Tasting: A Wine for Every Side with Cedar Stoltenow

Take your holiday entertaining to the next level with French wine pairings for every accompagnementon the menu!

Join us for this intermediate-level wine tasting featuring sommelière Cedar Stoltenow, where you’ll discover wines that pair well with traditional holiday sides—and why.

Designed for wine lovers with some tasting experience, this seminar offers a relaxed introduction to French wine culture while highlighting the regions, grape varieties, and traditions that define the French approach to wine.

Guests will enjoy a complimentary seasonal cocktail before a seated, 1.5-hour tasting experience.

*Doors at 6:00 pm for a welcome cocktail. Program at 6:30. Please enter via 54 W Chicago Ave. Please kindly indicate any dietary restrictions when registering. Tickets are non-refundable after Wednesday, November 11—*merci pour votre compréhension.

About the Sommelière

Cedar Stoltenow

Cedar Stoltenow began her career in wine in 2017, after leaving the field of computational linguistics in search of a more balanced life. Cedar passed the WSET levels 2 and 3 within the year, and spent 2018 working harvests in both New Zealand and Napa Valley. She received her WSET Diploma in 2023.

Currently, Cedar works for the French Trade Commission, promoting French wine and spirits in the US market. In addition to her day job, Cedar also runs her own wine education and consulting business, Un Pot de Vin, which offers private wine education, event planning, and sommelier services, and she teaches WSET courses in Chicago with Fine Vintage. Working in wine offers Cedar a chance to share her love of wine, food, and travel with others, creating sensory experiences that make lasting memories.

My goal is to make wine more accessible, understandable, and above all, fun, for others. My passion is creating an experience around wine that brings people together, making the wine world more inclusive and approachable.

You can follow Cedar on Instagram  @unpotdevin.

Getting Here

The Alliance Française de Chicago is one block from the CTA Red line stop at Chicago Ave. Best bus routes are the 22 on Clark St and the 66 on Chicago Ave. A Divvy station is located in front of the 54 W Chicago Ave entrance.

Parking Information

$10 for 12 hours at 100 W Chestnut St. Validation is available at reception.

Please be advised that students, members, and attendees at cultural events or programs may be photographed, and these images may be used for marketing purposes.