Bob Kowalski and Blaine Kunze loved the idea of holding their event on the historical Raspberry Island. Traditionally, the Island has been a place for people to trade and gather over the centuries. We invite you to join us for this inaugural event. Do You Vous? We Do. 

Bob Kowalski

Owner; The Wine Markets & Sage Market and Wine Bar and Cellars by Design.

As designer of his own businesses, Bob Kowalski gets to live his passions and interests on a daily basis.  Having grown up in St. Paul and with over 25 years of retail experience, Bob has a deep understanding of the Twin Cities and its surrounding communities.  A lifelong interest in literature, history, and mythology helped Bob weave European culture and international winemaking into his business concepts. Following a trip to Italy in 1998 Bob and Kristen Kowalski realized their dream to open their first wine market in 2005.  Bob is a passionate golfer and he also writes poetry. Recently his poem "The Birth of Wine" was selected to be reproduced on the Steele Winery's Malbec currently in  distribution nationally.  In his youth, he worked in the Boundary Waters area which also instilled a love for the outdoors. He has served as president of the Continuum Center for four years, is an avid supporter of The Minnesota Zoo, The Humane Society and Home For Life.

My vision is to combine all of my passions and bring to the Twin Cities an extraordinary Wine event hosted in my home town. Great Wine, food and friends- the timeless gifts of the earth.

Blaine Kunze

Owner: Boomer Consulting and Marketing

As a Special Events Promoter for the last 20 years, Blaine Kunze has been blessed to have a career that allows him flexibility. He has been able to work hard building a business while maintaining quality time to spend with his children Roman, Noah and Gabriella.

In 1982, Blaine came to the great city of St. Paul to attend Macalester College where he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Speech Communications. As a two-time football captain, three-time all conference and small college All-American, Blaine learned early how to bring people of diverse backgrounds together to accomplish common goals.

Blaine has always had a deep connection with nature. He is an avid fisherman and loves being outdoors. That is one of the big reasons he is drawn to the River Rendezvous event. "Planning this event on an Island in the Mississippi River is such a cool thing," he said. "We want people to know that one of the world's great rivers is right in our backyard."

His vision for this event is that people will have a great day sipping wine, tasting fine food and enjoying a concert with someone special-all right on the river. "We invite you to rendezvous with us this fall!"

Kristen Kowalski

Proprietor and Sommelier

As proprietor and sommelier for The Wine Markets, Kristen Kowalski is able to utilize all of her skills as a business woman as well as share her love of wine and food with customers at The Wine Market.  After more than 15 years in the food and beverage industry at companies such as Kraft Foods, The Coca-Cola Company and General Mills, Kristen felt it was time to incorporate her passion for wine, culture and history into a new business. Kristen received her sommelier certification from the International Sommelier Guild in 2006 and is one of only six women in the state to hold that title. Kristen graduated from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management with a Bachelor's and Master Degree in Marketing. She was recently named one of the 2008 "25 Women To Watch" by The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.