Labor Day Wine Festivals in Your Town

ibglowin · Sep 5, 2010

Anyone else have an annual "harvest crush" wine festival in your area?

This weekend is the 23rd annual [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHWwVGNX4bs"]Bernallilo Wine Festival[/ame].

Bernallilo is a small town about 15 miles north of Albuquerque. I have gone in the past but the festival just keeps getting bigger and bigger and the lines longer and longer. Its usually pretty warm (upper 80's to 90 degrees) and you have to wait 5-10 minutes for a small sip of wine. This year the festival has gone from 2 to 3 days to help thin out the crowds a bit more.

I notice some of the wineries that used to pour have ceased for one reason or another. Perhaps the hassles of manning a booth for 6 hours a day pouring cases and cases of wine nonstop outweigh the benefits of the free marketing and promotion.

Southern New Mexico (Las Cruces) has their own wine festival as well. One on Memorial day weekend (another very warm weekend!)

ibglowin · Sep 5, 2010

Article from todays ABQ Journal

Sunday, September 05, 2010

Wine Showcase Brings in New Sales

By Astrid Galvan
Journal Staff Writer

A sunny day filled with live music and chattering visitors means more than a traditional good time for participants in the New Mexico Wine Festival. For the winery folks who trekked to Bernalillo from all over the state on Saturday, it's their big shot at exposure and, therefore, more sales.

Organizers expect more than 20,000 people to attend the three-day event. "It's really good advertising," said Chris Padberg, owner of Vivác Winery in Dixon. "More than that, we see and talk to 10,000 people about our wine. It's a good opportunity."

Padberg, whose winery specializes in dry wines, said this is the fifth year he has participated in the event. Sylvia D' Andrea's winery, Luna Rossa, is all the way in Deming, but the festival gets her the exposure she needs to attract customers from all over the state, she said. "Often, we end up picking up wine club people, or people order more on the phone," she said. "It does boost our sales."

While a line of eager patrons with empty wine glasses waited, Black Mesa Winery owner Lynda Burd talked about the benefits of participating. "The sales are phenomenal, usually," she said. D.H. Lescombes wineries hosted four booths on Saturday. Manager Stephanie Vigil said the exposure attracts a lot of people to their Old Town restaurant, St. Clair Winery and Bistro. "We definitely see a spike in people going down to the restaurant," Vigil said. She added that the company was grateful to the town of Bernalillo. "They do such a good job of putting on this event," she said. About 20 wineries participated in the event's 23rd year. Each had a staff of at least 10 people working the seemingly never-ending lines.

The event also includes an elaborate kids zone, live music, clothing and arts vendors, and food. But for Carol Gavaldon, it's all about the wine and the annual tradition of attending with her family and friends. "I mean, it's wine. What more do you need?"

Runningwolf · Sep 5, 2010

Its too early for the east coast to plan for a festival at this time. Ours is scheduled for the end of the month.

Tom · Sep 5, 2010

Dan,
Ya gonna take your socks off and "CRUSH"??
Now THAT I need a picture of !

AlFulchino · Sep 5, 2010

i got one going...i start people w fresh picked grape juice...that makes the kids eyes pop out...and the adults are suprised at how great it tastes..then i let them taste a wine that is 'coming on' and then we get to the tasting

thats the best i can do right now.....i should have bought the kiddie train that ran at a local amusement park when they closed up....i could take everyone around the vine-yard

that would have been a real trip ..i mean blast