By Khalida Sarwari
The wine will flow and the music will play all through the Village on May 11 at the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce’s third annual Wine Stroll.
This year’s “Saratoga Wine Stroll Experience,” taking place from 2:30 to 6 p.m., will feature something brand-new: For an additional $5, attendees will be able to taste special wines aside from the selections offered by wineries at the event. Those tickets can only be purchased at the event. A regular ticket costs $40 in advance and $45 on the day of the event.
The ticket gets attendees a wristband and a glass for wine tasting at nearly every business in the Village, according to Pat Martell, a Chamber volunteer who is serving as the chairwoman of the event this year. Attendees will also get a map indicating the locations of the wineries’ pouring stations. This year, the Wine Stroll will feature 24 wineries, and nearly all of the merchants on both sides of Big Basin will be participating.
Attendees must be at least 21 years of age; identification cards will be checked, Martell said.
“Bring a good spirit for having fun and a hat to cover your nose, because hopefully it will be a very sunny day,” she said.
The wine will be the main event, but attendees will not leave with their senses of taste and hearing disappointed. Nearly all participating restaurants and tasting rooms will hand out small bites, and some will even feature musical entertainment. The lineup includes the band Nigel and Clive, who will play in the Wells Fargo parking lot area by the Barn Owl; Hootenanny performing by Preston Wynne; Retrofit rocking out by Ruthe Roberts Wine Collective; and Jeff Conley and his guitar will be at Cinnabar Winery.
Whereas in past years the music was more of a background feature, this year it will be more central to the event, Martell said. There will also be informational booths for events such as Relay for Life.
“Music, great food, wonderful wineries–I think that’s what people are looking for when they go on a wine stroll,” said Martell.
The Chamber first held the event in 2011 as a means to promote the merchants and wineries in Saratoga. About 300 people attended last year.
“We’re hoping to beat that number,” Martell said. “We’re looking closer to 350.”
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit saratogachamber.org or call 408.867.0753.
