DC’s first ever VinoFest, organized by Vinolovers, was (as expected) an awesome time. As the event started, a long line of wine lovers filed into an empty lot and warehouse behind Union Market, and were greeted with a chilled glass of prosecco and a “Wine Passport” to stamp for each wine tasted.
All eleven wines being poured were handpicked by the staff of Cordial Fine Wine and Spirits, and ranged from light and refreshing whites to the earthy and robust reds. Two that I couldn’t wait to pick up from Cordial later on were the Tangled Tree Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa and the El Cortijillo Temparanillo from La Mancha Spain. A local Virginia winery, Boxwood, was sampling their Trellis, a dry and fruity Bordeaux blend, and advertising their tasting room which is open every weekend.
Food vendors R&R Catering, Rappahanock Oysters Co., Puddin’, and Timber Pizza Co. provided a variety of pairings for the wine samples, with my pick being the colossal no-filler lump crabcake from Rappahanock.
If all this wine and food weren’t enough, the organizers put together a concert that kept people partying late into the evening and an art exhibit with a mural covering one wall of the warehouse. It was an all around great time, so hopefully Vinolovers will organize more events for DC wine drinkers.
