Last week, ticket sales began for the events of the largest festival in the Baltic States – the Riga Wine & Champagne Festival – which will take place on 4–6 March 2016. The festival will attract wine lovers with the largest champagne tasting event in the Baltics – the Great Bubble Parade – offering them an opportunity to learn from the world's leading champagne experts and winemakers from the Champagne Region as well as attend numerous dinners and tastings of a wide choice of champagnes in the capital's leading restaurants throughout the week. Starting in the new season, Nordea is to become the event's general sponsor.
Riga Wine & Champagne is a champagne, wine and gourmet festival which offers the most extensive programme of top-quality wine tastings, master classes and dinners in the Baltic States. The main priority of the festival is the promotion of wine-loving and gourmet culture in Latvia. Since 2012, the festival takes place twice per year, in November and March. As of 2016, Nordea will be the festival's general sponsor, and the Bank is planning to make the festival even more interesting by extending the programme and ensuring the participation of leading wine connoisseurs, experts and manufacturers from abroad.
More than 100 champagnes at the Great Bubble Parade
The Great Bubble Parade, which has been taking place in Riga since 2013, in cooperation with Nordea, has become highly acclaimed among champagne lovers from Riga and the Baltics. We expect that the Great Bubble Parade will be the event that will attract the highest number of visitors to the festival, i.e. more than 800 champagne lovers.
The “parade” is open to all wine lovers and will be organised on the basis of the so called walk-around tasting principle, which is commonly used in Europe. Visitors will be able to walk around and taste and enjoy all the champagnes available at the “parade”, ask questions, get advice from the best wine connoisseurs in Latvia as well as meet owners and winemakers from the Champagne Region.
On 5 March 2016, unique festivities for wine lovers will take place during 3 sessions (morning, day and evening) at the Bibliotēka No 1 restaurant (2 Tērbatas Street). Find tickets and more detailed information at www.ekase.lv and onthe festival's website www.rigawinechampagne.lv.
Wine and food “marriage” demonstrations by the best wine connoisseurs in the Baltics
On the evening of 4 March, the festival will be opened at the Bibliotēka No 1 restaurant with the wine and food “marriage” dinner that has now become a tradition – EAT DRINK VOTE by Electrolux – which will see the participation of the leading wine connoisseurs in the Baltics and chef Māris Jansons. The dinner guests will be able to enjoy a 4-course dinner, taste 12 top-quality wines, specially selected by wine connoisseurs, and hear tips and advice on food and wine “marriages”. At the end of the dinner, the “marriage” favourites will be chosen by a vote. Previously these dinners have been attended by Raimonds Tomsons (Vincents restaurant), Gints Sniedze, Jānis Gailis, Jānis Kaļķis and other leading wine connoisseurs in Latvia and the Baltics. The dinner is organised in cooperation with Electrolux Latvia.
Champagne Gala Dinner with winemakers of the Champagne Region and Peter Liem
For the festival's Gala Dinner, which will take place on 6 March, several recognised winemakers from the Champagne Region will come to Riga to present their champagnes to the public during the Champagne Gala Dinner. At the end of the dinner, Riga's champagne lovers and collectors will be invited to share their special and favourite champagnes that they will bring with them to the event. In March 2015, the Champagne Gala Dinner was visited by Charles Philipponnat (Champagne Philipponnat), Jean-Herve Chiquet (Champagne Jacquesson), Michel Drappier (Champagne Drappier) and Peter Liem (champagneguide.net and the organiser of New York's La Fete du Champagne).
At the beginning of 2016, the organisers will announce the representatives of champagne houses and special guests, who will participate in all of the festival's events.
Find detailed information regarding the events and ticket sales on the festival's website www.rigawinechampagne.lv.
About Riga Wine & Champagne:
Riga Wine & Champagne is a champagne, wine and gourmet festival which offers the most extensive programme of top-quality wine tastings, master classes and dinners in the Baltic States. The festival was first organised in 2012 and traditionally takes place twice per year, in autumn and spring. Up to now, during the festival, Riga has been visited by several of the world's leading winemakers and wine critics, including critics and reviewers Peter Liem, Andrew Jefford, Michael Schuster, Essi Avellan MW, Tim Wildman MW, as well as winemakers Charles Philipponnat, Michel Drappier, Jean-Herve Chiquet, Willi Brundlmayer, Stefano Carpanetto, Mireia Torres and many others. Riga Wine & Champagne would not be possible without the help of its partners and their wish to develop wine-loving and gourmet culture in Latvia. Nordea is the festival's general sponsor.