Holiday Barrel Tasting in Walla Walla - Dec 4 - 7

Yup, it's here. The Walla Walla Holiday Barrel Tasting is this weekend and what can I say about this event that hasn’t already been said? In fact, this is almost a repeat from what I blogged last year regarding this festive Walla Walla wine occasion. This is truly the one time of the year that the "angels" won't be blamed for taking their share of the barrel.

What's really cool this year is, not only the Winemaker's Fete will kick off the event on Thursday evening, but Friday evening this town is going to be rocking - from the various wine club events, a wine dinner by one of Bravo TV's Top Chef and even great music! On Friday night, one of my favorite blues artists, Lloyd Jones (of Lloyd Jones Struggle - Portland, Or) will be singing live and unplugged at Sapolil Cellars, downtown Walla Walla with former lead singer/harmonica player from Roomful of Blues, Mark DuFresne. Do I dare say this will be an evening you can "rock out with your cork out."?

And New York City isn't the only place to see a Macy's parade - the Macy’s 13th annual Parade of Lights is this Saturday at 6pm. The parade travels down Alder starting from Palouse Street and back to Main from Fifth Street. If this parade doesn't get you in the holiday spirit, then nothing will - but bundle up. It's often pretty chilly.

For more information about this exciting weekend in Walla Walla, definitely check out Walla Walla Wine Alliance and their handy and printable information sheet listing participating wineries, hours and tasting fees. Heather at Walla Walla Wine News gives a summary of local wineries and also the many Barrel Tasting events, as well as other holiday season events in Walla Walla.

So how will you survive such a busy weekend? My first suggestion is to relax and have a good time. Seriously - r-e-l-a-x. Put your cell phone on voice mail and don't be looking at your watch all the time, especially if you are standing in a line to buy or taste wine. Seriously - that wine isn't going anywhere and there's plenty of it. You give good karma and good karma will find you.

The mornings you have planned to go wine tasting, eat a hearty breakfast and hydrate-hydrate-hydrate! Hydrate with H2O all day! Don't forget to take the time through the day to have a nosh here and there. Many of the wineries will be serving lunch throughout the day for a small fee, so take advantage of these delicious offerings.

Also learn how to spit and get comfortable spitting. And don't make it a goal to visit a dozen or more wineries in one day and then taste through all of their wines. The point of these events is to "taste" the wine and to remember what you tasted...ahem. It's always a good idea to have a designated driver, but having a designated driver doesn't mean you have to deaden your tastebuds. Often, by your sixth winery visit, your taste buds become a bit fatigued and fuzzy. So the 35th wine you tasted that day and thought was so delicious, may taste a whole lot different the next time you taste it on a fresh palate - -

And besides, give yourself a reason to come back to Walla Walla. Cheers and have a wonderful time!