sell out fast again! We are grateful to the Chappellet Family for sharing their property. Hundreds of wild acres await you for three stations of amazing Chappellet wines. Enjoy a walk through oaks, redwoods and then emerge onto the bluffs high above the ocean for stupendous coastal views. After a walk like this, lunch with Kurt Grasing? Sure! Why not? Only 32 spaces are available for this event, so book early!

POST RANCH ECLECTIC WALKABOUT
Noon - onwards

Yes, Eclectic is the word of the day, and Dominique DaCruz, wine director for the world-famous Sierra Mar at the Post ranch, is re-creating (and expanding) this amazing stroll through the Post Ranch property. The afternnon will feature his favorite wines and delicious morsels from the hands of Chef Craig and his gifted staff. Please contact the Post Ranch directly for this event, which will no doubt sell out.

GRAND PUBLIC TASTING & BOOK SIGNING
11:30am - 3pm
Henry Miller Library

Henry Miller Approved This Tasting! We spoke to the Ouija board and heard voices from the past saying words to the effect of: Don't leave a drop behind! And, How come wine wasn't so wonderful when I was scribbling Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch? Please join us for a magical afternoon on the lawn of the Henry Miller Library as we present a passel of incredible food and wine authors, who will signing their books and present at least one item from their own recipes. Add to that 30 or more incredible wineries, and food to delight your tummy! We'll also have a Silent Auction with donations from various local fans, so please come and enjoy, and experience the Henry Miller Library in a new way!

WINEMAKER DINNERS

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH, 7:30pm

BIG SUR RIVER INN
Join Heller Estates, our friends and neighbors from the other side of the Santa Lucia mountains here for a wonderful evening hosted by Earthbound farms, as a fundraiser for the Big Sur Health Center.

BIG SUR BAKERY
Randall Graham of Boony Doon - the irrepressible mischief maker from the Santa Cruz mountains who continually turns the wine industry on its head with his magical essence will pair his great wines with chef Phil's own magical presentations.

DEETJENS BIG SUR INN
Adelaida Winery and Paul Sowerby present exquisite wines to accompany the delicious treats from Chef Domingo. This event will be very limited, seating-wise, so please make your reservations early.

SIERRA MAR AT POST RANCH INN
To be announced. Please contact the Sierra Mar directly at 831-667-2200 or through their website.

DINNER WITH FRIENDS — A BENEFIT FOR BIG SUR

AUCTION AND RECEPTION AT VENTANA INN AND SPA

5:30pm - 7:00pm

We have gathered our dear friends again to come and delight your senses in our main fund-raising evening for the benefit of the Big Sur community. Please join us for our Reception and Auction, starting at 5 pm on the terrace at the Restaurant, featuring Chef Cy Yontz of the Rio Grill and wines from Au Bon Climat and Roederer Estates, and watch Toby and Archie in action on the podium!

DINNER WITH FRIENDS — AT VENTANA INN AND SPA

7:30pm

Our wineries for this special evening are: Chappellet, Continuum, Justin, Hitching Post, and ROAR. Here's a sneak preview of the evening's menu:

1st COURSE: TED WALTERS – PASSIONFISH OF PACIFIC GROVE

2nd COURSE: FRANK OSTINI – HITCHING POST RESTAURANT

3rd COURSE: ARTURO MOSCOSO - PEBBLE BEACH CO. INN AT SPANISH BAY, PEPPOLI RESTAURANT

MAIN COURSE: TRUMAN JONES – CIELO RESTAURANT @ VENTANA IN & SPA

DULCE: YANN LUSSEAU – PARKER LUSSEAU PASTRIES, INC.

Wine Tastings

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH

TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE! HIKING WITH STEMWARE
10am- 2:30 pm

And we mean wild. There will be only 36 tickets for this unique opportunity to visit a rare gem in Big Sur that has been seen by only a handful of local residents. There will be two degrees of difficulty for this hike: Strenuous and Moderate. The Strenuous group (yes, there might be medals at the end) will leave from the parking area at 10 am, while the Moderate group leaves at 11. Both groups will join at about noon for a shared walk into one of Big Sur's most enchanted redwood canyons, returning for a lunch at the house. This property offers some of the most compelling coastal views imaginable. Tie this in with rare and wonderful wines from River Ranch, and you have a experience that will knock your hiking socks off.

(Please be aware that the Strenuous hike is indeed that. There are some steep sections where we will be scrambling. Strong solid boots and long pants are recommended. Those who are unsure about their fitness level should consider this hike carefully. Thank you.)

All events and times are subject to change. Weather conditions might affect exact locations of Hiking With Stemware events. Please consider checking the weather outlook and bring appropriate clothing.