Bet you never guessed you'd get the answer from a national park. The Ahwahnee hotel in Yosemite National Park has a long-standing tradition of bringing together world-class vintners, well-known American chefs and internationally renowned entertainment for its winter programs. Yes indeed, you can experience all this at Yosemite, the World Heritage site known for its fantastical waterfalls, towering granite cliffs and miles upon miles of wilderness across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

Picture yourself amidst the dramatic, woodsy backdrop of snow-covered Yosemite, nestled warmly into one of America's most historic hotels while sipping a deep, plummy cabernet from the Napa Valley's Silver Oak Cellars. You can have this and a lot more at The Ahwahnee's 28th annual Vintners' Holidays event. Throughout November and into early December, The Ahwahnee offers a series of two-and three-day sessions, each including four educational tasting seminars led by some of the most talented wine minds in California. Topics cover a wide range of winey topics such as "An Exploration of the Cool Climate Wines of Carneros," and "The Best of All Worlds - Sushi and Sparkling Wine."

This year's Vintners' Holiday lineup of 32 renowned California wineries includes such beloved favorites as Flowers Vineyard & Winery, Joseph Phelps Vineyards and Domaine Carneros. Because of the exclusive nature of the seminars, the winemakers will often pepper their presentations with rare and limited release samples, making the event a true once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Adding to the very special nature of Vintner's Holidays, a reception is integrated into each session so that guests can get to know the winemakers in their session. Wine lovers will also greatly appreciate the interesting twist on food and wine pairings offered at the final five-course Gala Dinner. Instead of matching each course with an appropriate wine, the dishes are developed in reaction to the vintners' wine choices to accent the notes in the featured wine.

Great chefs meet the great outdoors

Though sniffing and swilling for three days may appeal to oenophiles, some of us would rather focus on the edible side of the eating and drinking equation. These fine food-loving tourists should plan to arrive in Yosemite in January, when a slew of world-class American chefs make the pilgrimage to The Ahwahnee for Chefs' Holidays. At this awesome celebration of culinary creativity, guests hob nob with talented, well-known chefs and culinary personalities as they enjoy three seminars and a behind-the-scenes kitchen tour. This year, Chris Cosentino of San Francisco's Incanto, David Kinch of Manresa in Los Gatos, CA; Suzanne Goin of Los Angeles' Lucques, Brad Farmerie of PUBLIC in New York, and several former "Top Chef" contestants, including Elizabeth Faulkner of San Francisco's Citizen Cake and Orson and Ryan Scott of San Francisco's Ryan Scott 2 Go catering service, will all be in attendance.

Much like the vintners' event, Chefs' Holidays sessions last three days each and include a reception allowing guests to meet the chefs whose cuisine they sample over the course of their stay. Chefs' Holidays also wrap things up fittingly with a five-course Gala Dinner. Though this time around, wines are chosen to pair with the outstanding chef-driven dishes.

If you're interested in attending one of these epicurean meetings of the minds, check out The Ahwahnee's website where you can look up the exact dates when your favorite wine makers or chefs will be presenting. Keep in mind that visitors to Yosemite National Park may attend the seminars free of charge if standing room remains; but because the events sell out quickly, the best way to experience the three days of revelry is to purchase one of the two-or three-night packages offered by The Ahwahnee and Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. The packages include all events and seminars that take place during your chosen session. It's the most affordable way to get it all.

Singing from the mountains

Vintners' and Chefs' Holidays allow guests to experience a staggering amount of American food and wine culture in a small amount of time. But if you're visiting Yosemite mid-December when neither event is taking place, it may just be a blessing in disguise. From December 13 to 25, The Ahwahnee produces eight theatrical dinner performances called The Bracebridge Dinners, a dramatic yuletide celebration in a stunning winter wonderland setting. Count your blessings at this seven-course indulgent feast, which forms the backdrop for a lively operatic Christmas performance meticulously woven into the dinner experience.

More than 60 professional singers, court characters and other performers tell the story of a Christmas feast with Lord Merrick of Bracebridge and his household. It's a joy to watch the servers deliver each course as part of the show. The Ahwahnee's dramatic Dining Room, with its 50-foot ceiling topped by massive log beams, is the perfect stage for this celebration. At certain points throughout dinner you'll watch the show unfold around you and wonder if you are a spectator or a part of the show. It's an amazing opportunity that turns your Christmas meal into a show rivaled by no other.

Although many look forward to visiting Yosemite in summer and fall when the sun is high in the sky and the hiking trails are dry, they are missing the rare, unprecedented opportunities Vintners' Holidays, Chefs' Holidays and the Bracebridge Dinner allow. The experience of outstanding food, wine or entertainment and a breath-taking natural setting doesn't happen often. For more info and to start planning your next vacation, visit: www.yosemitepark.com.