How to Navigate a Wine Festival

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Eat just before the festival

   Many wine festivals include food booths or stalls and often feature local produce.
   
   It is likely that you will be able to enjoy such foods as cheese, olive oil tastings with crackers, bread, olives, dried fruits, etc.
   
   Take time to enjoy this food as well as the wine and your body will absorb less alcohol as a result. , The easiest way to accomplish this is to carry your own water with you.
   
   While many booths will provide water, sometimes they run out, and you also don't want to hold up the line drinking water in addition to wine.
   
   Drinking a lot of water will probably mean that you end up taking several trips to the toilet, but doing this will keep you from getting dehydrated, especially if the weather is warm. , Stick with the following order and select only a few wines from within each range.
   
   Do not double back! The recommended order is:
   Light white wine first please! Try the white wines first, then the reds, and finally the sparkling wines and ports.
   
   Also try dry before sweet and light before full-bodied wine.Take your time to smell the wine before trying it.
   
   This is an important part of the sampling experience.
   
   Try to guess the aromas coming from the wine in each glass.Remember your wine tasting skills.
   
   Smell, swirl, see, sip.
   
   Follow this, and you will get the best of your wine.
   
   For more tips on how to taste the wine, see How to Taste Wine. , At least some of the tastings should be just that; mere tastings.
   
   Carry your own spit cup (spittoon).
   
   This gets around the problem of no such cups being available, although a good wine festival should account for this adequately.
   
   You can rinse the spit cup regularly with the water that is usually supplied.
   
   If not, nip into the bathroom and rinse it out periodically. , If you find a wine you really like, write it down and stick the information in your pocket.
   
   Plan to buy it later to enjoy in the comfort and safety of your home., It is always safer to have a non-drinker in charge of the driving.
   
   Organize this in advance, or have a taxi or booze bus booked in advance.
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   Step 2: and snack throughout your time at the festival.

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   Step 3: Drink equal parts water and wine or

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   Step 4: better yet

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   Step 5: more water than wine.

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   Step 6: Have a plan of attack.

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   Step 7: Spit two or three of every five wines you sample if you can't spit them all.

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   Step 8: Keep a record of your favorite wines rather than trying to quaff down more of them.

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   Step 9: Have a designated driver or some plan to avoid driving.

Detailed Guide

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