The 2nd annual Arizona Wine Grower's Festival at the Farm is this weekend, and I am intrigued to see how it turns out. During this economic downturn there seems to be only a few industries that are growing in our state. One of those few, is our local wine industry. The AWGA bills this event as the year's top wine festival. A place to shake hands with the wine makers and to learn more about this home grown phenomenon.
I myself see it as a $65 all access pass to the Arizona wine world. It is all you can taste, face to face meetings with the winemakers, a silent auction, tasting seminars, and a organic lunch to top it off. For those that might scoff at the price, beer festivals with a similar format run some $50-$60 for general admission in our fair state. And for those of you who scoff at the point I just made, the local scoffing festival runs about $100 a ticket. Scoffing aside, 20+ wineries each showing 4-5 wines (call it 20 wineries at 4.5 wines), each taste is 1 oz, you run about 90 oz or 3 and 3/5 bottles of wine for your ticket, assuming you taste all the wines. So for what you are getting it is truly a reasonable price. Granted if you partook in all the wines you wouldn't be walking let alone scoffing.
Aside from the passed out scoffers, I am interested to see the new wineries who do not normally sell wine outside of their local areas. A lot of wineries are still developing new vineyards and are growing by leaps and bounds. The cool thing about all these new wineries is that they are experimenting. They're trying grapes from outside the American wine mainstream such as Malvasia Bianca, Cabernet Pfeffer, and Nebillo to name just a few. Heck getting an un-oaked Chardonnay or a Sangiovese Rosé is pretty cool as well. My recommendation is if you cannot pronounce what they are pouring simply point, and they will say it for you. How do you think I learned to say "Gewurztraminer"?
All in all when my shift is over at the Carlson Creek Vineyard booth, expect to see me tasting. I hope to see you as well and I apologize in advance for cutting in front of you in line.
Cheers
PS The lunch is supposed to be delectable.
http://www.azwinefestivalatthefarm.com
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