Vintners Focus is an immersive eight-evening wine series hosted by Chris Stemler at The Beacon in Topeka, designed for wine lovers who want to go beyond casual tasting and truly understand what makes great wines distinctive. Each evening takes a deep dive into a single renowned producer, guiding guests through five thoughtfully selected wines that reveal how grape variety, terroir, winemaking choices, and aging shape the final expression in the glass.
The word vintner refers to the person or family responsible for producing wine—from growing or sourcing the grapes to crafting the wine itself. In this series, each event highlights a celebrated vintner whose philosophy, vineyards, and techniques define the wines they create. By tasting several wines from the same producer in one evening, guests can clearly see how a vintner’s decisions influence everything from style and structure to flavor and aging potential.
Throughout the series, guests will travel across the wine world—from the Loire Valley and Piedmont to Rioja, Santorini, California, and the high vineyards of Argentina—experiencing wines side-by-side while learning the stories behind the people who make them. Whether you attend a single evening or follow the entire journey, Vintners Focus offers a rare opportunity to taste exceptional wines, deepen your knowledge, and discover how great vintners shape the character of every bottle.
