Thu., March 18, 2027
Cocktails: 5:15pm - 5:45pm
Dinner: 5:45pm - 8:00pm
The Pavilion
Age 21 and Over Only!
This event is exclusive to festival sponsors. The dinner features an elegant five-course meal. Each course is expertly paired with a selection from this year’s featured winemaker.
Sat.
The Brew & Que + Songwriters 3
Lakeside BBQ Smorgasbord with Craft Beer and Cocktails
Head Winemaker, Chenin Blanc + Viognier
Pine Ridge Vineyards
Colleen FitzGerald is head winemaker for the Chenin Blanc + Viognier program at Pine Ridge Vineyards. Colleen originally joined Pine Ridge as enologist in 2015 and quickly gravitated towards the unique Chenin Blanc and Viognier blend, which is often the case of anyone who drinks it. Like many of her counterparts at Pine Ridge, Colleen’s path of discovery to wine started from a love for the intricacies of winemaking and daily creative outlet that comes from hands-on work. “I have always been captivated by the perfect balance of chemistry and art in winemaking,“ Colleen remarks.
The aromatic and innovative CB+V white blend, pioneered by Pine Ridge Vineyards founder Gary Andrus in 1995, has become a favorite amongst those who discover it and is now one of America’s most popular white wines. As Colleen puts it, “I love working with Chenin Blanc because it has distinctive acidity and vibrant lemon-lime characters that complement the weight and floral notes of Viognier. Once you discover it, there is no going back.”
Colleen has an unmatched knowledge of the care needed to properly grow and blend the two distinct grape varieties from grape selection, picking decisions, monitoring fermentations, blending and bottling. Colleen also works with winegrowers in the Clarksburg American Viticultural Area in the Sacramento Delta region to make decisions about pruning and vine management as well as harvest timing, which is crucial with Chenin Blanc. Colleen was raised in Pleasanton, California and started her pursuits in the world of wine through harvest and lab internships after earning her biochemistry degree at California Polytechnic State University. She spent several years working harvests in New Zealand, Paso Robles and Napa before joining the Pine Ridge Vineyards team full time.
When she’s not on the job, Colleen can be found outdoors. She enjoys hiking around Point Reyes, checking out new food spots, and traveling.