Greg Brinkman

Wine festivals can be a thrilling dive into the world of viticulture and gastronomy, but they can also be a tad overwhelming for first-timers. After a delightful experience at the Park City Spring Wine Festival Grand Tasting, I felt inspired to share insights that could help novices confidently navigate these events. Whether you’re a casual drinker or a budding connoisseur, a wine festival in Utah is an excellent opportunity to find something you thoroughly enjoy.

Preparation Before the Event

Research the Focus: Understanding the festival’s theme can significantly enhance your experience. If the event highlights specific regions like Bordeaux or types like Pinot Noir, a little homework on these areas can enrich your understanding and enjoyment.

Learn the Basics: Familiarize yourself with basic wine terms and varietals. Knowing the difference between tannins and terroir or what distinguishes a Merlot from a Malbec can make your tasting more insightful and enjoyable.

What to Expect at the Festival

Variety of Offerings: At Park City, an array of international and local wines promised something for every palate. Anticipate a similar variety wherever you go, with options ranging from well-known labels to boutique vintners.

Event Layout: Understanding the layout can save time and streamline your experience. Festivals typically organize booths by region or wine type, so plan your route to avoid backtracking.

Educational Opportunities

Sessions, Talks, and Pairings: Many festivals offer sessions with sommeliers or industry experts. Attending these can provide deeper insights into wine production, tasting techniques, the latest trends, and how best to pair your favorite meal with your new favorite wine. 

Benefits of Attending These Sessions: These gatherings are golden opportunities to ask questions and learn in a more structured setting, which can demystify aspects of wine culture. No, really, ask questions. Everyone is about education; they want you to know their wines and love them as much as they do. 

Managing Your Time and Tastings

Pacing Yourself: With potentially hundreds of wines available, decide in advance how many you realistically want to try. This year’s Grand Tasting boasted 150 wines to choose from. Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. And if you don’t love it, you don’t have to finish it. 

Taking Notes: Keep a journal or use an app to note which wines strike your fancy and why. This can be invaluable when you want to find them later for purchase.

Food Pairings and Options

Types of Food Available: From gourmet small plates to hearty local fare, wine festival food offerings cater to diverse tastes and help pace your alcohol consumption. My experience has been that, generally, these events have small bites available. Plan to eat a decent meal before you start sipping. 

Strategic Eating: Try to pair foods with your wine tastings to enhance both the flavors of the wine and the overall experience. This year’s event had small plates from well-known restaurants such as Kaneo, St Regis in Park City, and tasty Empanadas from Encanto.

Additional drink options: Along with all the wines for tasting, you can bet that local distillers may also be on hand sampling their fares. Alpine Distilling and Holistic Spirits were both at this year’s event. And maybe because it was a little chilly, the Hot Toddy served up by Alpine was our favorite taste at this event. 

Recording Impressions

Keeping Track of Favorites: It’s easy to forget the details of a wine after your tenth tasting. Use a simple rating system or jot down what you like about each wine, from aroma to body to finish.

Using Technology: Leverage apps like Vivino or Delectable to record your impressions and see what others say about the same wine.

Post-Festival Activities

Following Up on Favorites: If a particular wine captured your heart, consider visiting the vineyard’s website or joining their wine club for exclusive offers and events.

Joining Wine Clubs or Forums: Engaging with online communities can keep the enthusiasm going and provide access to more personalized recommendations and tastings.

Attending a wine festival can be as enriching as entertaining, especially when approached with a bit of preparation and curiosity. Embrace the experience, and who knows? You may just discover your new favorite wine. Enjoy the journey, one sip at a time, and take this opportunity to deepen your appreciation for the diverse world of wine.

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