With that said, there are times when it may be hard…as the floor gets busy, it can be tough for the wine vendors to spend the time they would like with each consumer.

So, with that in mind, a few thoughts...

In my mind, if you’re a red wine drinker and Cabernet Sauvignon is your go-to, great! Taste some Cabs…but really make a point of working through the other incredible red wines that are being poured. It’s a rare opportunity to be able to sample this many wines without buying a glass or bottle off the shelf or a restaurant wine list. I would be shocked if you didn’t find a few more reds to break up your Cab routine every now and then.

Onto other approaches…

First off, if you think you can try every wine…you can’t. I’ve given it a valiant effort, but the best system is to have a system. Some folks prefer to try sparkling and white wines first, then regroup, have a bit of food and water (there will be plenty of both!), and tackle the reds.

If you prefer to try all the wines at a specific table, I recommend finding tables that are pouring sparkling wine before moving to the next table. There’s nothing better to cleanse the palate than an acidic bubbly, and it gives the wines at the next table a fighting chance.

Also, it never hurts to have a bit of food before starting your vino journey…it’s called “laying a base.”😊 And let us not forget water. It’s very easy to get dehydrated, so make a point of visiting the many Culligan water stations that are available throughout the venue.

I would say that as you’re making your way through the event, when you find wines that you’d like to purchase, take notes or make highlights in your program…or with the technology now available to us, take some pictures.

We will have several terrific wine retailers on site, and you can certainly place orders with any of them at the festival. Or, you can take your pictures and bring your program to your favorite retailer after the fact, and they can order the wine for you.

We often get asked why guests can’t purchase bottles of wine at the festival and bring them home. The sad reality is that is a factor of the state of Vermont and its liquor laws: only licensed retailers are allowed to sell bottles of wine on their premises. But with that in mind, we do try to make it as easy as possible for you to place an order and pick it up in a few days, whether from our on-site retailers or from any of your other favorite stores in the area.

So, don’t be intimidated…have fun, try new things and enjoy all the vino as well as the food, live music and spirits. We will see you on June 27^th!

Mike Stolese is the owner of Vermont Wine Merchants, a wholesale distribution company based in Burlington.