Anniversary Festival (Party) - "Let's open something phenomenal!"

Twenty years ago, Waterford Wine & Spirits opened its doors with a simple, ambitious belief: that Wisconsin deserved access to the world’s great wines, not as distant trophies, but as living, shareable experiences. Bottles meant to be opened. Stories meant to be told. Tables meant to be gathered around. Two decades later, that belief has grown into something far richer than a cellar or a price list — it has become a community built on curiosity, trust, and the joy of discovery.

This festival tasting is our way of saying thank you — and of throwing the kind of party we love most. A little whimsical. Deeply generous. Filled with wines that matter not because they are rare for rarity’s sake, but because they are expressive, soulful, crafted and chosen with intention. These bottles speak clearly of whence they come — and are wines meant to be tasted together, debated over, revisited and remembered.

At our core, Waterford exists to educate, to share, and — yes — to sell wine. But always with purpose! We strive to discover, collect and offer the greatest wines in the world at a meaningful level of value. Over 20 years, that pursuit has taken us far beyond what once seemed possible for a small Wisconsin wine shop. From Bordeaux and Barolo to Santiago and Santorini, from the Willamette Valley to the Wachau, our shelves reflect decades of research, travel, conversation and conviction. And if the wine you’re dreaming of isn’t here yet, we’re always happy to hunt it down.

Founded in 2005 by Ben Christiansen, Waterford has grown into a jumbled extended family of wine professionals, sommeliers, wander‑ust imbibers, garagista winemakers, second‑career cashiers, cheerful shelf‑stockers and a few lovingly named mascots. Wine lovers all — and almost always willing to share a glass. What binds us isn’t uniformity, but a shared belief that wine is at its best when it’s generously shared in good honest company.

Which brings us to what matters most: you.

Over the years, our clients have become our friends, our drinking buddies  and sometimes even our colleagues. You’ve shaped our selections, challenged our assumptions and furnished our livelihood. Waterford simply wouldn’t exist without the remarkable community that it calls home. This anniversary belongs to you as much as it does to us!

To celebrate our first 20 years, we’re bringing in some of the world’s most revered wineries and top regional distillers and putting them right where they belong — at the tasting table with you. No velvet ropes. No pedestals. Just great bottles, thoughtfully chosen, poured with enthusiasm and priced with the same care we’ve always taken. We work hard to keep our pricing among the most competitive in the industry, and if something ever feels off, we want to know — because every wine purchased at Waterford should feel like an exemplar joy in a bottle.

So come raise a glass with us. Taste broadly. Ask questions. Revisit old favorites and discover new ones. This is a celebration 20 years in the making — and of all the shared moments, past and future, that make wine worth loving.

In vino veritas — and cheers! -Ben

P.S. - as my (a)vocation has taught me - beware the ides of the March. 

Wines to be tasted: TBA ... but they'll be epic!

Ticket price credited towards a case purchase, no cash value. 

—Image is a rendering of Waterford's first home, a 600-square-foot downstairs apartment on Milwaukee's bustling East Side. We now have parking! And three locations in southern WI!