Hear from Kristen Slater, the organizer behind the August. 6-8, 2026 Vail Wine Classic in Vail, Colorado. Get the inside scoop on what to expect when you attend, tips for making the most of it, including avoiding long lines and how to prepare for the high altitude. Find out what goes into planning the event including how the wine + restaurant pairing meals come together. Also, get our exclusive discount promo code for $10 off all tickets. Click the player below to listen.

Save this podcast about the Vail Wine Classic to help plan your time there. Photos courtesy of the Vail Wine Classic. Graphic by RealFoodTraveler.com.

The Vail Wine Classic returns to Colorado August 6-8, 2026. Held in the charming, Bavarian-style mountain town in the heart of the Rockies, the annual event is a great opportunity to enjoy fresh mountain air and scenery plus excellent wine and food.

In this podcast conversation, I talk to Kristen Slater who is the organizer of the Vail Wine Classic. She tells us what to expect from the various events, what goes into planning the Classic and some great tips for making the most of attending. Kristen even has suggestions for how many events to try per day to maintain a low-key, enjoyable pace while getting a good sampling of all that the Vail Wine Classic offers.

My guest, Kristen Slater, organizer of the Vail Wine Classic. Photo courtesy of Vail Wine Classic.

The wines experienced throughout the Classic’s various events come from all over. But the food served, at the Grand Tasting events and the wine pairing lunches and dinners (including a lunch hike!), are all from local Vail restaurants. So, attending the Vail Wine Classic means you’re also being very Real Food Traveler, experiencing the local cuisine.

Enjoy live music too, during the Grand Tasting events. Photo courtesy of the Vail Wine Classic.

The various elements of the Vail Wine Classic are:

August 6:
Paired Wine Dinners

August 7:
Paired Wine Lunches and Paired Wine Adventures
Best Of Fest
Grand Tasting

August 8:
More Paired Wine Lunches and Paired Wine Adventures
Grand Tasting

Get details on each of these events, as well as the link to purchase tickets on this article.

Be sure to use our exclusive discount promo code “realfoodtraveler” at checkout to receive $10 off any and every ticket! 

Get ready for a delicious event in a beautiful setting at the Vail Wine Classic in Vail, Colorado. Photo courtesy of Vail Wine Classic.

Get all the details of the Vail Wine Classic on their website. And stay apprised of the latest news on their social media on Facebook and Instagram.

Plan your trip to Vail, Colorado using our affiliate link for your favorite booking site, here.

The Real Food Traveler Podcast is available on iTunes, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, YouTube and pretty much everywhere you like to stream your podcasts.

-By Courtney Drake-McDonough, host of the Real Food Traveler Podcast.

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