October 6, 2012
11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Symphony Park
Admission:
$20 advance (online)/$25 on site
Designated Driver: $15/$20 on site (admission for event only)
Kids 12 and under are free
The Great Grapes! festival is Charlotte’s biggest casual wine tasting event. There are close to 200 wines from 15 different vineyards on the 2012 schedule. With you admission, you get a souvenir tasting glass that lets you sample sample some of the best wines from around the state.
You are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy the live music on the lawn. There will also be culinary experts on hand to give demonstrations on wine and food pairings. There's even a kid's activity area on site.
Live music this year will be provided by Piedmont Boys and Cull City Syndicate. The Gourmet Live! tent will host Mary Amons from the DC Housewives, as she talks about cooking for large groups, a "Forgotten Foods" demonstration where regional dishes are paired with local wines, a seafood pairing demonstration from RagApple Lassie Vineyard, and demonstrations from Upstream Restaurant and Zink American Kitchen.
2012 Participating Wineries
Cauble Creek Vineyard
Carolina Heritage Vineyard
Dennis Vineyards Winery
Old North State Winery
Old Stone Winery
Owl's Eye Vineyard and Winery
RagApple Lassie Vineyards
Rocky River Vineyard
Round Peak Vineyard
Sander's Ridge
Shadow Springs Vineyard
Southern Charm Winery
Stony Mountain Vineyards
Uhwarrie Vineyards
Weathervane Winery
For more information, visit the festival's official site.
For more celebrations around town, check out the complete calendar of festivals in Charlotte..
