To get your hands on those small lot wines that you’ve read about and wanted to taste before you bought them in quantity, here’s your chance at the Garagiste North Wine Festival, September 14.
Affectionately dubbed “The Small Guys Wine Festival,” this event has a focus on the garagiste, described as “the artisan winemakers who are crafting commercially produced small case lot wines (under 2,000 cases)”. The term originates with a group of France’s Bordeaux region winemakers producing “Vins de garage” or “Garage wine”. Although they were renegades who weren’t following industry laws and protocol, their passion to produce unique vintages resulted in cult status for their wines and recognition on the world wine stage. While the small lot winemakers in this festival are producing their wines lawfully, the garagiste nickname still fits as does its synonyms such as mavericks, renegades, pioneers, rebels and individualists.
Meyer Family Vineyards in Okanagan Falls has kindly offered to host the inaugural Garagiste North Wine Festival, 1 to 4 pm, September 14. The passionate garagistes you’ll have the opportunity to meet include:
Roche Winery
Along with great wine tasting, Gregor’s Gourmet will have its food truck on site offering gourmet bites. Additionally, the talented local artists Aidan Mayes & Mandy Cole will enhance your vineyard experience with live music. Tickets are $40 and available at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/garagiste-the-small-guys-wine-festival-tickets-11835340823
For more information, see http://garagistenorth.com , email garagistenorth@nullgmail.com or call Jennifer Schell at 250-469-4549.
See you there!
– Roslyne Buchanan
