When the Highlands Food & Wine Festival returns November 13–16, one of its most anticipated stops is the Highlands Wine Shoppe, now in its fourth year of ownership by Certified Sommelier Stephanie Miskew and her husband Steve, who curate events celebrating friendships forged over 20+ years in the food and wine world. During the weekend, the shop becomes a gathering place for chefs, winemakers, and guests to share bottles and stories. This year’s program is rooted in tradition and discovery, and as intimate and lively as the Shoppe itself.
Friday, November 14, brings the 4th Annual Harvest Lunch (noon to 4:00 P.M., $250), a long-table feast created by Chef Ken Naron of Envie Catering. Naron’s style reflects his Louisiana upbringing and years in some of the Plateau’s finest kitchens; he cooks with instinct and warmth. His harvest-inspired menu sets the stage for a tasting stroll that straddles continents—Old World classics alongside the exuberance of New World bottles. It’s a rare chance to explore the contrasts and connections that define wine.
For those who want to go deeper, a limited add-on Private Cellar tasting features Chris Carpenter, the celebrated Napa Valley winemaker behind mountain icons like Cardinale, Mt. Brave, and La Jota. Carpenter’s wines are famed for their intensity and longevity, and hearing him speak about farming high-altitude vineyards adds depth to the glass.
On Saturday, November 15, the Shoppe turns its lens on Napa with “Oakville Legacy x Meyer Family Cellars” (1:30–3:30 P.M., $175). Few names have shaped California wine like Justin Meyer, co-founder of Silver Oak. His son, Matt Meyer, carries that spirit forward with Meyer Family Cellars, founded in 1999. For this event, Meyer is pulling bottles from the family cellar—Cabernets rarely seen outside California. It’s a family chronicle in a glass.
Later that afternoon, the tent becomes a passport to Europe with “Vinous Tour de France” (4:30 to 6:30 P.M., $175). Guiding the journey is Eric Hemer, one of only four people in the world to hold both Master Sommelier and Master of Wine credentials. His tasting, built from the Frederick Wildman portfolio, spans Champagne, Sancerre, Alsace, Burgundy, Rhône, and Bordeaux. With Hemer at the helm, it’s less lecture than revelation—an opportunity to see why France remains the benchmark.
The Highlands Wine Shoppe tent has become a festival centerpiece because it offers something rare: the chance to sit close, taste deeply, and hear winemakers explain what shaped each bottle. These events always sell out—they feel like a seat at the family table, where every glass tells a story.
Highlandswineshoppe.com for info.
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