Making the Most of a Wine Road Event

Wine & Food Affair is only days away—ticket sales end on November 2^nd and the event is on November 7^th and 8^th. With over 100 wineries participating, how do you make the most of the event? Here are some basic tips that apply not just to Wine & Food Affair, but to all Wine Road events.

Plan Ahead

• Review the online program before the event.
• Decide what wineries fit your desires—type of wines produced or food pairing. For Wine & Food Affair, a list of all the food being served is available on the Wine Road site plus you can review the recipes during and after the event.
• Carefully select your starting winery based your preferences. Register to start at that winery when you purchase your tickets.
• Plot your course, but try not squeeze in too many stops into each day (check out the Wine Road Map app that lets you map out your course).
• If you know an area is crowded on Saturday, then visit those wineries on Sunday to avoid the crowds.
• If a favorite winery has a party the night before an event, attend it so you check them off your list for the weekend.

Day of the Event

• Start on time—the day goes by quickly, so make the most of it. You can sleep in next weekend.
• Know where you are supposed to check in, and arrive on time or even a few minutes early.
• Remember your tickets, or if using electronic check-in, be ready for your turn to check in.
• Stay hydrated. Try to drink at least a glass of water after each winery. Every winery should have water available, or bring some along.
• Bring snacks unless the wineries are providing food. Drinking wine on an empty stomach is a bad idea.
• Be flexible. If you hear of a place that sounds like you’d enjoy it, see if you can fit it into your planned route.

Buying Wine

• During events, wineries often offer special wines or pricing, and some even discount shipping.
• Come prepared to take home a few of your favorite wines from the weekend.
• If the weather is warm, bring a cooler to keep wine purchases cool.
• If you buy a few bottles at several different wineries and then need to either ship them or obtain a shipping box for the airplane, ask the wineries if they will sell you a shipping box or can recommend where you might buy one.
• There are a number of shipping stores locally that will both pack and ship your wine for you.

Most of all, enjoy yourself, pace your day, and relax into the rhythm along the Wine Road.