The Vine Society trip to Tuscany

Dec. 10. The Greater Lake Norman Wine Summit takes place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday at the Cain Center. Dubbed “the ultimate wine experience,” the event will feature tastings, guest speakers, classroom sessions, dining, prizes and more.

Tickets cost $125 and must be purchased online in advance. The event is hosted by The Vine Society, a boutique wine shop located inside the Davidson Inn, both owned by Davidson Hospitality.

Mariano Doble, CEO of Davidson Hospitality, said no other event in North Carolina offers large-scale experiences to the general public that combine wine education with tastings. He said the summit grew out of an evolution that began in 2020 with in-store tastings and expanded to include master wine classes and travel experiences.

“This is an opportunity to combine all of those into one event by bringing in wine regions and Master Sommeliers from around the world,” he said. “It’s not just for people to come and taste; it’s for people to become educated and then taste the wine to contextualize what they’re learning.”

The sessions will be led by a group of renowned wine experts, including Master Sommeliers Max Kast, David Keck and Larry O’Brien, along with other vineyard representatives.