This spring you’ll find a number of specialty dinners and offerings and many area restaurants are not only doing winemakers’ dinners, but also tastings with whiskey, beer, even sake. Here’s a look at a few tastings you won’t want to miss.

The Stuberl Wine Dinner at Sonnenalp Hotel Vail

Enjoy a five-course collaboration dinner with Sonnenalp Vail’s executive chef Joshua Marshall and chef Justin Brunson of Brunson Meat Company in Denver Feb. 28 as they put together a flavorful meal paired with The Storm Cellar and Ordinary Fellow, both wineries from Colorado. Chef Marshall and Brunson will take turns starting you out with caviar and a sparkling Riesling from Storm Cellars to a grilled pork porterhouse paired with a Cabernet Sauvignon from Ordinary Fellow. The price is $125 and you can call the restaurant for reservations at 970-479-5461 or book on OpenTable.

Glo omakase tasting menu at Avanti Vail

On Monday nights starting at 5 p.m., head over to Avanti Vail, the new food court concept at the base of Golden Peak and try Glo, a Japanese kitchen that is doing a nine-course omakase tasting menu for $49 at its sushi counter. Sake and cocktail pairings are available as well. Follow @Avanti_Vail on Instagram.

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Makoto Vail and Il Borro wine dinner

If you have not been to the relatively new (it opened Feb. 2024) Makoto Vail in the Grand Hyatt Vail, check out the wine dinner on March 5 with Il Borro Winery. Chef Makoto Okuwa has curated a unique five-course dinner menu and wine pairings from Il Borro Winery. The evening will begin with a meet-and-greet with Salvatore Ferragamo, the CEO of Il Borro Winery. See how these Italian wine flavors will pair with Makoto Vail’s dishes. The price is $245 and you can get tickets at OpenTable.

Charter Steakhouse dinner with Outer Range Brewery & Fitch Ranch

Barbecue and beer lovers are not going to want to miss what Charter Steakhouse is calling a “Craft & Cue” on March 21. It is a beer tasting dinner with Outer Range Brewing Co. of Summit County (and they’ve added a tap room in the French Alps) and Fitch Ranch Artisan Meat Company. Some menu items include a wild boar banh mi with Outer Range’s Colorado Cou Cou Hazy IPA and a short rib with Outer Range Stout BBQ sauce and Outer Range Ascension Coffee Stout beer. Tickets are $145 and you can call 970-445-5995 for reservations.  

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Ridge + River Wine Tasting

Instead of doing a whole sit down meal with wine pairings, Ridge + River at Manor Vail Lodge is going to bring you an international educational pairing March 22 with a curated selection of New and Old World chardonnay and pinot noir wines from Burgundy, France and compare them to U.S. wines. David Bower of Republic National Distributing Company will share fun facts about how soil, climate and tradition shape these iconic wines. This is an afternoon event from 3-5 p.m. and tickets are $50 at OpenTable.

Allie’s Cabin – Tavernetta Vail at The Alpine Table: A Cabin Chef Series

The Alpine Table: A Cabin Chef Series invites guest chefs from notable restaurants to come to Beaver Creek and create a unique dining experience. On March 27 and 28 the guest chef, Ethan Diamant of the new Tavernetta Vail won’t have to travel too far to join Allie’s Cabin chef Jillian Shaw. Getting to the multi-course dinner is a part of the fun as well, a snowcat-driven sleigh will take you up to Allie’s Cabin under the stars or snowflakes in the night sky. The cost is $350 and reservations can be made by going to BeaverCreek.com under Signature Events.  

Stoke & Rye whiskey dinner with Heaven Hill Distillery

Stoke & Rye will host a whiskey paring dinner at the Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa in Avon with Heaven Hill Distillery on March 27. The date of the dinner happens to coincide with National Whiskey Day, so, celebrate the storied past of Heaven Hill and learn about bourbon country in Kentucky while pairing with some fabulous dishes at this Avon steakhouse that is known for its vast whiskey collection. The price is $135 and reservations can be made at OpenTable.