The fig tree VINTNER DINNER FEATURING
Stags’ leap winery
Join Charlotte Wine + Food Week at Charlotte’s classic and longstanding fine dining establishment - The Fig Tree - for a multi-course vintner dinner with one of California’s most historic wineries - Stags’ Leap Winery! Special guests Ludovic Dervin, General Manager and Senior Winemaker of Stags’ Leap Winery & Caitlyn Gillette, Luxury Director, Mid-Atlantic of Treasury Wine Estate will serve as your guides to explore these classic wines paired with a menu crafted by Executive Chef Greg Zanitsch of The Fig Tree.
This special evening of wine, food, fun, and fundraising is held in support of four Charlotte-area children's charities - Beds for Kids, Digi-Bridge, Families Forward Charlotte, and Wayfinders. Collectively, these organizations serve more than 2,500 children, helping ensure access to stability, education, and opportunity - paving the way for brighter, more secure futures for these children and our community. Learn more here.
The dinner will also offer you an opportunity to give back by making a direct donation, purchasing raffle tickets for exciting prizes, and/or bidding in the Week's auctions.
ABOUT STAGS’ LEAP WINERY
Stags’ Leap Winery was established in 1970 with the purchase of the S.L.V. vineyard. Only six years later, the 1973 S.L.V. Estate Cabernet Sauvignon was awarded the highest honor at the Judgment of Paris blind tasting, besting First Growth Bordeaux Chateaux. This achievement solidified Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and the Napa Valley as places that crafted world-class wines. Today, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars is a quality benchmark for California Cabernet Sauvignon. It offers unrivaled Napa Valley wine experiences where guests enjoy first-rate hospitality and expansive vineyard overlooks that are perfectly paired with some of the most widely-recognized and coveted Napa Valley wines in the world.
EVENT DETAILS
Date: Thursday, April 16, 2026
Time: 6:30 PM Reception | 6:45 PM Dinner
Location: The Fig Tree Restaurant | 1601 E 7th Street, Charlotte, NC 28204
Special Guests: Ludovic Dervin | General Manager and Senior Winemaker - Stags’ Leap Winery
Caitlyn Gillette | Luxury Director, Mid-Atlantic - Treasury Wine Estates
Executive Chef Greg Zanitsch - The Fig Tree Restaurant
Tickets: $250 plus tax
Gratuity is included in the ticket price and $50 of each ticket is tax-deductible.
Must be 21+
Hosted by Charlotte Wine + Food’s Board Members Craig Selimotic Danforth TJ Leifheit.
MENU + WINES
- RECEPTION -
2022 Stags' Leap Winery Sauvignon Blanc
- FIRST COURSE -
2023 Stags' Leap Winery Chardonnay
- SECOND COURSE -
2023 Stags' Leap Winery Merlot
- THIRD COURSE -
2022 Stags' Leap Winery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
2022 Stags' Leap Winery ‘The Leap’ Cabernet Sauvignon
- FOURTH COURSE -
2021 Stags' Leap Winery Petite Sirah
- FIFTH COURSE -
2020 Stags' Leap Winery Investor Red
menu coming soon!
Dietary restrictions may be accommodated with advance notice. Please indicate any restrictions the event organizers should be aware of at time of your registration/ticket purchase. Alternatively, please email info@charlottewineandfood.org to notify us at minimum 5 days prior to the event.
CULINARY & BEVERAGE TALENT
LUDOVIC DERVIN | GENERAL MANAGER AND SENIOR WINEMAKER - STAGS’ LEAP WINERY
From a young age, Ludovic Dervin was drawn to the people, culture, and art of winemaking. A native of the Champagne region of France, Ludo grew up playing hide-and-seek and foraging for wild mushrooms among some of the most esteemed vineyards in the world. At first, his curious, scientific mind led him to pursue studies in microbiology, but eventually he found his way back to his roots and pivoted to his true calling, enology. He earned his viticulture and winemaking degree at the University in Reims and is today the General Manager and Senior Winemaker for Stags’ Leap Winery.
After graduation, Ludo immersed himself in the winemaking world to get a better sense of the many facets of the industry. It was the complexity of the job that really appealed to him. He enjoyed working with growers, managing winemaking teams, and exploring the craft—blending artistry and modern technology. Once he got his foot in the door, the rest was history.
Before officially launching his career as a Napa Valley winemaker, Ludovic set out on a three-year venture as a “flying winemaker.” His journey took him around the globe to world-class winemaking regions in Greece, South Africa, and California, where he learned the ins and outs of both Old and New World winemaking, including the different techniques and the intricacies of each vine-growing region. Particularly enamored by Napa Valley winemaking country, it wasn’t long before he returned for good.
By the mid-1990s, Ludovic relocated to California permanently to fulfill a 16-month role as a research enologist for Remy Martin’s Piper Sonoma. After staying with the brand for another year, Ludovic moved on to join the team at Kendall-Jackson and Hartford Court, where he worked on production of the luxury portfolio, including the launch of Kendall-Jackson’s Verité program in 1998. In 2002, he joined Mumm Napa as Head Winemaker, where he continued to develop his passion and creativity, producing premier Napa Valley wines for the following 17 years—including winemaking missions in other parts of the world, like Australia, New Zealand, France, and Canada.
In July 2022, Ludovic joined Stags’ Leap Winery as General Manager and Senior Winemaker. Drawn to the centuries-old historic estate, premiere location in the Stags Leap appellation, and signature style of winemaking, Ludovic is both eager and determined to continue the Stags’ Leap Winery legacy of producing gold-standard Napa Valley wines. “I am constantly inspired by my surroundings here, on the estate at the base of the Pallisades mountain range. I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to exercise my passion and creativity in winemaking at one of Napa Valley’s most iconic and storied wineries.”
CAITLYN GILLETTE | LUXURY DIRECTOR, MID-ATLANTIC - TREASURY WINE ESTATE
Caitlyn Gillette, CSW, WSET, is the Divisional Manager for the Luxury portfolio at Treasury Wine Estates, representing an exceptional collection of worldrenowned estates including DAOU Vineyards, Frank Family Vineyards, Stags’ Leap Winery, BV, Etude, Beringer, and Penfolds. Rooted in Charlotte, North Carolina, Caitlyn brings the welcoming spirit of the South to every experience she curates—pairing genuine hospitality with the elevated refinement expected of the world’s most iconic wineries.
Known for her gracious presence and her gift for storytelling, Caitlyn hosts luxury wine dinners that blend elegance, warmth, and connection. She brings each estate’s heritage and craftsmanship to life, creating immersive moments that celebrate both the wines in the glass and the people around the table.
Before joining Treasury Wine Estates, Caitlyn played a key role in shaping the growth of DAOU across the MidAtlantic. She led the introduction of ultraluxury wines—including the acclaimed PATRIMONY—and partnered with renowned restaurant groups to elevate the winery’s presence in influential markets. Her career reflects more than a decade of leadership in luxury wine, premium sales strategy, and expertly crafted consumer experiences. A proud graduate of Johnson & Wales University Charlotte, Caitlyn earned her degree in Beverage Management and has continued her education with certifications including Certified Specialist of Wine, WSET Level 2, and Introductory Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers.
Bringing together her Charlotte roots, her passion for hospitality, and her deep industry expertise, Caitlyn creates meaningful, memorable winedinner experiences—honoring the art of winemaking and the joy of shared conversation over extraordinary bottles.
GREG ZANITSCH | EXECUTIVE CHEF - THE FIG TREE
Some people are born into a profession. Others come to a career path later in life. Greg Zanitsch found his calling on the side of the road.
After graduating from the University of Cincinnati in December of 1990, the philosophy major saw a sign for the New England Culinary Institute while driving through Vermont. Having always had an interest in cooking and working in kitchens all through college he pulled over to take a tour. The rest is history.
Following graduation, Greg lived in Hawaii, Napa Valley, then Cincinnati, working in some of the most high volume, fine dining kitchens in the country. Two things that shaped his culinary style: the importance of high-quality ingredients and how to pair food with wine.
When it was time to get a kitchen of his own, he and Sara his wife whom he met while working as Sous Chef at Prima Vista searched for spots in Cincinnati, but nothing felt right. “My parents were living in Charlotte and called to say they’d seen a place we might like,” Greg says. “We got on a plane, flew down, walked in and fell in love with it.”
After a year of renovations to the historic Lucas House, The Fig Tree opened in 2005 with a wine list and menu of country European classics that have garnered awards from outlets including Charlotte Magazine and Wine Spectator.
THANK YOU TO OUR PRESENTING SPONSOR!
