Our second Wine Cave Dinner of the year is just around the corner. We hope you can join us June 10 for an evening of fine food, wine and amazing company!

We wanted to take the time to tell you about the chef behind the amazing food demonstrations and what makes the evenings so special.

Mt. Vernon Winery cares about quality, which is evident in every glass, varietal and bottle of wine we create. The same is true for Chef Glen Johnson of Under the Canape Catering. He uses the freshest local ingredients for our special dinner gatherings, which are held at our estate Wine Cave in Auburn. Once you step in to the Wine Cave, you’re immediately drawn to the intimate space around you. It is where our wine is stored during the wine-making process. For our Cave Dinners, however, our focus is not only on the wine we drink, but the experience.

The evenings begin in the tasting room with a few appetizers, which are paired with Mt. Vernon wines. (Our winemaker, Ryan Taylor, pairs the evening’s menu.) We then take a short stroll to the Wine Cave, where Chef Johnson prepares his impressive multiple-course dinners.

Chef Johnson loves to cook good food; he has more than 40 years of experience in the food industry. While he expertly prepares each dish in front of the guests with special attention to detail, he also focuses on them. As the food sears in flames, he enjoys telling them about each dish, how they’re made and the local growers behind each ingredient. Above all, he does a phenomenal job making sure they enjoy every bite and every sip of wine.

“We shop for what is freshest and what’s best in the market,” Chef Johnson said about his creative meals during a recent Wine Cave Dinner. “We cook right in front of the guests. It’s a very interactive evening and everybody has a wonderful time.”

The setting inside the cave, the conversation and the good wine and food make for a special evening.

We are reminded of the words that one of our guests shared with us. Kevin Hanley joined us for a Cave Dinner last year and had this to say: “This has been one of the best meals that my wife and I have ever had. It was an amazing evening.”

We hold the Cave Dinners for our Wine Club Members, who we consider the heartbeat of Mt. Vernon Winery. The event fills up fast, but we also leave a limited number of seats for the public.

For more information about the Wine Cave Dinners, call 530-823-1111 or email wineclubmtvernonwinery@gmail.com.