Let It Snow!

Did you notice that it’s SNOWING right now?? Yes, right now, right here on this blog! Thanks to WordPress, it will be snowing around here until January 4.

You might live in part of the world where you’ve had enough of the white stuff already, but for us coastal Californians, snow is a rare treat! Fortunately for our groves of citrus–avocados, oranges, lemons, and tangerines–as well as for our abundant agriculture including fresh local strawberries all year around, it rarely gets below freezing around here.

But this Saturday night, it will in fact be snowing in downtown Ventura in a special event during the Winter Wine Walk following the Ventura Street Fair which starts at 11am. During this popular event, downtown Main Street is filled with vendors and music.

The Winter Wine Walk starts at 4pm; at 6pm Ventura will light its holiday tree by the San Buenaventura Mission. Holiday festivities include caroling by local church groups, Santa Claus riding into Downtown Ventura on a fire engine, and snow falling from about 645-8pm! The event is free and open to the public.  For more information, call 805.641.1090 or visit www.downtownventura.com.

Participants in the self-guided Winter Wine Walk from 4-8pm can sample fine wines and delicious appetizers: $42 gets 12 sample tickets. Learn more www.venturawinterwinewalk.com or by calling (805) 765-4294. NOTE: You have to check in before 6:30pm.

While a number of my favorite local wineries are participating (guess which ones?), several central coast wineries will be pouring as well as a some from farther afield including a Champagne house.

Last year I was a bit disappointed in the event. One way I am going to address that is to bring my own reusable Govino plastic “glass.” Your wine would taste better in a jelly jar than it would in the plastic cups that most places were serving and all those plastic cups are so wasteful!

So start your Ventura Winter Wine Walk at Palermo on Main near Palm. You can taste Michael Meagher’s superlative syrah in a Govino glass: $3 for one or you can buy a box of four. They come in red, white and flute. You can use them for cocktails too.

Want more wine news for this weekend? Read here to learn about the special tasting on Sunday up at Ojai Vineyard, the Champagne tasting at the Cave, and for folks in the Bay Area, tomorrow is the Winter Wine Wonderland at Rock Wall in Alameda!