If you live in wine country, you know that every summer and fall brings a rash of wine festivals. Wine festivals aren’t exclusive to wine-country settings, though—many non-wine places will put on wine festivals to bring a sunny bit of wine country to an otherwise empty weekend. Food and wine magazines are a popular source of these several-day wine events; so are museums, which often use them to raise funds.

Many of the non-wine-country events are expensive, as it takes money to get wines and winemakers out there, and there’s always a cause that the money is going to, whether charity or business. However, festivals can be as informative as they are fun, if you focus amid all the socializing. With winemakers on hand, there are plenty of people to whom you can ask wine questions, and the higher tariff to get in promises some pretty special bottles.

A slim array of some wine festivals around the United States:

• Aspen, Colorado: Food & Wine Magazine Classic at Aspen
• Austin, Texas: Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival
• Boston, Massachusetts: Boston Wine Festival
• Hawaii: Kapalua Wine & Food Festival
• Kansas City, Kansas: Kansas City Festival of Wines
• Miami, Florida: South Beach Wine & Food Festival
• Orlando, Florida: Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
• Paso Robles, California: Hospice du Rhone
• San Francisco, California: Annual ZAP Zinfandel Festival
• Santa Fe, New Mexico: Santa Fe Wine & Chile Festival

Wine festivals in wine country tend to be as much for the locals as they are for visitors, and so they can be much lower key. They offer an advantage in that they put you right in wine country, where you can see, smell, and sometimes even taste the grapes that go into the wines.

Uncategorized wine festival, wine festivals

I forgot to mention… last month I went to the Monterey Wine Festival. I try to go every year because it’s such a wonderful experience. It was hard to count, but it seemed like there were over 100 different wineries there. Maybe I’m exaggerating, but it was definitely over 50. And in addition there are several premium food vendors offering fine cheeses, seafood, and several other delicacies. It’s basically a wine and foodies dream come true! If you’re curious for next year there’s a list of all the participants on their website. There was also a chef giving free cooking lessons; including recipes such as Caramelized Pineapple Meringue Flambé, Artichoke and Chestnut Velouté with Sautéed Apples, and Tender Calamari Filled with Chorizo, Topped with Tomato Sauce and Served over Soft Polenta. I went to the event at the Hyatt. Apparently they also have a day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I’m thinking about trying it next year. I’m sure it would be fine indulging on wine and cheese while you hang out with sea turtles.   Tickets are $99 which seems expensive, but considering its 3 hours of unlimited wine and food it’s not that bad of a deal. According to their website there are over 300 wines to taste. The events are limited to 1,500 guests and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was sold out. So if you plan to attend next year buy your tickets early. This is a highly recommended experience!

Cheers,
Wine Club Insider

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