Après Wine pairs the beauty of the snow-capped mountains with some of the best wine Jasper has to offer.
Jasper in January — the mountain town’s most iconic winter tradition, now in its 38th year — is bringing attendees a sophisticated new offering: Après Wine.
It’s a one-of-a-kind wine tasting experience taking guests on a tour of Jasper’s culinary scene, says Tourism Jasper’s director of destination development, Naji Khouri.
“You’re able to try a wide range of wines in a very intimate way,” he said.
Guests will get a taste of four different dining spots in Jasper — Evil Dave’s Grill, Olive Bistro & Lounge, Papa George’s and Silverwater Grill — where they’ll try fine wines and spirits, while learning the backstories behind those beverages.
All in all, expect to enjoy samples from up to 40 different wineries on the tour.
And rest assured, there’ll be chef bites to accompany those beverages.
“We’ll keep you well-fed during this route,” Khouri laughed.
Typically, trying such a wide range of wines requires either visiting a winery — where only wines from that winery will be served — or going to a trade show, which is bound to be packed with hundreds of people.
Après Wine offers the opportunity to enjoy a vast assortment of wines from a variety of wineries, both Canadian and international, in an intimate culinary setting.
Attendees can choose which of the four restaurants to start the evening at, with up to 25 seats available at each. They’ll be shuttled between venues, spending about 45 minutes at each spot.
Après Wine runs from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 16. Learn more and get tickets on the Tourism Jasper website.
It’s one of the first-day events kicking off Jasper in January, which runs from Jan. 16 to Feb. 1.
“Celebrate the lighter side of winter,” the festival’s motto reads.
Staples of the festival include skiing, sleigh rides, the Pond Hockey Tournament — a four-on-four hockey tournament on Lake Mildred at the Fairmont Jasper Lodge — and the legendary Downtown Street Party.
The first night of the festival also offers the Jasper in January kickoff party at the Whistle Stop Pub, an interpretive hike with the Friends of Jasper National Park, and a concert headlined by singer-songwriter Jessie Rose Nelson.
“There’s 100-plus events,” Khouri said. “It’s a playful, high-energy festival, and there’s truly something for everyone.”
Those classics will pair nicely with inaugural events like Après Wine and the Chef’s Table Experience, another culinary celebration from the same four restaurants offering a five-course menu.
“We’re always looking to do something new and fresh, especially with a 38-year festival,” Khouri said.
It’s an opportunity not only for tourists and visitors to experience what makes Jasper such a special place, but also for the mountain town to take pride in its community.
“You’ll definitely see lots of residents’ faces, and lots of visitors that are in awe and have never seen Jasper before as well,” Khouri said.
Learn more about everything that’s on tap at this year’s Jasper in January festival on Tourism Jasper’s website.
Amir Said // info@thejasperlocal.com
