Cycle of the Vine Dinner Series: France | "Harvest"

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

5:30 p.m. – sunset

Join us for the grand finale of this exciting, four-part dinner series with Forage Sisters, featuring cuisine inspired by four distinct regions in Europe, paired alongside a selection of our white, rosé, and sparkling wines, including new releases from the 2024 and 2025 vintages. We are thrilled to welcome back the Forage Sisters' team at our vineyard this September to celebrate the early-fall bounty of the season with a locally sourced, multi-course dinner.

For the past seven years, we have partnered with Chefs Mirasol Gomez and Nicole Sacchitella, along with their seasoned and professional culinary team, where we've shared basically every wine we've ever made at these special culinary events. These bespoke, wine-paired dinners always sell out and leave our guests with memories to savor and share.

At this final dinner, which is inspired by the culinary Mecca that is France, we will greet you with a glass of our 2024 Cloudburst, a traditional-method sparkling Riesling, alongside passed appetizers of Gougeres with Whipped Chèvre and Trout Rillette with Herb and Flower House Crackers. We have been changing things up this year and hosting you at different locations within our winery and vineyard at each of the four dinners, showcasing the unique aspects and key moments during the grapevine growing season – flowering, fruit-set, véraison, and harvest – while connecting culinary inspiration to our wines.

Mirasol and Nicole look forward to these dinners because they view them as an opportunity to share what's been inspiring them through their travels, familial history, dining experiences, and personal cooking journeys. Celebrate the late-season abundance at this French-focused dinner that tells the story of the vineyard's energetic harvest phase. If you've attended a dinner with Forage Sisters before, you know that the experience is one to remember, and this year, our reimagined dinner presentation is sure to delight. We're excited to share a lineup of our newly released wines that celebrate the peak of spring and pair perfectly with their menu.

We hope you'll join us this September, as we gather together within the vineyard!

PASSED APPETIZERS

Gougères, Whipped Chèvre and Herbs

Trout Rillette, Herb and Flower House Crackers

2024 Cloudburst Traditional-Method Sparkling Riesling, CO

AMUSE

Melted Brie, Squash Butter, Charred Onions, Prosciutto, Grapes, Toasted Baguettes

Seasonal Wine Cocktail Sip

FIRST

Baked Crêpe, Garlic Greens,  Béchamel

2025 Albariño, Grand Valley, CO

SECOND

Greens, Fennel,  Apple, Bacon, Frico, and Vinaigrette with Grape Juice from The Storm Cellar

2023 Grüner Veltliner, Handshake Acres Vineyard, Grand Valley, CO

MAIN

Grilled Steak, Café de Paris Butter

French Potatoes

2025 Rosé of St. Vincent, West Elks, CO

DESSERT

Pear Tarte Tatin, Cardamom Crème Anglais

2024 Double Drop, Fortified Riesling Dessert Wine, West Elks, CO

NOTES:

• We are dining outside, so we strongly suggest dressing in layers, brining a jacket, donning a hat, and wearing sunscreen. The sun is intense, and the fall weather can quickly shift here on Sunshine Mesa.
• Please let us know of any food allergies, as we can most likely accommodate them.
• Please be aware that Runzel Gulch Road has two dramatic switchbacks, and that parking at the winery is limited. We strongly encourage you to carpool, if possible, in order to save our limited parking space.
• Be respectful of our neighbors and yield to uphill traffic. Drive slowly and carefully, since there are two blind spots along this well-maintained dirt road.
• This is a working farm, so we are unable to accommodate children or pets at this event. Thank you for understanding.
• Regarding attire, wear what you'd like and dress for an outdoor "early fall in Colorado" dinner. You'll be walking on a graveled road and dining atop a grassy hillside, so plan your shoe choice wisely.
• We do not offer discounted tickets if you choose not to enjoy the wine pairings; however, we will offer a limited-count of paired spirit-free drinks to accompany the menu.
• By purchasing your ticket, you agree to potentially have your photo or video taken for future marketing and story-sharing purposes.

If you have any further questions or concerns, call or text Jayme and Steve directly at 970.589.3142.

We are looking forward to hosting this incredible food-and-wine lineup with you in our beautiful North Fork Valley!

MEET THE FORAGE SISTERS:

We are proud to host Forage Sisters and their culinary and hospitality teams, here at the vineyard again. From outdoor pop-ups and epic asados, to extravagant weddings and vineyard dinners, Forage Sisters throw a party like no other. They are well-known for their seasonal focus, intentional cuisine, professional staff, imaginative courses, and menus that pair perfectly with our white, rosé, and sparkling wines.

"We are Mirasol and Nicole. Though we are technically business partners, we are truly like sisters. Our shared love for curating events focused on food from local, Western Slope farms led us to create Forage Sisters. We are inspired by our backgrounds of Italian and Argentinian earthen and simplistic styles of food, the spirit of Colorado, our love for sustainable living, and above all, our love for people, community and gathering."

MEET THE WINEMAKERS:

Jayme Henderson and Steve Steese spent many years in the Denver restaurant scene, as managers, sommeliers, bartenders, event planners, and wine directors. They have led wine dinners with acclaimed producers, interned and studied throughout the broader wine world, written wine articles for renowned publications, and led workshops and tasting seminars throughout their careers.

In the summer of 2019, they released their first vintage of high-elevation white and rosé wines, under their label, The Storm Cellar, to high acclaim. Their award-winning, crisp, aromatic wines have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Better Homes & Gardens, and the Colorado Governor's Cup Collection. Together, they tend 23 acres of farmland here in the West Elks AVA, in Hotchkiss, Colorado, with an emphasis on quality, both in farming and winemaking.

The Storm Cellar was awarded 2022 "Winery of the Year" by the Colorado Association for Viticulture and Enology.

Most importantly, Jayme and Steve love connecting people with wine through food and hospitality.

These photos were beautifully captured by Casey Wilson at the third Cycle of the Vine Dinner Series, featuring Basque Country cuisine, here at the vineyard last month.