Whining about Wine Fest
I stuffed myself with some BBQ Saturday afternoon, hoping to prevent a hangover from all the wine I assumed I’d be drinking at the “Great Grapes! Wine, Arts & Food Festival” at the Koka Booth Ampitheatre at Regency Park in Cary, NC. Turns out that wouldn’t be a problem because most of the wines were much too sweet for my taste. The featured wines were all produced by North Carolina wine makers, many of whom fancy the muscadine — a gross-tasting grape of sorts that is fancied by many in North Carolina (clearly not by me, though).
I still had fun at the festival, thanks in part to the grape stomping contest, which featured NBC17’s morning anchor Donald Jones. I’m lucky because my shift briefly overlaps with Donald’s, so for a couple hours each morning I’m entertained by his antics. Donald has an incredible sense of humor and makes mornings much more fun.
Donald is an avid cyclist, and he disclosed after the contest that he biked 42 miles earlier in the day. So all the stomping you see him doing in this video is after an already busy day for him. BTW, Donald also blogs about his cycling ways.
Congrats Donald, I’m just glad you didn’t fall. Great post and video Ginny. Thanks
Muscadine wine has a long history in North Carolina, back to the year 1524. It was the first cultivated grape in the US. Check this out: http://www.nccommerce.com/en/TourismServices/NurtureWineAndGrapeIndustry/MuscadineGrapes/
That doesn’t mean you have to like it
but thought you’d like the back story.
Darn that the I Love Lucy grape crushing scene isn’t readily available online.
And darn that you don’t like Muscadine wine. Have you tried the grapes, straight up? Foomp one out of the skin and into your mouth and you get a moment of fun and distinctive sweetness from the layer closest to the skin, just before you hit the sour center. You can moderate the whole effect by deciding whether to suck, chew, or spit the sour part. scuppernongs taste much better to my mind. But if you gave me a bag of ripe muscadines, I’ll pass. Give me a glass of either wine and I’ll have a sip but not much more.
Odd, I LOVE muscadines (grew up chomping on them in my backyard and neighborhood) but HATE muscadine wine. I’ve yet to have an NC wine I enjoy…. bah.
Wine from the native muscadine is said to one of Thomas Jefferson’s favorites.
Have you tried any of the ones from the Yadkin River Valley–it has its own AVA designation now. Some are very good.
Keep trying… there are plenty of NC wines that are not that sweet. Thanks so much for being part of my “cheering” group. You guys were great… I should have passed the pitcher around for all of us to have a celebratory chug.:)
I also am not a fan of the muscadine wines. It is about all I have found in this area. Ahh how I miss Southern Illinois wine. I am picking up a case next time I am there.
I knew that muscadines were a big thing here. And yes, I’ve tried one before, but I truly don’t like the taste. In fact, the way that I happened to try my first and only muscadine is pretty funny. It involves an Internet date gone sour (pun intended). But if you want that story, you’ll have to corner me sometime and ask for it.
Hey Ginny! I see you are a wine person! I need a suggestion for a wine! What is a great sweet red wine?
I’m normally not a fan of the muscadine’s either however there was one tent that had a Cantaloupe wine which was amazing. I went back there at least 3 or 4 times.
I tried that cantaloupe wine and absolutely loved it. That and the raspberry wine at another booth were my two favorites.