Grab a Chair. Raise a Glass. The Bridge at Mill Creek

Written By: Luke Osteen | Issue: 2021/04 – April

If you’re trying to shake off the effects of the last year, well, you’d be hard-pressed to find something that offers more sweet challenges to your palate than a pair of wine-centered events staged at The Bridge at Mill Creek this month, mirroring the fun of Bear Shadow Festival.

You’re invited to pull up a chair and raise a glass with confidence at both West-Coast Wine-Ing & Califermentation!, set for 3:30 P.M. Friday, April 23; and Six Secret Sips with Professional Winos, at 7:30 P.M. Saturday, April 24.

West-Coast Wine-Ing & Califermentation launches at 3:30 P.M. and cost is $45++ per person.

“Our guests will taste wines of California head-to-head with Steve Hedberg, who represents Napa’s August Briggs and Clarksburg’s Dancing Coyote Wineries,” says General Manager Michael Searles. “The bar will be boppin’ as we pair with meats, cheeses, and passed bites to celebrate the weekend. A few Chardonnays, maybe an Albariño, Pinot vs. Pinot. You might even see an Old Vine Zinfandel wrestle a New World Cabernet in true Bear state fashion!”

Wines will be available to enjoy and to order, and will be featured pairings with Chef Andre’s menu that evening beginning at 5:00 P.M.

And that’s just a taste of the fun times that follow with Six Secret Tips, set for 7:30 P.M. Saturday, April 24.

Cost is $95++ per person for this gathering for you and 25 others, as The Bridge At Mill Creek invites Danny Sanford of Fine Wine Trading to pour under-the-radar palate-rockers that over-deliver all over.  Featuring eight wines from around the world and four courses by Chef Andre Brookins, guests will be taken on a  journey from the South of France to the North of Italy, from Argentina to America’s West Coast, and hit a few culinary ports of call along the way. 

For those watching their intake, Chef’s dinner will be available without wine pairings at $75, and there’ll be non-alcoholic options to keep all attendees in high spirits. 

“The Bridge At Mill Creek does its best to make everything approachable, from classic French cooking techniques to imaginative cocktails forged from house-made ingredients,” says Searles. “Of course, this also extends to our wine program, where you’re just as likely to see a Barolo listed as ‘Italian!’ as you are to see a venerated Bordeaux from Chateau Plince. Our wine events are designed to let oenophiles and enthusiasts drink alongside those new to the wine world and even those just out looking for some fun…we at the Bridge try to speak on both levels, and even introduce the curious drinker to the knowledgeable wino!”

Reservations are a must – call (828) 526-5500. The Bridge at Mill Creek is located at 445 North Fourth Street in Highlands.