Set for March 28, 2024, the next event in our Wine & War series will center on Vietnam, allowing attendees a chance to uniquely taste the culture and share in an intimate Q&A experience with Vietnam War Medal of Honor Recipient Sammy Davis.
The legacy of the Vietnam War remains deeply ingrained in the collective memory of those who lived through it in the jungles, rice paddies, and on the home front through television screens. For younger generations, the Academy Award winning film–Forrest Gump–served as an introduction to the War and the cultural complexities of the era. Released in 1994, the film celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and unbeknownst to many, Sammy’s heroic actions in Vietnam were loosely used as the basis for Forrest’s Medal of Honor awarded actions in the film. Come hear Sammy tell the real story over Vietnamese-inspired cuisine and wine.
Building on our inaugural event experience in July 2023 to bring you a special taste of Vietnam, the night will include a wine and chocolate pairing led by a Wine expert prior to cocktail hour, dinner, and program. This pairing will feature several bars hand-selected from the award-winning Vietnamese-based chocolatier, Maison Marou, and wine from the Vietnamese-founded winery, RD Winery.
Secure your place at this highly-anticipated event today.
Event Features
Guest Appearance of Medal of Honor Recipient Sammy L. Davis
Did you know, that 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the movie Forrest Gump which loosely used Sammy’s heroic actions in Vietnam as the basis of Forrest’s Medal of Honor
awarded actions in the film?
A Special Performance by Ladies for Liberty
This unique musical group is known for its Andrews Sister style renditions of 1940s, WWII, 1950s Korean War Era, and 1960s Vietnam War Era music.
Wine and Chocolate Paring with Lisa Hanger
Lisa Hanger, Ph.D., DipWSET (Merit) educational background includes a Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology with a research focus on taste perceptio. After 4 years of intensive study, exams, and blind tastings through London-based Wine and Spirits Education Trust, she completed the Diploma of Wine with Merit (top 6% in the world) in 2021.
Event Selections
RD Winery
Our winery’s ethos is driven by our founder Dong Van Nguyen’s inspiring legacy and the traditions of altruism and community in Vietnamese culture. At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to being real and creating a space where all feel welcome.
Maison Marou Chocolate
In 2011, Samuel Maruta and Vincent Mourou went soul-searching into the jungles of Vietnam. They instead found cacao, the likes of which they had never tasted. They immediately got to work, creating Marou Faiseurs de Chocoloat and becoming Vietnam’s first bean-to-bar chocolate maker by controlling every stage of production. Their journey has since grown to gather the best farmers, engineers, and pastry chefs along the way.
Prehistoric Perk Coffee Co.
Prehistoric Perk, based in Chattanooga, TN, is a veteran-owned coffee roasting company. The company got its start while Vince was deployed in Afghanistan.
Zaya Korean Steakhouse
Zaya Korean Steakhouse combines a fine-dining steakhouse with Korean BBQ elements. As a result, our guests experience a fine dining atmosphere while they enjoy premium quality cuts of beef cooked by our servers over a smokeless grill.
