THE wine event of the YEAR is coming back this weekend, with over 200 wineries popping corks at CenturyLink Field Event Center this Saturday and Sunday at TASTE Washington! Don’t miss it – tickets are going fast.  I try never to miss this event (or it’s little sister event, 20something, which usually happens in the fall).

The event is two days this year – spend $75 for one day or just $24 more to check out both days (VIP is $125/$150).  With 200 wineries and some fantastic restaurants, you’ll have more time to sample by attending both days. Some restaurants are featuring different menu items each day, to keep things interesting!

Want to know more about the the world of wine? Don’t miss the seminars! Canlis will present a food and wine pairing seminar on Saturday and Tom Douglas is in the house to debunk some food and wine pairing myths.

One of my favorite local wine blogs, Washington Wine Report, shares this exciting news:

Check out the Taste the Vineyards section: There is a section devoted to vineyards where you can check out wines made from a single source. Vineyards represented this year include Boushey, Cold Creek, and Northridge. See the complete list in the program guide. This area tends to be pretty quiet so you can taste a number of wines reasonably quickly and talk to people about their vineyards.

I’m especially excited to check out this area.  Be sure to read through Sean’s Tips & Tricks before attending, he shares a lot of good ideas, here

I’ve been attending Taste Washington for many years now, and here’s my personal advice on how best to take on this massive (and massively fun) event:

• Do your homework – check out the list of wineries present and what they’re pouring.  Make a list! It’s hard to remember who you wanted to see when you’re at the event staring down the aisles. Bring a pen & small notebook to write notes to yourself about what you liked. You won’t always remember the details after tasting so many wines in one day. Try to visit a mixture of wineries you already love and some new ones – one of the best things about these events is finding new wines to bring to parties in the coming months.
• Eat and Drink (water) – make sure your eat a bit before the event as well as during. Drinking on an empty stomach isn’t smart. Drink water – this will help clean your palate between sips and keep those headaches away. Think you’ve had enough water? Drink a little more.
• Spit. Seriously. Don’t feel obligated to finish what’s in your glass- dump it out! I try to get people to stop at a small pour as I hate wasting good wine. Don’t try to get a buzz on at these events – you don’t have to try! The purpose is to find new wines that you will fall in love with, and it’s hard to know what you like if you’ve imbibed too much.
• Bring a bag or a purse. Often these events give you goodie bags at the door, but don’t count on it. I always have a bag big enough to hold my WATER bottle as well as brochures and cards that I take away with me from the event.
• Plan on a ride home – download the Uber app to your phone to request a car when you’re done or plan ahead and book Black Crown Car to pick you up.