For those who were able to attend this year’s Wine Festival, you are either waking up happy with great memories, or feeling a little hung-over. Either way, fun times were had by many this weekend at the 12th annual Castle Rock WineFest.
Sponsored by the Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce, this fun outdoor wine tasting event was located at The Grange in The Meadows from 2 p.m.-8 p.m. on Saturday. It is put on every July, and this year, it featured more than two dozen wineries with over 180 different varieties.
The festival brought wine aficionados from all over Colorado. Along with being a great way to support wineries in this beautiful state, those who attended got to taste wines, observe food demonstrations, eat from great food trucks, and listen to live music, that added to the wonderful ambiance.
This year, the cost of a ticket, if bought online beforehand was $27, and rose to $37, if bought at the door. Included in price was entrance to the festival (with I.D. of course) a wine tote bag – to be able to carry wine purchases – and of course, a useful wine glass for tastings.
This was my third time attending the Castle Rock Wine Fest and it definitely did not disappoint, as it was bigger – with more vendors – than previous years. As advertised the event said, “come rain or shine,” and that definitely was the case this year as it started raining halfway through.
Featured wineries had many merlots, cabernets, and pinot noirs, with a lot of fruity wines like a “pineapple pear white wine,” for locals to sample and purchase. Wineries that made an impression were Mesa Park Vineyards, Avanti, and Spero Winery.
My favorite of the day was Ruby Trust Cellars, which happens to be produced and bottled here in Castle Rock. Ruby Trust prides itself in making high-quality, small quantity wine…which is why I remember them from last year; they ran out before I was able to taste! I made sure to go to them first this year and purchase ‘The Gambler’ wine.
The second best part of the entire festival, after the wine of course, was the Castle Rock Firefighters of Local 4116, who volunteered their time to give rides to anyone in Castle Rock who wasn’t sober enough to drive home – ensuring the safety of everyone in the community. Thank you!!
If you missed it this year, definitely look out for next year, as this is a wonderful event to experience culture, wine and food here locally in Castle Rock.
