An Exclusive Wine Dinner Is Coming to Summer Nationals Weekend — With a Surprise Guest

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by Bryan Wendell

USA Fencing's official wine partner is hosting an intimate dinner in Oregon's wine country during the opening weekend of Summer Nationals. The headliner is one of the most celebrated winemakers alive — with a mystery Fencing and Film guest.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A mystery Fencing and Film guest will join legendary winemaker Véronique Drouhin for an exclusive dinner in partnership with USA Fencing on Sunday, June 28.

The DDO x USA Fencing Wine Dinner takes place at Domaine Drouhin Oregon in Dayton, Ore., about 35 miles from Portland's Oregon Convention Center, where Summer Nationals gets underway that same week. Tickets are $375 per person and are available now at at this link.

Meet the Winemaker

Véronique Drouhin operates in a category essentially of her own: she oversees winemaking at both Domaine Drouhin Oregon in the Dundee Hills and Maison Joseph Drouhin in Burgundy, making her one of the very few winemakers producing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay at the highest level on two continents simultaneously.

Her wines have earned a 99-point score from Wine Advocate, a No. 6 ranking on Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2024, and she personally received France's highest civilian honor: the Légion d'Honneur.

The accolades don’t end there. Drouhin recently made the cover of the May 2026 issue of Wine Spectator magazine, where the headline reads: “Sweet Home Oregon: A French Winemaker Thrives in the Willamette Valley.”

The story of how she landed in Oregon is one of wine's great origin stories. In 1980, her father Robert organized a blind tasting in Beaune after an Oregon Pinot Noir stunned the establishment at a prestigious Paris competition. Oregon finished second by the narrowest of margins. Robert was convinced the region could produce world-class wine — and in 1987 purchased what is now 225 acres in the Dundee Hills. At 24 years old, Véronique was named winemaker. The philosophy she brought with her from Burgundy: "French Soul, Oregon Soil."

An Evening to Remember

The dinner runs from 5:30 to 10 p.m. and features a reception, a three-course meal, and a selection of wines from Domaine Drouhin Oregon and Maison Joseph Drouhin, including some of their most celebrated Pinot Noirs. Champagne Billecart-Salmon, USA Fencing’s official Champagne, will be served during the reception. The evening will conclude with a live auction featuring exclusive Domaine Drouhin Oregon and USA Fencing experiences.

Seating is limited. This is a rare opportunity to dine alongside one of the world's great winemakers — at her estate, during one of American fencing's biggest weekends of the year.

Seating is limited, so secure your tickets now.