Experience Winter Culinary Events at Grand View Lodge
Each year, Grand View Lodge celebrates seasons with our culinary and thirst-quenching wine weekend called de’vine. Other culinary events bring some of our favorite local breweries, regional distilleries, and fine wineries. These events consist of learning and experimenting with new flavors while being directed by industry professionals. We just celebrated our 7th annual Brewfest in November, and there are two more events to come! Each offers a weekend package or day pass, so pick the ticket that works best for you and come refine your taste buds. Both weekends are accompanied by exceptional food, delightful drinks, and emcees that will keep you laughing. These events are also sponsored by our friends from MN Monthly Magazine.
De’Vine Food and Wine Experience
This February 3-5 is ripe with wine from all regions of the world. Bringing in wines and experts from across the nation into one place, this is a great opportunity to learn from the best without traveling too far.
The weekend of events begins on Friday night with two immaculate wine dinners, one hosted by Stag Leap Cellars and the other by Ancient Peaks. The Chefs of Grand View Lodge have mastered the flavors that pair with the provided wines. Each dinner is carefully crafted in advance, including five plates and five wines. The chefs sample the featured wines, so they can pair them perfectly – each bite created to enhance and compliment. Following Friday night’s dinners, we also have live music at the Northwoods Pub.
Saturday is packed with activities. Package guests can start with Grand View Lodge’s famous breakfast buffet before making their way to the Gull Lake Center for a day of tasting, learning, and fun! Talking about food, wine, and more, co-emcees Jason DeRusha of WCCO and Joy Summers of MN Monthly, will kick off the event. For the next several hours you can spend your time sampling, tasting and learning from the experts. We have several courses consisting of mixology, cheese, wine and beer pairings, the history of wine, and more. You can attend multiple courses, enjoy samples, ask questions, and expand your knowledge of wine.
Following the days’ sessions is the ultimate Grand Tasting experience. All vendors gather in one location for your tasting enjoyment. There are not only wine tastings, but culinary tastings as well. Our own Grand View Lodge chefs provide an abundance of flavorful treats, pairing flawlessly with the sample wines available.
Distilled: Craft Liquors & Artisan Meats Weekend
Similar to De’Vine, this event runs with the same format, but a different focus. Distilled debuted in April of 2016. The event aims to highlight the history and influx of Minnesota and American craft distilleries. Each distillery has its own story – their roots come from different lands and their creation from different bloodlines.
In the last 10 years, the number of American Craft Distilleries has increased from 50 to over 750, according to the American Craft Spirits Association. Many people are following their dreams of creating a presence for their products that didn’t exist before. While their products are ‘fresh off the press,’ we want to bring them to Grand View for a weekend of tastings.
We begin Friday night as we host a dinner paired with specialty cocktails at a caliber that you’ve never had before. During the dinner, you will be invited to taste, talk, and explore a fantastically paired meal. Afterwards, live music in the Pub will be waiting for you.
On Saturday we welcome our hosts, Jason DeRusha and Mike Augustyniak of WCCO, and there certainly won’t be a dull moment. Jason’s segments on “DeRusha Eats” and Augustyniak’s “Mike’s Mix” follows culinary and potables from all over the state. Their insight and discussion on the new trends are always interesting. Following their intro, the two will tour the classes and demonstrations with you. In the evening is our Grand Tasting. It’s a great opportunity to enjoy each vendor’s product samples, talk about the process, the history, and the inspiration behind each of their flavors. Worried about sampling a bunch of craft liquors? There will be plenty of artisan meats to cleanse your palette. We invite some of the new and upcoming butcheries from around the state. From bacon tasting to smoked pork, you can’t go wrong. You’ll also get a glimpse of the gifts of food and liquor provided by local farms.
If you’re looking for a winter distraction, excused indulging, or just a simple getaway, these events are the perfect fit for you! More information is available on our website at GVLEvents.com or by calling 218-963-2234. We look forward to seeing you this winter!
