A consumer's view of the Wine Spectator Grand Tour in San Francisco

On the way up to San Francisco to pick up my inbound Atlanta friends Justin and Jon for our 2013 wine excursion - the 2013 Wine Spectator Grand Tour was conveniently happening downtown. When the Wednesday April 24th date was announced, it seemed like the perfect excuse to splurge on a ticket and start my vacation a few hours early.

These events can have their pluses and minuses. On the plus side are the wines under one roof available to taste. High-end producers and wines from nearly every major wine region in the world are there. The down side is an expensive ($200) ticket and the unknowns prior to the event. Those unknowns to me were the potential pitfalls of overcrowding and a difficult layout. With an event duration of three hours, efficiency is needed to get to the desired wines. I've been to plenty of other wine events and wine trade tastings where tables were crowded out, or where it was difficult to find who you were looking for without walking around the room with a map. Fortunately many of the former events I wasn't paying for. This time it felt like there was more at stake.

In anticipation, I mapped out my targets and even posted an inquiry on WineBerserkers.com asking if anyone had been or was going to the event. The posting started a bit of an odd dialog about the worthiness of the event, but I was undeterred to take advantage in my goal to taste and note a great list of wines from the event. On the day the event rolled around, I was on the road finding my way up to Union Square in San Francisco to the Marriott Marquis. Successfully navigating time and traffic, I was in line to get in just a few minutes prior to opening. Once inside, with a glass and my notes in tow I made my way through three hours featuring plenty of great juice (and the occasional wine celebrity manning a table).

Any trepidation about the potential downsides of the event were quickly answered. The event wasn't oversold, so you could walk around comfortably and take notes. The room was effectively laid out from sparkling to whites to reds by region, so I intuitively knew where to go without looking at the map. Most importantly, there was only one wine poured per producer per table, keeping lines to a minimum. I tasted just about every region and producer I set out to and enjoyed the experience.

Bottom line, yes it's an expensive ticket, and Wine Spectator may be passé to certain wine message board posters, but if I had the extra cash and the event were convenient, I'd be happy to do it again. Here's a link to the wines tasted.

Thinking about a wine trip

Planning a good wine trip is something that gets me going. Deliberation of AVA's and interesting producers to visit are just part of the process. There's also the networking to get good appointments, then letting the logistics fall into place from there. Like any great vacation, the planning is a part of the process and can really extend the excitement and anticipation.

My wine tasting companions Justin and Jon are also a key part of the process. We've taken several trips over the last few years, and our three-man comedy show has become as much of a part of things as the wine itself. From grape-stomping competition strategies, to making fun of stupid questions at the wineries, to challenging Jon to spend too much of his money - these are memories to rival the great wines and scenery.

Fortunately it looks like my crew is available this Spring to tour the Santa Cruz Mountains, Napa, Sonoma and maybe Mendocino. I look forward to writing about it later this year.

Chateau Champoux 2011 Grape Stomping Champions

I recently recommended some wine touring stops in Santa Barbara County to Mike of the 10milewine.com blog. The visit was late December and the results were mixed. It looks like in December many producers are sold out or have not yet released their single vineyard wines.  If you're coming to Santa Barbara County and want to taste specific wines, i.e. the higher-end Pinot Noir and Syrah, I recommend contacting specific producers of interest to verify what they're pouring. Places like Melville or Foxen don't always have their smaller production wines available in the tasting rooms. And a must-visit place like the Lompoc Wine Ghetto, with it's amazing list of producers, is mostly closed through the week; so plan accordingly there as well. As non-wine country as the vaunted industrial park behind the Home Depot is, it may be the best concentration of Santa Barbara County wines available for tasting.

What also makes Santa Barbara County a challenge is that there are still many of the newest and most dynamic producers who do not offer tastings. Hopefully producers like Tyler, Paul Lato and Chanin will in the future add to the depth of what the area has to offer. Areas in the North Coast have such a depth of great wine that you think more about where you can taste rather than where you can't. In Santa Barbara County a few misses may leave you wanting.

If you're planning your own wine trip this year, drop me a line. I enjoy getting new tips for my future endeavors!