Raise a glass to Ridgefield resident Paula Alonso, the brainchild behind Ridgefield Wine Week and co-founder and CEO of Wine Revolution, USA. This wine powerhouse is bringing a week-long wine celebration to our community this fall. Here, we ask Alonso a few questions about Ridgefield Wine Week. Cheers!
As the co-founder and CEO of Wine Revolution USA, you are perfectly paired as the champion of Ridgefield Wine Week! Tell me about your mission in bringing this inaugural event to Ridgefield.
Thank you! Ridgefield Wine Week is a seven-day wine experience to promote the consumption of wine in local businesses. Restaurants and liquor stores will offer wine dinners, wine hours and special tastings from September 16 to 23. We believe every bottle of wine is a tiny time capsule of a distinct place, its unique culture and unapologetic history- we will be uncorking hundreds of wines during this week and their stories will transfer to our guests who will travel to far lands and dream of sweet harvests without ever leaving town!
Have you organized other events like this?
Wine Revolution USA is the American division of a 15-year-old international wine events production company headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina. We have produced wine events for the trade and consumers in New York, Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Mexico City and now launching our newest market Connecticut with the Ridgefield Wine Week seven day extravaganza.
Wine Week is a collaborative effort between locals. Who are you working with to make it happen?
We are very grateful to count with plenty of local support. Our restaurant partners who are putting together beautiful wine dinners, wine hours and wine flights are Bernard’s, Sarah’s Wine Bar, Gallo Ristorante, Bailey’s Backyard, Terrasole and Luna Rossa. Our liquor store partners who will be hosting exclusive wine tastings throughout the week are Ancona’s Wines & Liquors, Cellar XV Wine Market, Village Wine & Spirits and Cheers Ridgefield. This list keeps growing, so follow our Ridgefield Wine Week Facebook Page to get our partners' menu & wine details as well as incoming restaurant and liquor store partners!
Will this be an annual event in Ridgefield?
Absolutely, we are just getting started!
Tell me about the grand finale of Wine Week, the Sunset Wine Party at The Lounsbury House on Sunday, September 23.
The Sunset Wine Party is the perfect excuse to celebrate all things wine at the iconic Lounsbury House on Sunday 9/23 from 6pm to 10pm. Our presenting sponsor, Ancona’s Wines is hard at work curating 80+ top of the line wines that guests will be able to enjoy while sampling Gallo Ristorante’s delectable food pairings expertly crafted by Executive Chef Giuseppe Castellano. There will be wine talks led by highly-notable industry professionals, specialty bonus wines at the Townvibe Exclusive Tasting Lounge, great music with a live DJ, Photo Booth GIFs fun and so much more.
The Sunset Wine Party is a wonderful event to hang out with friends while giving back to the community as 100% of the net proceeds benefit the Ridgefield Playhouse and the Ridgefield Independent Film Festival. We couldn’t make this event happen without the support of our Sunset Wine Party 2018 sponsors: Ancona’s Wines & Liquors, Gallo Ristorante, Townvibe and HamletHub. We hope to see everyone there.