Experience exciting and educational events at The Lodge at Woodloch, featuring inspirational and motivational guest speakers, available to elevate your consciousness and personal awareness. Diverse opportunities are offered to discover a greater understanding of life, love, self, spirituality, health, music, healing, the environment, and our world.
Wednesday, November 12, 2025 November 12, 2025 The Lodge at Woodloch
Mike Riego, Owner of HB Wine Merchants, importer of fine wines
November 12th
Mike started his adventure in the wine business first by working in restaurants while attending college. Another of his part time jobs was working at a fine wine retail shop in Western Maryland. The owner of the shop noticed his interest in fine wines, so he introduced him to the great wines of Bordeaux and the 1982 vintage along with fine German wines from the 1976 and 1983 vintages. Exposure to such great wines and vintages induced a career path diversion to fine wine. After college Mike moved to Delaware and took a job with a wholesaler selling to bars, restaurants, and retail stores. He focused on selling fine wine, and after two years resulted in him being promoted to Wine Manager, and then onto Division Manager. Still wanting to know more and travel more, he was recruited by an importer and supplier of fine wines and spirits based in New York. He had a five state Mid-Atlantic territory, that grew to eleven states, then the East Coast. This career path took Mike to Europe, California, South Africa and Chile as he visited the wine estates he represented and learned more about each of the various wine producing regions first hand.
In 2010, Mike joined one of his old friends and colleagues who had started his own Wine Import company in 2000. He helped build the portfolio and the territory of coverage from 14 states to 46 states in three years and became a partner in this firm. In 2018, Mike purchased the balance of the stock and is now the proud owner of HB Wine Merchants, one of the few national independently owned and operated wine importers in the US. The focus remains the same, Old World Wines that are family owned and operated that offer fantastic quality and value while representing authenticity and typicity of the area where they make wine. All of the producers work sustainably and most farm organically and use no herbicides or pesticides in the vineyards. Now some 34 years later Mike is enjoying the freedom to represent and select the wines that he is passionate about from producers that share the same love of wine, and bring them to market and share them with customers and friends.
Wednesday November 12th
Sweet Treat After Dinner Wine Pairing* ($)
8:30pm
Without a doubt, dessert wines help to enhance a good meal. The right pairing is essential for you to get the most out of it. However, you cannot just choose at random and hope for the best. Although there are no strict rules, the goal is to find harmony and balance in a mouthful. Join our Special guest Mike Riego and Kristin Shirtz owners of HB Wine Merchants for an hour of special, rare and unusual dessert wine from around the world, paired beautifully with TREEHouse made dessert bites as they take you on a sweet treat adventure.
*Please sign-up for this activity with our Spa Concierge.
