Bottles of reds and whites are arriving daily, just waiting to be uncorked, as the 24th Annual Seeing Red Wine Festival is fast approaching.
Beginning Nov. 6 and going through Nov. 9, Seeing Red, in partnership with the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF), is part of a four-day wine event held at various locations along the Emerald Coast. The festivities extend to tastings with featured guest winemakers, dinners, and reserve wine tastings. Through DCWAF, the event will benefit Northwest Florida children in need.
Wine lovers will be treated to a new wine experience this year, as the Wine Project, Seaside’s new, private-label collection of hand-selected wines, makes its debut. Exclusive to Seaside, wine enthusiasts may choose from among their favorite varieties including sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir, cuvée and red zinfandel.
This family of wines was hand-picked by Seaside founders Robert and Daryl Davis to appeal to the continual interest and demand from patrons and visitors for the best-tasting and highest-quality wines.
Kokomo Winery owner and winemaker Erik Miller just completed the harvest, bottled the last of the cabernet and is eager to show his wines in Seaside. “And it’s an opportunity for people to put a face with the wine label, to learn about how it’s made,” he says. “I really think the Seaside folks who visited the winery like our small production because it’s all encompassing. We harvest it, ferment it and barrel age it all in one place. As Seaside embraces a farm-to-table approach to food, we’re really a farm-to-glass winery.”
The festivities kick off Thursday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. with the Vinter’s Dinner at Bud & Alley’s restaurant, using Seaside’s new wine label, the Wine Project. To reserve tickets, call Elijah Shelly at (850) 231-1846 or email
elijah@budandalleys.com.
Friday brings the Al Fresco Reserve Tasting at 6 p.m. in Seaside’s Lyceum Lawn, featuring an elegant evening of delicious hors d’oeuvres and wines paired perfectly by celebrated local chef, Jim Shirley, all complimented by jazz music from Grapevine.
The Grand Tasting, from 1 to 4 p.m., takes over the streets of downtown Seaside, with an extensive array of tasting tents featuring highly sought after wines from around the world, live music, food stations from top local restaurants, and the opportunity to purchase wine on site. Sunday wraps up the weekend with a Celebration of Bubbles, as sparkling wine enthusiasts explore Champagne, Cava, Prosecco and more.
PARK AND RIDE
Guests can take the shuttle to and from Seaside for the event. The Seeing Red Wine Festival is offering free parking to all guests at Publix at WaterColor Crossings on County Road 395. Guests can access this lot by heading south on 395 from Highway 98 and follow the signs. Trams will run continuously from 11a.m. to 7 p.m., allowing guests the opportunity to arrive early and stroll through Seaside and stay late for dinner following the event.
Visit Seeing Red Wine Festival online