It seems we are in full swing of what I call wine festival season! It is summer time and it's a great time to get out of the house even for just the day, but even better when you can turn it into a weekend away. 

There are so many to choose from it can be difficult to decide which one's to go to. In just the past few months I've been to three wine festivals and have at least four more that I'm planning to hit in the coming weeks/months. There are a lot of really great advantages to going to a wine festival that you could miss in a typical wine touring day. 

• Winemakers are often pouring at these events and you can meet and talk with them
• You can taste wines that do not have a wine tasting facility
• You can taste smaller production wines
• You can try wines from that tasting room that you've always wanted to try 
• Often, you can try many wines from the same region and can really gain a sense of the wines from that region or terrior
• You can taste all of one varietal at a time 
• Educational offerings such as classes

The prices I've seen can range from around $75 up to several hundred for general admission to the grand event. The consumer level of expectation can also be different. Some events offer more in a VIP type status at a higher price tag. They may offer a VIP ticket which benefits can be really special. One event I attended offered special VIP parking, early entry to the event, and a VIP tent with special offerings inside; including none stop food offerings such as sushi, engraving on your glass, private band, and even special seating. Depending on how you want to spend your time and your cash should help direct where you are going.

The early entry can really be a nice added benefit as I got to see the "flood gates" open to general admission after that first hour. If you are ambitious and want to taste as much wine as possible, the extra time could be well spent. Or even if you just want to relax and really lounge it more in the VIP tent, then this too could be the way to go depending on your style. It is also a fun way to check out some of the local fare from their food samplings. Its almost like a day of tapas and wine. 

There are some great events coming up that I am really looking forward to. Are you planning on attending any wine festivals/events? They are a lot of fun and often the tickets sales benefit a charity. Hope to see you at one!