By Haley Kieser

The culture of a wine lover goes far deeper than what many perceive on the outside. It is about your senses being taken over, stimulation of the body, and health. For most wine lovers, this is great to do at home, but experiencing it with a whole group of people who are just as passionate is borderline heaven. This is where your wine festival comes in. Wine festivals are the best way to experience how different regions handle their wine while getting to know some of the best people around! Located all over the United States, there’s no shortage of wine festivals to participate in.

Here are some of the best wine festivals you must attend in 2018.

Latin Food Fest

• Santa Monica Pier Beach, California
• March 23-24, 2018

Listen to the waves crash around you on the beach and socialize as you experience your new favorite wine and food with a Latin twist. This is the 6^th annual showcase of chefs, restaurants, caterers, and a grand variety of spirits, wine, beer, food, and beverages located on the Santa Monica Pier Beach. Currently, they are running an awesome Groupon deal that will get you up to 40% off on a late or early admission Saturday, March 24th. Be aware, the deal is only live for a limited time, so if you plan on attending, jump on it. If you aren’t from California, plan for some vacay time after the festival. Los Angeles is a great city to explore if you consider yourself a “foodie.”

New Orleans Wine and Food Experience

• New Orleans, Louisiana
• May 25-27, 2018

New Orleans has an abundance of southern culture in its food and drinks. The Friday evening Grand tasting at NOWFE (New Orleans Wine and Food Experience) is one of the best ways to completely dive into the culture. The event is a part of the wine and food experience and will showcase more than 1,000 domestic and international vintages. You can also find yourself enjoying delicious food prepared by over 75 of New Orleans’ finest chefs and purveyors. Guests also find themselves coming across up-and-coming chefs and winemakers that prove to lead to some very interesting conversations. Pre-Sale tickets are available now.

La Nuit En Rosé

• New York City, New York – Los Angeles, California – Miami, Florida
• May 2018

Prepared to get all pink’d out with the first ever festival to be dedicated specifically to Rosé. Since its successful debut in New York City in 2014, La Nuit En Rosé has held strong with the explosion of interest in Rosé, leading to the event being held in major cities such as Los Angeles and Miami. The three events together bring in over 6,500 people that are ready to mingle and drink some delightful Rosé. The mission for La Nuit En Rosé is straightforward: “To showcase the delicious versatility and diversity of summer’s favorite drink, all while offering guests a truly unforgettable experience.” Sounds unforgettable, especially when the guests that attend in New York get to board a yacht on the Hudson River. As for Los Angeles and Miami, guests can sip and socialize next to an amazing pool deck. For each festival, La Nuit En Rosé also teams up with celebrity chefs and local restaurants to bring a delightful food experience. Tickets will be available in the coming months.

Food and Wine Classic

• Aspen, CO
• June 15-17, 2018

Surround yourself with those gorgeous Colorado mountains while you devour in amazing wine and spirits with great friends. This event is backed by three wonderful days of wine tastings, cooking demonstrations, and discussions held by world-renowned wine experts and chefs. You might even be able to meet a few of them and share some knowledge. The food and wine classic is an event that also nurtures its food as well as the wine. Guests are in for a wonderful surprise when they pair the two together. Tickets are on sale now.

Sonoma Wine Country Weekend

• Sonoma County, California
• Dates to be announced fall 2018

Considered one of the biggest wine festivals in wine country, Sonoma Wine Country Weekend has wine makers and chefs from all over coming to rub shoulders and enjoy the wine culture. This wine event takes place throughout all of Sonoma County, so guests can expect a much more intimate and personal experience than that found at most other wine events. If guests are looking for a more gathered approach for food and wine, then all they must do is attend the Taste of Sonoma. Taking place on Sonoma State University Campus, you can find a glorious array of wine and foods that will transport your taste buds to heaven. Tickets will be available in the coming months.

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For us wine obsessives, these events are the best and most appropriate places to release our energy and excitement. As for any first timers, any of these events will be a delight to attend. The wine community is one that will walk you through learning everything you need, while giving you one of the best times of your life.

Cheers to the next year of wine events!

Photo by Kelsey Knight