3rd Annual Grand Rapids International Wine & Food Festival – Lift Your Glasses and Cheer

One of the real joys of our state is our commitment to innovation in all that we do. This weekend, the Grand Rapids International Wine & Food Festival returns for three days of good artisan food and drink at DeVos Place.

This annual event is devoted to wowing your palette, but also introducing you to some of the best of our region and world.

Making choices at the wine and food festival will be especially hard this year as more than 100 wineries, breweries and distilleries will be present alongside exciting cooking demonstrations and tastings.

Due to very popular demand, this year, you can make reservations in advance of the festival’s intimate “Pairing” seatings as they increase to six offerings this year including five multi-course wine pairings with The 1913 room, Bar Divani, Tre Cugini, San Chez and Louis Benton and a multi-course beer pairing with six.one.six.

At $30-$40 per person, these limited-seating experiences are moderated by the chefs, sommelier, winemakers and brewers and offer guests a chance to communicate directly with them about the menu selection and pairing choices.

One very special addition for 2010 is the Grower Champagne Tasting, a true artisan winemaking experience for your mouth with terroir being at the forefront of each wine. Join our wine expert, Bradford Hamerschmidt of Imperial Beverage, as you taste champagnes that have been sourced from single or closely located vineyards around a village from the Champagne region of France.

These are true artisan producers that work the soil and produce what one would affectionately refer to as “Farmer Fizz.” The Maisons de Champagne is all family-owned, not corporate. They are representative of specific cru villages from the heart of the Champagne Region representing the Three Cru Regions from North to South (Montagne de Reims, Vallee de la Marne and Cote de Blanc).

You will not want to miss one of the three limited seatings for this special tasting of true, hand-crafted Champagne, accompanied by assorted pate courtesy of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel.  

Also new this year is the Sister Cities Piazza with people like Chef Akihiro Kotani, the Master Chef at Hotel New Omi in Omihachiman, Japan presenting on the Meijer Food Stage.

Representing our sister city of Perugia will be Sarah Goretti of Goretti Vineyards, offering wine tastings all three days of the Festival from their vineyards located in the heart of the Umbria region of Italy.



Admission: $15. / 21+ only