11th Annual Breckenridge Wine Classic Announces Its Experiential Lineup and Friday Night Yonder Mountain String Band Concert
More than a half-dozen ticketed experiences are now on sale for the August 20–22 festival
BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. – The 11th annual Breckenridge Wine Classic has unveiled its 2026 lineup of intimate, ticketed experiences for wine lovers, foodies, outdoor enthusiasts – and now music lovers – from August 20–22. For the first time, Breckenridge Wine Classic will be hosting a Friday night concert alongside the base of Peak 9 at Beaver Run Resort with bluegrass band Yonder Mountain String Band.
Set at 9,600 feet in the heart of the Rocky Mountains – making it one of the world’s highest-altitude wine festivals – the long weekend pairs world-class pours with alpine adventure, Food & Wine’s Winemaker of the Year, and the kind of mountain-town hospitality that keeps guests coming back year after year.
This year’s programming travels from the limited-production vineyards of Napa Valley to the sun-drenched terraces of Tuscany, the rolling estates of Paso Robles, the Andean foothills of Mendoza, and Colorado’s own high-altitude wine country. Each glass is guided by acclaimed sommeliers, winemakers and chefs who know exactly what they’re pouring and why it matters.
Tickets for all experiences are on sale now.
“One of the major differentiators that sets Breckenridge Wine Classic apart is the access. Guests are pouring small-batch wines alongside the winemakers themselves, sitting down to menus that Hearthstone, Ember, Blue River Bistro and our other restaurants build from scratch for each pairing, and hiking the Tenmile Range with a sommelier in between. You can’t replicate that at sea level, and you certainly can’t replicate it at a tasting room,” said Kristen Slater, Breckenridge Wine Classic event director. “We are thrilled to bring Yonder Mountain to Summit County and kickoff the weekend with these Colorado legends.”
The following experiences are now on sale:
Thursday, August 20
Small Producer Spotlight Wine Dinner at Hearthstone Restaurant featuring Mending Wall Winery: Step inside the 125-year-old Kaiser home, one of Breckenridge’s most atmospheric historic dining rooms, for a five-course evening built around the limited-production wines of Mending Wall Winery. The bottles on the table come from winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, named Food & Wine’s Winemaker of the Year and the recipient of more 100-point scores from Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate than any other Napa Valley winemaker over the last decade. Hearthstone Executive Chef Jordan Kuhry and the culinary team craft each course to highlight the singular character of Napa’s most distinctive vineyards. 7–9:30 p.m.
A Taste of the Rockies Wine Dinner at Carboy Winery Breckenridge: Colorado’s own wine country gets a starring turn at this five-course celebration of homegrown winemaking inside Carboy’s warm, welcoming Breckenridge tasting room. Executive Chef and Culinary Director Scott Hybbeneth pairs each course with Carboy’s award-winning Colorado wines, with Tasting Room Supervisor Cindy Davis on hand to walk guests through what makes high-altitude winemaking in the Centennial State so distinctive. 7-9:30 p.m.
King of Paso: JUSTIN Wine Dinner at Blue River Bistro: JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery helped put Paso Robles, Calif. on the map as a world-class home for Bordeaux-style blends, and its flagship Isosceles continues to earn consistent 90+ point scores from Wine Enthusiast and other top critics. This five-course evening at three-time Best of Breckenridge winner Blue River Bistro showcases JUSTIN’s portfolio alongside a menu designed to mirror the warmth, depth and ambition of the wines themselves. 7-9:30 p.m.
Friday, August 21
Italian and French Fusion Wine Lunch: Tellitalia Imports’s Master Sommelier Damon Ornowski (with more than 35 years of experience) will walk attendees through a wine lunch at La Française Bistrot that shines a light on Italian and French wines. 12-1:30 p.m.
Wines & Wildflowers Hike and Lunch presented by DeLille Cellars: Lace up for a guided three-mile hike through the wildflower-strewn meadows and alpine views of Breckenridge’s Tenmile Range, then head straight to Spencer’s Steaks & Spirits for fireside elegance and a curated lunch paired with the wines of DeLille Cellars. The Woodinville, Wash. winery has been named to Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wineries four times and amassed more than 950 90+ point ratings from top publications. DeLille Regional Sales Manager Britania Perez will guide guests through the pairings. 10:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
Cabernet Uncorked: A Vertical Tasting Wine Dinner at Prospector with Smoking Gun Wines: Sip, swirl and savor five vintages of Smoking Gun’s acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon in a true vertical tasting led by winemaker Cole Ballentine. The 2017 vintage took 95 points at the American Fine Wine Competition. Pour after pour, you’ll taste exactly how a single Cabernet program evolves across five growing seasons. The Prospector culinary team builds a seasonal menu around the lineup. 7:00–9:30 p.m.
Italian Dreams Wine Dinner at Ember: From Tuscany to Piedmont, each glass whispers the secrets of one of the world’s most coveted wine regions, with SommSchool Founder and Chief Sommelier Kellie Martin — one of the country’s leading wine education specialists — as your guide. Ember Executive Chef and Owner Scotty Boshaw pairs Martin’s selections with a five-course fine dining New American menu designed for an unforgettable evening. 7–9:30 p.m.
Yonder Mountain String Band: There will be a very special all-ages performance from beloved bluegrass band Yonder Mountain String Band. Tickets are $50 and $45 for Summit County residents.
Saturday, August 22
Pizza & Pours Wine Lunch with Tin Plate Pizza & Piattelli Vineyards: Elevated casual at altitude: artisanal sourdough pizza voted Best Pizza by Best of Summit, paired with the wines of Argentina’s Piattelli Vineyards – a producer recognized repeatedly by major wine publications and named to Wine Spectator’s Top 100. Tin Plate owner James Harris and Piattelli Director of Sales Grant Jennings host an unfussy, deeply enjoyable midday tasting in the heart of Breckenridge. 12-1:30 p.m.
Pinks & Peaks Rosé Hike and Lunch: Trade the convention-hall tasting for a guided three-mile hike with FOX31 meteorologist and Approachable Outdoors founder Kylie Bearse, then settle in at Beaver Run Resort’s Imperial Room for a three-course menu paired course-by-course with different styles of rosé. SommSchool Chief Sommelier Kellie Martin uncorks the secrets of one of history’s earliest wine styles, crafted and cherished since the ancient world. Executive Chef Eduardo Esquivel leads the kitchen. 9:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
