A natural wine fest hosted by FiNO & The All Inn Hotel.
One week. One neighborhood. Five days of Crush Courses, producer-hosted tastings, and chef-led dinners with Colorado’s most iconic sommeliers, award-winning chefs and people bringing new perspectives and fresh energy to Denver’s wine scene. The week will be capped by a full-blown wine fest in FiNO’s backyard with live music, Denver’s best food pop-ups and 100’s of bottles to taste. Plus, a wine store curated by our somms with access to unique take-home bottles directly from producers and small distributors.
FiNO’s Funky Crush is a celebration of the wines we love most: natural, organic, biodynamic, small-production, made by winemakers with something to say. Come to Funky Crush for good food, great wine, and an unforgettable week of popping bottles and breaking bread with friends, old and new.
Gruner
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Nerello
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Ribolla
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Pinot
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Gewürz
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Gruner ✳︎ Nerello ✳︎ Ribolla ✳︎ Pinot ✳︎ Gewürz ✳︎
What’s Happening
Every weekday, join our Crush Courses, daytime wine education sessions with iconic and accomplished sommeliers. We’ve teamed up with: Caroline Clark of Id Est Hospitality (Bruto, The Wolf’s Tailor, Basta, Hey Kiddo, and Ok Yeah), Clara Klein of Frasca Food & Wine (Tavernetta, Osteria Alberico), Hannah Cunningham (owner of Bon Vin Bottle Shop), Alex Jump (The Peach Crease Club, Death & Co. alum) and Kinga Mackowiak (Apple Blossom at Hyatt Centric Downtown Denver).
In the evening, grab a reservation for dinner with Chef Michael Diaz de Leon (owner of Molino Chido and James Beard Finalist) or Chef Doug Rankin, of Bar Chelou (named one of the 12 Best Restaurants in America), and his sommelier, the inimitable Jacob Roadhouse. Plus, FiNO’s coastal-Mediterranean inspired kitchen will be serving up dishes that pair with gluggable glasses and bottles you’ll tell your grandchildren about.
The Funky Crush Courses
FiNO’s Funky Crush Course w/ Alex Jump, owner of The Peach Crease Club
This session’s somm is currently planning their course…more details dropping soon.
FiNO’s Funky Crush Course w/ Clara Klein, Sommelier at Tavernetta
Drink Better: A Field Guide to Yummy & Thoughtful Wine
Crushing on wine? Same. Welcome to FiNO's Funky Crush Course.
Each session, a different somm takes over to break down a topic they're genuinely obsessed with. This time it's Clara Klein, Sommelier at Tavernetta, with Better Wine: A Field Guide to Yummy & Thoughtful Wines, pouring through her favorite wines along the way.
Natural. Organic. Biodynamic. Sustainable. What do these words actually mean? Let's investigate what goes into thoughtful winemaking. Taste a flight incredible wines from some of Clara Klein's favorite producers while exploring the farming practices behind them. Discover why healthy soils, biodiversity, and thoughtful stewardship make for better vineyards—and even better bottles.
It's part class, part hangout. Ask questions, make friends, drink well. No pretension, no pop quizzes, just wine people talking to wine people.
Funky Crush Course: because learning about wine should feel like this -- fun, a little chaotic, and always delicious.
FiNO’s Funky Crush Course w/ Hannah Cunningham, owner of Bon Vin Bottle Shop
White Grapes of Italy
Crushing on wine? Same. Welcome to FiNO's Funky Crush Course.
Each session, a different somm takes over to break down a topic they're genuinely obsessed with.
This time it's owner of Bon Vin, Hannah Cunningham, pouring a guided tasting of four indigenous Italian grapes. We'll dig into the terroir that shapes each wine, the winemaking choices that define its character, and of course, spend real time on tasting notes -- sipping and comparing them side by side.
It's part class, part hangout. Ask questions, make friends, drink well. No pretension, no pop quizzes, just wine people talking to wine people.
Funky Crush Course: because learning about wine should feel like this -- fun, a little chaotic, and always delicious.
FiNO’s Funky Crush Course w/ Caroline Clark, Director of Beverage, Id Est Hospitality
The Rise of Low-Intervention Wine in North America
Crushing on wine? Same. Welcome to FiNO's Funky Crush Course.
Each session, a different somm takes over to break down a topic they're genuinely obsessed with. This time it's Caroline Clark, Director of Beverage for Id Est Hospitality (Bruto, The Wolf's Tailor, Hey Kiddo, Ok Yeah, Basta), on The Rise of Low Intervention Wines in North America, pouring through wines she loves along the way.
It's part class, part hangout. Ask questions, make friends, drink well. No pretension, no pop quizzes, just wine people talking to wine people.
Funky Crush Course: because learning about wine should feel like this -- fun, a little chaotic, and always delicious.
FiNO’s Funky Crush Course w/ Kinga Mackowiak, Director of Food & Beverage, Hyatt Centric Downtown Denver
Blend Colorado: A High-Altitude Wine Workshop
Crushing on wine? Same. Welcome to FiNO's Funky Crush Course.
Each session, a different somm takes over to break down a topic they're genuinely obsessed with. This time, it's Kinga Mackowiak, Apple Blossom's Director of Food & Beverage, teaching an interactive course on the craft of blending.
Kinga will start with a quick tour of Colorado wine country: the Grand Valley and West Elks AVAs, and what it actually takes to grow grapes at 4,000 to 7,000 feet (spoiler: it's not easy). From there, you'll taste four Colorado reds and dig into how fruit, acidity, tannin, and body all play into balance. Then comes the fun party -- you'll blend your own wine from those four bottles and see how one small tweak changes everything.
It's part class, part hangout. Ask questions, make friends, drink well. No pretension, no pop quizzes, just wine people talking to wine people.
Funky Crush Course: because learning about wine should feel like this -- fun, a little chaotic, and always delicious.
The Funky Crush Dinners
Funky Crush Pop-Up Dinner w/ Chef Michael Diaz De Leon
Chef Michael Diaz de Leon and his team are taking over FiNO's kitchen for one night. Expect a Coastal Mexican dinner experience alongside natural and low-intervention wine pairings curated by Clara Klein.
Funky Crush Pop-Up Dinner w/ Chef Doug Rankin and sommelier Jacob Roadhouse
Chef Doug Rankin and his team are taking over FiNO's kitchen for one night with Bar Chelou, a french neo-bistro concept that Chef Doug has taken from it’s Los Angeles roots to a six-seat counter pop-up at Hop Alley.
On Wednesday, September 16th, Bar Chelou pops up on FiNO’s patio with a wine line-up curated by the inimitable Jacob Roadhouse.
Weekend in the Wine Garden
Saturday and Sunday, FiNO’s Funky Crush takes over the backyard wine garden.
Each day includes wine by the pour from every participating producer, passed apps from FiNO’s kitchen, food from our favorite local pop-ups, all-day live music, and a retail shop to take your favorite bottles home.
FiNO’s Funky Crush: Weekender Pass (Saturday)
Spend Saturday afternoon moving between producer tables, eating well, and popping bottles!
Your ticket gives you access to winemakers and producers pouring 100's of wines, Denver's favorite pop-up food experiences, and live music all in FiNO's backyard wine garden.
Live music from doors to close.
Doors open at 3PM.
P.S. If you work in the hospitality industry, email info@finocolfax.com for an Industry pass discount.
FiNO’s Funky Crush: Weekender Pass (Sunday)
Spend Sunday afternoon moving between producer tables, eating well, and popping bottles!
Your ticket gives you access to winemakers and producers pouring 100's of wines, Denver's favorite pop-up food experiences, and live music all in FiNO's backyard wine garden.
Live music from doors to close.
Doors open at 3PM.
P.S. If you work in the hospitality industry, email info@finocolfax.com for an Industry pass discount.
Stay where the winemakers stay.
Book a stay at The All Inn Hotel and skip the ticket line — this package puts you inside FiNO’s Funky Crush Weekend Wine Fest, before you even check in. Wake up to the fest in your backyard, wander down for tastings and live music, and let us handle the rest.