With a chill glass of crisp, bubbly rosé in my hand (not my first), I remark, “This is the good life,” while taking in the backside of Wasatch Mountains and the mountain-chic Park City set, both dressed for early autumn and welcoming, bathed in sunlight and a steady flow of wine. The Grand Tasting of the Park City Wine Festival needs no pretense. It is not about “drinking wine to celebrate a promotion” nor “drinking wine to take in a show.” It is about “drinking wine to drink wine.” The event is made to please wine lovers, especially those who enjoy taking their favorite hobby outdoors and with friends… and the mountain views are spectacular.
The mountain scenery pairs beautifully with the wine. Photo courtesy of Park City Wine Festival.
The Grand Tasting at Canyons Village brings together more than 100 international and domestic wine producers, ready to proudly share their work with the festival’s attendees. At this particular Grand Tasting, I discovered and fell in love with a sparkling Brut Rosé by Soter Estates, delightfully nicknamed “Soter-pop” by one Salt Lake City bar aficionado. But there are a dozen other ways to enjoy the festival outside of the tasting. You can get your fill of the best of Summit County’s outdoor and culinary experiences in one wine-soaked weekend.
“We love that the festival is truly a choose-your-own-adventure novel come to life. Some attendees are thrilled at the idea of three full days of wine blending sessions, paired dinners, and nighttime experiences,” says Kristen Slater, Park City Wine Festival Events Director. Most festival activities and events are ticketed individually, lending itself to the “choose-your-own-adventure” nature of the festival.
For those thirsty for knowledge, wine experts from Utah and around the world host educational events at the festival, often catered by some of Park City’s lauded restaurants. In one such session, The Wine Academy of Utah’s Jim Santangelo will guide attendees on a journey of fine wines while never leaving the heart of historic Palomino Park City, whose culinary team will provide paired “light bites.” Santangelo will also present the event “Wine is Blind,” a blind wine tasting that will help participants get over any preconceived notions they might have based on the wine’s label.
But it’s not all standing about and taking in the views while musing about notes of orchard fruit and a peppery nose. Mix a scenic hike into your experience and sign up for a trek up Bald Mountain, accompanied by a sommelier (and a 2,000-foot elevation gain). The hike culminates in
a three-course meal curated by a new Deer Valley restaurant fittingly dubbed Alpinist and, of course, a wine pairing. Choose your own adventure, indeed.
If You Go
Park City Wine Festival
October 3-5, 2024
parkcitywinefestival.com
See more stories like this and all of our food and drink coverage. And while you’re here, why not subscribe and get six annual issues of Salt Lake magazine’s curated guide to the best of life in Utah?
