Fare & Pair presented by the River Raisin Wine Trail

River Raisin Wine Trail Fall Fare & Pair: A Vertical Tasting Experience

Saturday, September 12 | 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Join us for the River Raisin Wine Trail's annual Fall Fare & Pair, where each winery will feature a unique food pairing alongside this year's theme: Vertical Tastings.

What is a Vertical Tasting?

A vertical tasting allows you to sample the same wine from multiple vintages side by side. At each winery, you’ll enjoy 2 or 3 tastings of a featured wine from different years, offering a rare opportunity to experience how each vintage develops its own personality. Your tastings add up to about half a glass of wine from each Winery.

Changes in weather, growing conditions, harvest timing, and aging all influence a wine’s aroma, flavor, and finish. It’s a fun and approachable way to discover how every vintage tells its own story.

As you travel the trail, each winery will pair its featured wines with a thoughtfully prepared dish designed to complement the tasting and showcase the character of each vintage.

Chateau Aeronautique Winery

Enjoy your choice of Shrimp on the Barbie or a Chicken Kabob served with a rich White Wine Butter Sauce, paired with a three-vintage tasting of Chateau Aeronautique's signature Chateau Blanc:

2021 Chateau Blanc
2023 Chateau Blanc
2024 Chateau Blanc

This semi-sweet blend of Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Vidal Blanc offers notes of honeysuckle, crisp apple, and ripe apricot.

Flying Otter Vineyard & Winery

Sample Flying Otter's estate-grown 2023 and 2024 Marquette as they continue to develop in oak barrels, then compare them with the 2025 bottled Marquette to experience how aging shapes the same wine over time. Paired with a roast beef crostini with Parmesan cream sauce, this tasting offers a delicious look at the evolution of Marquette from barrel to bottle.

2023 Marquette (oak barrel-aged)
2024 Marquette (oak barrel-aged)
2025 Marquette (bottled)

Pentamere Winery

Coming soon.

Cherry Creek Cellars

Enjoy authentic Mexican Street Corn Dip paired with a two-vintage tasting of Cherry Creek Cellars' Sauvignon Blanc:

2023 Sauvignon Blanc
2025 Sauvignon Blanc

This crisp, refreshing white wine features vibrant citrus and tropical fruit notes with bright acidity, creating a perfect pairing for the creamy, smoky flavors of authentic Mexican Street Corn Dip.

Buy Tickets

Tickets are $30 per adult and include wine samples and food pairings at each of the four locations. Designated driver tickets are available for $12 and include food only.

When purchasing your ticket, you'll first select the winery where you'd like to begin your Fall Fare & Pair experience. This is where you'll check in, receive your wristband, and start your tasting journey. Due to the check-in process, all guests must begin at the winery selected during registration. After you've checked in, the event is completely self-guided, so you're free to visit the remaining participating wineries in any order and at your own pace between 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM.