Welcome to our special Festival Edition.
The week has officially begun!
Our Tuesday night “Nourish to Flourish” fundraiser for Common Roots at the Wheeler House felt like the perfect way to kick it off…farm-fresh food, local wines, live music, and a tent full of people who showed up and bid generously for this remarkable mission dedicated to getting Vermont kids into gardens, kitchens, and healthier relationships with food.
If you were there, thank you. If you weren't, you can still meet Common Roots on Saturday at Table 38.
Click for a little taste of “Nourish to Flourish!”
A quick update on the rest of the week: if you were eyeing tickets to Wine & Friends No. 9 at bramble tonight, or the Familie Reinisch dinner in Hen of the Wood's Butcher Room tomorrow…both are sold out.
Which means the next ticket available is Saturday's. Just saying.
You may notice this week's issue is a little lighter than usual. We trust you’ll understand why. 😊🍷
On the Menu…
Starters
Tastemakers: Sean Blomgren, The Lodge at Spruce Peak
The Long Pour: An Insider’s Guide to Navigating the Wine at BWFF
What’s On
Starters…
For one afternoon, Hula Lakeside becomes the most interesting room in Vermont.
Champagne from France. Pinot Noir from Oregon. Wine from Lebanon (the country…not the town in New Hampshire). Riesling from Germany, Malbec from Argentina, and bottles of loveliness made right down the road at Shelburne Vineyard. Two hundred and thirteen wines, from a dozen countries.
And that's before we even get to the food. Eleven of Vermont's best restaurants will be cooking and serving Saturday…think duck and chorizo ragù from Leunig's, mini Banh Mi sandwiches from Bramble, oysters from Original Skiff and Onion City, a cucumber dolma from Fancy's that will make devoted meat-eaters stop in their tracks, and the legendary pulled pork cone from The Lodge at Spruce Peak that defies easy description. This is not a boring tasting table.
Alongside all of that…honey from Middlebury, chocolate from Williston, macarons from Shelburne, hot sauce from Brattleboro, charcuterie, cheese, bread, craft spirits. And these are producers you can actually talk to, because the person serving it is often the person who made it.
And if you find yourself wandering between tables, keep an eye out for some of our favorite non-edible exhibitors too…like handblown glass from AO Glass, or handcrafted jewelry from Found & Feral and Gosia Meyer (who will make it permanent if you’re feeling saucy).
Seventy-five businesses. One room. One ticket. This Saturday.
Want to plan your visit? The full 2026 festival program is here …every exhibitor, every wine, and the complete seminar schedule. Speaking of which…each session includes two free wine and food seminars, with just 24 seats each. Pick up your ticket by the seminar room any time before the start time…once they're gone, they're gone.
When you need a breather, head out to the lakeside patio lounge. Order a glass from the cash bar, find a seat, watch the lake, and plot your next move, all while enjoying live jazz. Bruce Newbury will be broadcasting live from inside during Session One, so if you've ever listened to The Food Dude, you might just end up on the radio. And don't miss the complimentary photo booth near the entrance…a perfect way to commemorate the day.
We’d love to have you join us!
Paid Partnership
The Summer of Eating Well Has Just Begun…
If this week has you in the mood for exceptional food and wine experiences, Spruce Peak in Stowe has a season's worth lined up. Their Farm Table Dinner Series kicks things off on July 1, with an intimate evening spotlighting Vermont farmers and producers. On July 11, the Spruce Peak Oyster Festival takes over the Village Green… a free, open-air afternoon featuring celebrated oyster farms from across the East Coast. And August 13-15 brings A Taste of New England back for its seventh year: five of the region's top chefs, one spectacular mountain weekend.
Think of it as extending the spirit of Saturday all summer long.
Tastemakers: Sean Blomgren, Spruce Peak
Each week, we feature three quick questions with someone bringing something creative, thoughtful, or fascinating to the food and wine scene here in Vermont and beyond.
This week, we caught up with Sean Blomgren, Executive Chef at Spruce Peak in Stowe, who oversees dining across one of Vermont's most expansive luxury resort campuses.
Read the full interview, including why he left some of the world's top properties to settle in Stowe, and the side hobby that might surprise you…
Sean Blomgren, Executive Chef, Spruce Peak
An Insider’s Guide to Navigating the Wine at BWFF
by Mike Stolese
The beautiful thing about the Burlington Wine & Food Festival is not only the variety of wines on site, but also being able to “pick the brains” of the folks pouring.
From year one — and we are now on 15 — we wanted wine suppliers behind the tables who could answer questions, from the most basic to those from guests who want to dig a bit deeper. Over 15 years, I believe we have accomplished that goal…
What’s On…
Turns out the rest of the world hasn’t stopped for the festival. Here’s proof…
Tonight, Shelburne Museum opens its gates for the first Summer Nights of the season You’ll find the string band The Tenderbellies playing while you wander the grounds, food trucks on site, and free admission. Two more dates follow on July 23 and August 27.
Also tonight in South Burlington, SB Nite Out returns to Veterans Memorial Park, with food trucks from 5:30, live music from Sticks & Stones at 6, and Cirque de Fuego closing the night with a fire performance at 8. This one is also free, and family-friendly.
And here’s something new worth knowing about: Barbacoa Smoke, the new food truck in Malletts Bay, has launched Bay & Brisket Trivia Thursdays…a BBQ and Vermont-themed trivia question at the truck every Thursday. Answer correctly and you're entered to win a $25 gift card. One question per person per order, kept private so no one at the window can steal your answer. It’s free to play, just order and play along. We appreciate a food truck that makes you work for it.
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Tomorrow night out in Richmond, Maple Wind Farm kicks off its Fried Chicken & Pickin' series. In addition to enjoying their own pasture-raised birds, plus a picker or band, you’ll know that a dollar from every meal sold goes to a worthy partner organization (this week it’s Migrant Justice). Again, more dates will follow, on July 17, August 14, and September 11.
Also on Friday, Zero Gravity is hosting a free lot jam for the Road to Frendly Gathering…there’s a cookout, live music from DJ Kankanade and Pen Hits from 5 to 9 p.m. (doors at 4).
• • •
On Saturday, you may have heard we'll be at Hula. If you'd like to join us on the other side of the table, we still have room for a few more volunteers. A few hours of your time gets you a free t-shirt and a ticket to the session you don’t work. Sign up here.
• • •
On Sunday, June 28th, Basin Harbor marks its 140th season with a Founders Dinner honoring fourth-generation hosts Pennie and Bob Beach. There’s a cocktail reception overlooking Lake Champlain with hosted beer and wine, an elegant plated dinner with curated wine pours, a dessert buffet, and live music and dancing from the eight-piece band UltraViolet. Resort cocktail attire is suggested, and the festivities take place from 5 to 9:30 p.m.
Also Sunday, Specs in Winooski is hosting a "What Is Tea?" workshop with Little Tree Tea. For a $44 entry, you’ll get nine samples across green, white, oolong, black, and fermented, with light snacks alongside. Added bonus: 15% off for industry professionals. Spots are limited.
As for next weekend and the Fourth of July holiday, you’ll likely have that covered. But here are a few things to consider once the smoke clears and the sparklers cool down…
Tinis & Weenies from Adventure Dinner is coming to their Clubhouse in Colchester on July 2…they’ll have fancy hot dogs, a long martini list, and tarot readings in the side room. The event is free, and RSVPs are requested.
Party on the Bricks returns to Church Street every Thursday in July and August starting July 9 from 5:30 to 8 p.m., with music kicking off at 6. Each week pops up on a different block of the Marketplace, spotlighting a different restaurant and performer…think patio dining, dancing in the street, cold Foam Brewers pints, and warm summer nights in the heart of Burlington. The opener on July 9 pairs Ursa and the Major Key with Halvorson's Upstreet Cafe. Six weeks, six blocks, and free every time.
And that same night, Hotel Vermont hosts the second annual Cherry Street Social, where chefs from Hen of the Wood, Frankie's, Juniper, Vivid Coffee, Thingz From Yaad, and The Harborvale will join forces on a shared-plate menu, cherry-inspired cocktails from the block's best bartenders, and live music from Ponyhustle. $40 includes all the food. Rumor has it last year sold out, and tickets on sale now.
That's all we've got this week. We're taking next week off for a little breather and to celebrate America's 250th birthday in proper style.
We'll leave you with this, from a man who knew a thing or two about both freedom and a good bottle:
"Good wine is a necessity of life for me."
— Thomas Jefferson
Happy 250th, America. We'll be back in your inbox on Thursday, July 10th.
And we hope to see you this Saturday.