Tasting Tents – Sunday
Charleston Wine & Food
We walked into the main festival gate at Marion Square closest to Calhoun Street. We were delighted to see a vintage Tequila Don Julio truck with a special bar serving draft Tequila Paloma (soda, Tequila, grapefruit). After a few sips, we meandered passed by a pit filled with colored balls before wandering into the huge tasting tents. Lines of festival attendees wrapped along the perimeter of the structure. We waited in line for 30 minutes before heading for one of the several wine and spirits tasting tables. Wineries from all over the country presented their offerings generously. Bottles Mt. Pleasant provided a retail tent for patrons to purchase any of the spirits they tasted in the tents. Genius!
Painting with Jonathan Green
Nationally reknown artist, Jonathan Green, collaborated with Wine & Design to host a private painting lesson during the festival. Mr. Green instructed students brush stroke by brush stroke to create their interpretation of balloons in the sky. Jonathan graciously assisted everyone and personally signed several of the students creations.
The festival hosted several activities to keep attendees busy like an agave history lessons from Tequila Don Julio, live cooking demonstrations, interactive cooking classes and lots of photo opportunities. It was inspiring to see so many local businesses represented at the festival. Wine makers from John’s Island and Walterboro proudly poured samples of their grapes or slices of their goat cheese or spoonfuls of craft fruit jams. As Charleston Wine & Food enters its eleventh year, we hope the trend of ‘keeping it local’ continues.
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