Taste of Vail Festival, April 3-6

Vail, Colorado, celebrated the 12th anniversary of the Taste of Vale Festival. Rutz Cellars was proud to be one of the 50 wineries selected to participate, from a field of over 400. All that wine, combined with Vail's finest restaurants, spring ski conditions, and the beautiful Vail Valley landscape, made this a one-of-a-kind opportunity.  Many of the local restaurants teamed up with participating wineries to host Winemaker's Dinners. Rutz Cellars joined with one of Vail's best on April 4th, to create a wine and food experience you wouldn't want to miss. Tyrolean Restaurant sits atop a hill overlooking Vail Village, and the nearby ski slopes. This 30-year-old Vail mainstay has been owned and operated for two generations by the Langegger family, and features New European cuisine in an authentic Austrian setting. The diverse menu is often highlighted by wild game specialties, as shown in the menu for the event. Keith provided some of Rutz Cellars' best Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs to accompany the meal.

Florida, January 23-24

Rutz Cellars proprietor Keith Rutz was on the move through central Florida in late January, and hosted two Winemaker's Dinners at local restaurants. Dozens of wine enthusiasts at each location were treated to a specially prepared meal partnered with Keith's selections of Rutz Cellars Pinots, Chardonnays, and Cabs.

Keylime Bistro - Wednesday, January 23
Located on Captiva Island in the Fort Meyers area on Florida's west coast, Keylime Bistro is the newest restaurant in this resort community. The restaurant was opened by resort owner Sandra Sitwell, as an addition to her Captiva Island Inn. The menu for the Winemaker's Dinner included Pesto-stuffed Scallops in Oriental Broth, Tri-colored Vegetable Terrine, Key Lime Sorbet-, Wasabi-, and Ginger-seared Tuna, and White Chocolate Cheesecake. Keith paired these selections with the latest Rutz Cellars Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The wines were a big hit with the sold-out crowd, and everyone complimented Keith on his presentation, and the quality of the wines.

California Cafe, Orlando - Thursday, January 24
At this informal dinner, Executive Chef John Piombo supplied a broad variety of tapas dishes, while Keith presented eight different Rutz Cellars wines. The pairing of the wines with the food was left up to the guests - with some small suggestions from Keith and John - lending a fun, experimental flavor to the evening.