Wine Festivals has become a regular fixture on the social calendar. It can be a fun and interesting night but there are a few things to remember.

First off, go with the intent of learning and having fun. Second, get a special friend to go with you. In addition to great company, two palates are always better than one. Also, with a tasting partner you can explore twice as many wines.

Be sure to take something to record your impressions and preferences. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, and try not to carry anything in your hands. Keep them free for wine, food and handshakes – you’ll meet some wonderful people.

You can’t taste every wine -believe me, I’ve tried and it can’t be done. So you need to develop an action plan. I suggest a two-pronged approach – first, select your favourite grape/wine; second, pick a grape/wine that you are not familiar with to sample throughout the event.

Start off with your friend and head straight for the bubbles. This helps set a tone of celebration of wine, friendship, the festival and life. And besides, who doesn’t like sparkling wines?

After enjoying the bubbly, together review the list of wines offered. Select a few that you definitely want to try. Negotiate with your friend so you pick different wines to sample. This increases your knowledge of a greater number of wines.

After the sparkling wines, go for the dry whites, then the reds and end with the dessert wines. Drink a few wines together and then split up for a while.

You will cross paths with your tasting partner as you wander the tasting arena, but be sure the two of you have set a time and place to meet to compare notes.

As you split up, a good strategy is to head to tables with the smallest crowds. This way you’ll get more individual attention from the people pouring the wines as they tell you about their products, plus it will give you an opportunity to ask more questions.

Be sure to sample the food along the way and periodically drink water to keep hydrated. Take a few breaks to enjoy the atmosphere and the people.

Toward the last part of the tasting, find your partner at the prearranged location and talk about the wines that wowed each of you. Head off together to taste each other’s favourites. Ending the tasting with a wine buddy and a great taste in your mouth is, in large part, what a festival is all about.

Arniston Bay Brand News:

Arniston Bay is enjoyed in over 30 countries in particular the United Kingdom, USA and Asia. It is consistently one of the top selling wines in the UK.

Source: azstarnet.com