It’s that time of the year again: time to get out of the house, hit the road, and enjoy your favorite beverage in a setting other than your dining room or a local restaurant.
Summer is the season of wine festivals, concert series at wineries, and a plethora of other wine-related special events. Virtually every day of the week, in “wine country” areas across the land, there’s something going on that includes wine in the bargain.
For instance, where will you be on Saturday, June 25?
If I were anywhere near California’s Santa Barbara wine country, I can tell you where I’d be: at Buttonwood Farm Winery in Solvang.
Buttonwood will join forces with Longoria Wines to present a four-hour wine-and-music bash known as Red, White & Blues. It’ll run from 3 until 7 p.m., and this year features the addictive music of Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps.
Tickets for this 16th annual event cost $35, and there will be plenty of Buttonwood and Longoria wines available for purchase.
Sound like fun? Call 805-688-3032 for further information.
Do you live closer to Chicago than Solvang? Also on June 25, the Top of Illinois Wine Festival will be held in a beautiful setting: at Depot Park, below the Highway 20 bridge on the riverfront in Galena, Ill.
This is an eight-hour extravaganza that begins at 12 noon and features the music of A.J. Steil, Feast of Mutton, the Rob Martin Quartet and Soul Notes.
The $15 fee includes a souvenir wine glass, a wristband and seven tasting tickets. Additional tasting tickets will be available for $1 each.
Participating Illinois wineries include:
- August Hill Winery
- Fergedaboudit Vineyard & Winery
- Fox Valley Winery
- Galena Cellars Vineyard & Winery
- Kickapoo Creek Winery
- Massbach Ridge Winery
- Prairie State Winery
- Rocky Waters Vineyard & Winery
- Silver Moon Winery
Illinois wineries make many of the “usual suspects,” including Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, but they also craft lesser known varieties that are more adaptable to the climate, as well as tasty fruit wines.
So if you’re in the mood for something different, the Top of Illinois Wine Festival should be a lot of fun. For further information, call Kyle at 815-591-9706.
Summer won’t be here forever, and neither will the summertime wine events…so get out there and do some tasting.
