A Traffic Jam of Wine Events

After a three-week holiday lull, Orlando’s wine scene will roar back to life in the coming days. There are more than a dozen high quality tastings, classes, and dinners to choose from in the coming week, including several that feature winemakers or winery owners.

Unfortunately, you can’t go to all or even most of these events. That’s because more than a third of them are happening at exactly the same time.

Now, I know nobody needs to go to a dozen wine events in one week, and I know some overlap is unavoidable, and I know the winemaker events have to capitalize on the headliners’ existing schedules. But I do sometimes wish for a bit more coordination.

Central Florida’s wine scene is vibrant and passionate, but we’re not New York or San Francisco. We count our quality wine establishments in tens, not hundreds. Many area wine enthusiasts are eager to support as many of those establishments as our calendars, wallets, and livers will allow. That’s tough to do when schedules collide as often as they do.

Ok, I’ll get off my soapbox now and move on to what you really want to know about – the highlights of this crazy week!

Wednesday is winery day, with three events featuring winemakers and winery owners at Tim’s Orlando (Bonny Doon), The Wine Room, (Dusted Valley) and The Vineyard (Vinedos y Bodegas Pablo). There’s a fourth on Thursday at Tim’s Windermere (Merryvale). These folks are coming from California, Washington state, and Spain, so hopefully you’ll get the chance to visit with at least one of them.

Thursday is the big traffic jam day, with five events scattered around the area – Italian wine at Swirlery, natural wine at Cavanaugh’s, and dinner with Shafer wines at Capa, to name a few. I don’t know how you’re going to choose.

Friday is a little more manageable, with Spanish wine flights at K Restaurant. There’s a California tasting at Celebration’s Imperium, but it’s sold out.

By Saturday, you’ll be ready to come back down to earth and get some wine education. Jean K. Reilly, Orlando’s own Master of Wine, is kicking off her first WSET class of the year – level one – at Tim’s Wine Market Orlando.

Details of these competing events and many more are on the Events Page. And hey, perhaps the overlap on the calendar is a good thing – it’s motivation to tackle our indecision. That’s not a bad New Year’s resolution.

Here’s to an embarrassment of riches, Orlando! Let me know which events you picked!