DC Wine Fest is Back!

DC Wine Fest! Spring Edition kicked off their second year with a sold out wine tasting on Saturday, April 8th at Longview Gallery in Shaw.

Tastings bring together a great variety of wines (some from the DMV!), live music, delicious eats, and of course art. Each tasting session lasts 2-3 hours depending on which type of ticket you purchase.

There are two ways to get your drinking on: VIP admission, which means you’ll gain early access one hour before the crowd, or good ol’ general admission. I arrived an hour early and got into the venue at 12pm on the dot – no waiting! Guys, trust me and spring for the VIP ticket. My glass was never empty. Once 1pm came around, and the other general admission folks arrived, lines for tastings were still pretty short, but there was a bit of a wait and certainly more of a crowd than before.

I started my wine journey with the JP Chenet Sparkling Rosé. This rosé hails from the Pays d’Oc region of France and was light and refreshing. Definitely added to my list of poolside beverages for this Summer.

Next up was a Lambrusco from Famiglia Carafoli, it was superb. Ruby-red with a dry yet gentle finish, light and crisp. This wine is meant to pair with Italian dishes, especially those including parmesan, prosciutto, or balsamic vinegar aka all my favorite things. Luckily, all the wines at the tasting are available on-site for purchase, because I walked out with two of these babies.

Lots of drinking can certainly make one hungry and thirsty, but no worries, DC Wine Fest has you covered! Free Zico coconut water hydrates you in minutes. If your belly starts to rumble, Sweeter Hue is on site selling their sweet and savory eats. After a quick bite, I walked around the gallery taking in the art pieces with a glass of Mija Sangria. Mija is a new, natural, bottled sangria. It is is made with premium dry red wine and 100% real fruit juice. It’s basically the wine equivalent of cold-pressed juice.

Sipping on all the wine while being serenaded by Katie Hargrove’s rendition of “Semi-Charmed Life” was the perfect close-out to the day.