• Home
  • About PubClub.com Nightlife Pubs And Clubs Website
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us

PubClub

Where The World Goes To Party!

The Anatomy of Wine Tasting Events

August 21, 2012 by kevinwilkerson Leave a Comment

In The Beginning They Are Sophisticated But In The End It’s Really About The Party

Girls party in Palos Verdes, CA, at the Trump National Beer & Wine Festival.


I love wine tastings and wine festivals.

I enjoy them much more than I actually enjoy the wines.

That’s because they are fun events, and I find it fascinating to watch the demeanor and the mood of the people change as the event progresses.

Most people arrive savvy and sophisticated and leave sloppy and slurring. And smiling.

You can almost chart the progress of a wine festival like a football coach preparing a game plan:

• The first hour, the educated wine drinkers (and wine snobs; there’s always a few) pace around the booths or tables inspecting which wines are best suited for their discriminating tastes. They will turn away from a few that are not up to their standards.

• The first hour, the educated wine drinkers will exchange a few pleasantries with others, with conversations almost exclusively about the wines. Talk with those pouring the wines will always be about the wine, such as where its from and its characteristics. They will either swirl or smell the glass – sometimes both – before having a small taste. Then they will nod and move onto their next choice. If this is a food and wine event, they will sample a few of the appetizers.

It's not shock at the top when things get over the top at the Trump event.

 

Get in good with people pouring like here at the San Diego Wine & Food Festival.

 

The less educated and curious wine drinkers take a similar stance; they take a very methodical look around trying to figure out where to go first, or next. The approach the wines almost like a shark circling a diver in a cage, not quite sure what to make of it all and wanting to be sure before attacking.

Single people who are just there to mingle, well, you can spot them in a second. The only wines they care about have an attractive person of the opposite sex at the booth or table. They are also the most cunning of all the people at the event, for they are also using this first hour to probe which wineries are giving out the most generous pours. The information gained from this research will prove invaluable later.

• The second hour, the sophisticated and curious wine drinkers being loosen their grip on their standards, and start to hit more booths or tables. The “single and mingle” set have already determined which wineries pour the most and have set their targets for whom the will approach. They do not yet move in, however; they first let the alcohol do its job.

• By the third hour, everyone is on an equal social plane. The sophistication of the wine experts has slipped like a fake accent and they are now starting to mingle like it’s Spring Break. The alcohol is doing its job and this is when the “single and mingle” people move in on their targets.

• Wine festivals usually last four four hours, so this last hour is the most comical. People have spent $40, $50 or even $100 (if there’s food from local restaurants) to go to these events and they are determined to get what they perceive to be their money’s worth out of it. This is the time of most consumption. Forget what the wineries are pouring, they key is to get to the ones that are pouring the most! This is the by far most entertaining time of the event.

• Some wine festivals also have beer, and it’s usually the high-end brews. Stella Artois loves to pour at wine events, and they pour a 12-ounce challis. By the last hour these beer booths always have the biggest lines and the most party people.

Wine tasting events are similar but the venues are smaller – often just a room in a restaurant – and the time frame is much shorter, an hour or two as opposed to four hours.

But the approach is the same – start out slow and finish with a flurry.

That’s why I love wine tastings and festivals so much; no matter how they start out, they always end up in the same mental state of mind as how I arrived, and that is to party!

Here’s two good writeups on wine festivals:

• Trump National Beer & Wine Festival
• San Diego Food & Wine, Southern California’s #1 Wine Festival

 

Filed Under: Wine Tagged With: wine, wine festivals, wine tasting

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement

Search

Today On PubClub.com

TOP UPCOMING EVENTS & DATES
• May 28-30 – Memorial Day, USA

Quote Of The Day:
“Fun is important in this world.”
–  Jimmy Buffett on the Jimmy Fallon Tonite Show

LET’S BE SOCIAL!
 
PubClub.com is a member of the Travel & Tourism Marketing Association, Inc.​, and the Travel Massive chapters in Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange County (CA).

Instagram

Follow on Instagram

Destinations

  • Destinations (1,967)
    • Asia (14)
      • Japan (4)
        • Tokyo (3)
      • Taiwan (1)
      • Thailand (7)
    • Australia (19)
      • Surfer's Paradise (3)
      • Sydney (5)
    • Brazil (7)
      • Rio (2)
    • Camping (1)
    • Canada (18)
      • Montreal (2)
      • Niagara Falls (5)
      • Toronto (1)
    • Caribbean (54)
      • Cuba (1)
      • San Juan (5)
      • Virgin Islands (18)
    • Central America (1)
      • Costa Rica (1)
    • Europe (96)
      • Amsterdam (14)
      • France (2)
      • Germany (4)
      • Ibiza (2)
      • Kiev (1)
      • London (6)
      • Malta (1)
      • Moscow (1)
      • Munich (5)
      • Paris (4)
      • Poland (3)
        • Krakow (2)
      • Prague (6)
      • Switzerland (34)
        • Basel (5)
        • Bern (3)
        • Swiss Alps (1)
        • Zermatt (3)
        • Zurich (4)
    • Greek Islands (24)
      • Corfu (3)
      • Ios (2)
      • Mykonos (5)
      • Santorini (5)
    • Mexico (9)
      • Cabo San Lucas (1)
      • Puerto Vallarta (1)
      • Tijuana (1)
    • Ski Resorts (67)
      • Aspen (1)
      • Austria (4)
      • Big Bear (13)
      • Big Sky (6)
      • Mammoth (16)
      • Squaw Valley (4)
      • Whistler (2)
    • Tokyo (1)
    • USA (1,648)
      • Alabama (3)
      • Alaska (1)
      • Arizona (6)
        • Lake Havasu (1)
        • Scottsdale (3)
        • Sedona (1)
      • Boston (5)
      • California (1,227)
        • Carmel (24)
        • Central Coast (9)
        • Lancaster (16)
        • Los Angeles (786)
          • Catalina Island (12)
          • Culver City (1)
          • El Segundo (4)
          • Hermosa Beach (170)
            • Fourth Of July (12)
            • Smackfest Events (21)
          • Hollywood (14)
          • Huntington Beach (1)
          • Lake Arrowhead (2)
          • Long Beach (40)
            • Grand Prix (11)
          • Manhattan Beach (76)
          • Marina del Rey (6)
          • Newport Beach (41)
          • Orange County (26)
          • Party Report (14)
          • Redondo Beach (81)
          • Santa Monica (3)
          • South Bay (93)
          • Sunset Strip (4)
          • Temecula (12)
          • Venice Beach (5)
        • Mendocino (8)
        • Monterey (30)
          • Restaurant Reviews (10)
        • Napa (5)
        • Oakland (7)
        • Palm Springs (8)
        • Paso Robles (4)
        • San Clemente (1)
        • San Diego (223)
          • Balboa Park (1)
          • Del Mar (10)
          • Events (63)
          • Gaslamp (38)
          • Lifestyle (4)
          • Ocean Beach (2)
          • Pacific Beach (3)
        • San Francisco (67)
          • Events (12)
      • Chicago (10)
      • Colorado (4)
        • Denver (4)
      • Florida (82)
        • Daytona Beach (1)
        • Ft. Lauderdale (3)
        • Jacksonville (1)
        • Key West (25)
        • Keys (8)
        • Miami (9)
        • Panama City Beach (3)
      • Hawaii (23)
        • Waikiki Beach (14)
      • Indianapolis (3)
      • Las Vegas (155)
      • New Jersey (1)
      • New Orleans (40)
      • New York City (14)
      • Newport, R.I. (1)
      • North Carolina (1)
      • Oregon (9)
        • Portland (8)
      • Seattle (2)
      • South Carolina (3)
        • Charleston (3)
      • Tennessee (39)
        • Franklin (3)
        • Gatlinburg (5)
        • Knoxville (8)
        • Nashville (4)
        • Smoky Mountains (3)
      • Texas (5)
        • Austin (5)
      • Utah (2)
      • Virginia (1)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (4)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (2)
  • Hong Kong (1)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Events

  • Events (503)
    • BVI Interline Regatta (5)
    • Carnival (5)
    • Cinco de Mayo (2)
    • Exercise and Socalize (2)
    • Fourth of July (7)
    • Halloween (9)
    • Holidays (18)
      • Thanksgiving (6)
    • Indy 500 (10)
    • Kentucky Derby (12)
    • Memorial Day Weekend (4)
    • New Year's Eve (39)
    • Oktoberfest (10)
    • Party Report (46)
    • Running Of The Bulls (4)
    • Spring Break (6)
    • St. Patricks Day (8)
    • Sundance Film Festival (8)
    • Super Bowl (15)
    • Valentine's Day (9)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (4)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (2)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Sports

  • Homepage Fun Stuff (4)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (2)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Sports (465)
    • Baseball (7)
    • Beach Volleyball (3)
    • College Football (262)
    • Golf (10)
    • NFL (44)
    • Olympics (13)
    • Racing (25)
    • Soccer (4)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Lifestyle

  • Homepage Fun Stuff (4)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (2)
  • Lifestyle (1,493)
    • Beach Reads (1)
    • Cannabis (4)
    • Celebrity Sightings (6)
    • Entertainment (18)
    • Mr. Sorehead (3)
    • Music (269)
      • Festivals (56)
      • Jimmy Buffett (35)
      • Trop Rock (13)
    • Party Stories (2)
    • People Profiles (9)
    • Singles Life (6)
      • Men Vs Women (2)
      • Relationships (2)
    • Social Media (2)
    • Spirits (25)
    • Travel (632)
      • Airlines (29)
      • Blogger (359)
      • Cruise Ships (19)
      • Hotels (14)
      • Product Reviews (3)
      • Singles Travelers (1)
      • Solo Travel (2)
      • Touring Blog (12)
      • Weather (17)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

From the Bar Stool

  • From The Bar Stool (305)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (4)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (2)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Bars

  • Bars (256)
    • Bars & Food (24)
    • Bars & Nightlife (195)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (4)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (2)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

News

  • Business News (3,267)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (4)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (2)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • News (41)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Colleges

  • Colleges (28)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (4)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (2)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Food and Drinks

  • Food and Drinks (358)
    • Beer (94)
    • Cocktails (41)
    • Foddie Blog (25)
    • Rum (4)
    • Singles Cooking (1)
    • spirits (6)
    • Spirits & Beer Industry (79)
    • Tequila (9)
    • Wine (74)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (4)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (2)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Subscribe To The PubClub Party Report!

Subscribe To Blog

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

About PubClub.com

PubClub.com is a content-oriented nightlife tourist guide dedicated to social-minded travelers with articles on worldwide destinations such as Amsterdam, the Greek Islands, Prague, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Hawaii, Canada, and more. Top keywords for search are pubclub, pub club, party pubs, club pub, travel pub, pub club night, pubs and clubs and the pub club.
Read More...
Our Terms | Privacy

Legal

Featured Video: The PubClub Song

The PubClub Song By Evyn Charles!

Powered by imFORZA