Denver’s growing reputation as a food and beverage capital received a huge boost when 40-plus winemakers and château owners from the came to town for a tasting at the .
Until now, the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux Vintage Wine Tasting has been held in only a handful of U.S. cities, namely New York and Los Angeles. Denver’s first time as a host city is the result of the “great relationship” that Debbie and Jim Shpall, owners of , have with the French winemakers.
The Shpalls staged the event as a benefit for the and report that “just over” $75,000 was raised.
They’re both DPS grads: Jim from George Washington High School and Debbie from Thomas Jefferson High School. “Nothing matters more than helping children succeed,” says Jim Shpall. “We want to do everything we can to help create an environment that will allow every student to flourish.”
The sold-out event provided 563 conoisseurs with the opportunity to taste and discuss from 2011. “The winemakers and château owners poured the wines and were happy to answer questions,” Jim Shpall said. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many of our guests.”
The visitors indicated they were impressed with both the turnout and the degree of wine knowledge they encountered, which leads one to believe their first visit to Denver may not be their last.
and Capital Markets was the presenting sponsor, with additional support coming from Margot and Marc Pinto, Kristin and Blair Richardson, 9News and 5280 magazine.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314, jdavidson@ denverpost.com or twitter.com/joannedavidson
