Do's and Don'ts of Wine Festivals

I am going to the Astoria Wine and Seafood Festival this weekend. Here are a few suggestions for those going to festivals, in any state.

1) BRING YOUR OWN GLASS!!! It is so different to have a glass rather than use dixie cups or thimbles that the vendors have to pour into.

2) Bring $1's and quarters. Unless you paid $50+ at the door, you will most likely have to pay for the tastings individually. Vendors don't have a lot of change because the newbies all brought or had to use the ATM and had only $20's.

3) Don't buy any wine by the glass, or drink a glass with lunch. If it's so good you want more, buy a bottle to enjoy at home. Drinking by the glass at the event will dull taste buds way earlier and you won't get to taste as many new wines.

4) Taste varietals you've never heard of. There are so many varietals of wine you’ve never tasted before, and so many producers you’ve never tasted wines from. TRY THEM, you never know unless you try.

5) Read what they have to offer. They should have a tasting menu. Don't ask for their Merlot or Chardonnay if they only have Zins and Chenin Blanc. In fact, don’t ask for their Merlot or Chardonnay anyway, you’ve had so many of those in your lifetime, try something new (see #4 again if unclear).

6) Don’t ask for “sweet white wines only.” Statements like this or asking for specific varietals pigeon hole your pallet. You’re at the festival to expand your pallet, try new things, and build your cellar with a few new wines you’d never had bought if you hadn’t tried them first.

7) Consider the $2 tasting for that wine a bargain. At wineries I’ve paid up to $20 for tasting as little as 3 wines. Just think, if you’d have bought the bottle at the store and then found out you didn’t like it you could be out $40. If you taste it first, you save $38 bucks by knowing ahead of time you didn’t like it.

8) Dump! If you don’t like the wine in your glass, don’t drink it, your liver can only keep up for so long (see #3 about this point too). So many people dump wine, you won’t insult anyone. Don’t think you’re wasting it, you’re here to taste, not get drunk.

9) Don’t go if you want to get drunk. You won’t enjoy the wine or learn anything. It’d be such a waste of money too.

10) Spit! If you don’t like the wine don’t consume it (see #8 about this point too). You don’t have a lot of time and can only consume so much. You will get a buzz today, so pace yourself. Only swallow what you like, love, and can’t live without. You’ll get to taste so many more wines with this mentality.

11) NEVER, NEVER, NEVER drive after drinking. One sip will impair your abilities. Someone should always be sober, 100% sober.

(I am not responsible for anything you or anyone you know does. Whether you read this or not, your choices are your own. By reading any part of my blog you are agreeing that no one is responsible for your actions but yourself.)