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Wine Festival Guide
Posted by
Amanda on 1/15/10
More than likely, you have a wine festival in your own state or one in a neighboring state. Practically every state in the US has a wine festival every year. This is a wonderful way to enjoy delicious samples of the wines created in the region as well as learn about the wines that may be created very near your own home. A matter of fact, you may be surprised at some of the delightful wines that are actually created in the United States.
If you plan on attending a wine festival in the near future there are a few things that you should know in order to make the most of your adventure besides just bringing back your favorite bottle of wine.
Prior to the festival, you will need to make a decision as to whether you will be tasting the various wines or not. If you plan to partake of the wine, be sure to bring along a person to be your driver. In some cases, wine connoisseurs that do not have a designated driver often swirl the wine around their taste buds and politely spit it out in the bucket provided. This allows you the chance to experience the aroma and the taste of the wine without becoming intoxicated. Once you find your favorite wine or the wines you wish to purchase after sampling, you can then buy a bottle or more to enjoy at home.
It may also be in your best interest to decide which types of wines you may wish to sample. You may have noticed a winery in the area and wish to see what wines they create. Most wine festivals are arranged by the wineries, the wines they create and serve. In the majority of cases, the wineries in the area have their own booth. At their booth, you will be able to sample the various wines that can be found at their wineries.
You may be exploring the wine festival for the wines available, however, do not forget to sample the foods at the various booths. All wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs add this very important experience to the list of things you must not ignore. The pleasure of combining food and wine is an ultimate adventure for your taste buds. The food booths are designed to enhance the flavor of the wines and are usually a wonderful addition.
As you are sampling a wine, it will not offend the food booth attendant if you ask which foods go best with the wine that you happen to be sampling. As a matter of fact, they will absolutely enjoy helping you experience the delight of the foods that go with the wine. The food vendors normally have a list of the various wines and wineries that are present at the festival and will be able to provide you with the right foods for every wine available.
Some wine festivals may have wines from different regions around the state. If this happens to be true, you should sample a few wines from each region. The wines have their own unique aroma and taste according to the soil, climate, and the way in which the vineyards grow the grapes, and many other factors. If you bypass a region in the area, you may miss one of the most delicious wines in your own state.
Remember to have a scorecard or pen and paper with you. You will need this in order to keep track of the wines you like. The best way to do this is to write down the name of the winery, the wine, and your opinion of the aroma and flavor. At the end of the day or your visit, you want to ensure that you purchase the bottles of wine you loved instead of wondering around the festival trying to remember which one you wanted to purchase. When you write down the information on the wines, ask about the foods that should be served with the wine. Write this information down along with your opinion. This will truly help you make an educated decision on which wines you wish to purchase.
Do not purchase the bottles of wines right after sampling. This will be a big mistake for many reasons. First, you will have to carry around the bottles of wine or make a trip back to the car. Second, you will more than likely enjoy the flavor of more than one wine, possibly several, and you may end up learning the one you truly love you cannot purchase now as you have used up your budget. Wait until you have sampled all the wines you desire, then you choose the ones you wish to purchase at this time. You can always purchase wines from the other wineries at a later date.
Talk to other wine enthusiasts. This is a festival and you should be there to have fun. Learn about the wineries in your area, when they offer tours, if they have other events throughout the year, and most importantly enjoy the day.
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