Sip the Best Wines Around at the 42nd Annual Virginia Wine Festival

You don’t stick around for 42 years because you’re just so-so. No, in order to have staying power, you have to be better than good. You have to great, and that’s definitely the case with the Virginia Wine Festival. See for yourself at the 42^nd Annual Virginia Wine Festival on Oct. 14–15 at Oronoco Bay Park in Alexandria. The festival’s had 41 years to iron out the details, so expect this to be the biggest and tastiest festival to date.

As you can probably guess from the name, this festival is all about wine tasting. There will also be an oyster pavilion and gourmet local food vendors, but the wine is the main event.

You know how to chow down on the food, but do you know how to drink wine? If you want to drink wine like a pro when you go to the festival, check out some foolproof tips.

Take in the Aroma

Have you ever noticed that people who know what they’re doing don’t chug the wine immediately? It’s because you can tell so much about wine by the way it smells. Lift your glass up to your nose and take a whiff. Move the glass around a bit to stir those aromas around and close your eyes to take it all in. What do you smell? You’ll have a much better idea of what to expect when you sip the wine when you focus in on the smells.

Give It a Taste

As much as you want to chug the wine, you need to show a little restraint here. You’ll blend in with the wine aficionados if you take a sip and let it sit in your mouth for several seconds. Focus on the taste. The flavor should match up with the aromas. Let it sit in your mouth for several seconds and then swallow it. You’ll notice that it will stay on your palate for a bit after you swallow it. That’s a sign of a good wine.

See, it’s as simple as that. That’s how the pros taste wine, and you’ll be among the pros when you attend the festival. You can also mingle with the pros at Warrenton Toyota in Warrenton, Virginia. Instead of focusing on wine, we focus on vehicles. We can tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the Toyota brand and help you find the right ride for your specific needs. From morning commutes to cross-country vacations, we have just what you need in a new vehicle, so see us today.