Every time we hear the jubilant pop of a champagne cork, we get a little aroused.
Is it just us?
We’ve been experimenting with long stretches of sobriety each year and the only thing we ever really miss is wine because there simply aren’t any good non-alcoholic alternatives.
That and an ice-cold dirty Tito’s martini.
One weekend we most definitely won’t be in our Zero-Proof Era: Gay Wine Weekend.
After writing about the festive LGBTQ wine extravaganza for years, we finally had the opportunity to sip and see it for ourselves last summer.
This July 18-20, Out in the Vineyard‘s immersive three-day party in Sonoma County returns.
This year, the focus will be on the Russian River Valley and Healdsburg wine regions. One of the things we love about this annual event is how the event moves around to showcase different wineries and small towns nestled among the lush rolling hills of Sonoma County.
Individual event tickets start at only $55, but if you’re traveling all the way to California, we suggest the VIP Party Pass.
The VIP Party Pass runs $615.41 and gets you into every cool event, from the famous Twilight T-Dance with loads of tastings to the Drag Queen Brunch and Wine Auction.
You’ll probably need to bring an extra suitcase just to bring home all the wine you’re going to end up buying while visiting various wineries. (Don’t worry, a case of wine counts as a checked back when flying out of the Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Aiport on American Airlines, which offers nonstop service from DFW.
Because most of the events this year will be in the Russian River Valley and Healdsburg, consider a stay at The Madrona.
We book-ended our trip there last year with two one-night stays (there was a wedding or we would’ve stayed there the whole time.) It’s one of the most spectacular boutique properties we’ve ever stayed in thanks to impeccable service and an utterly incredible restaurant. We stayed both in the main house and the carriage house and both featured delightful amenities. It might be a splurge, but you’ll never forget the stay.
But back to Gay Wine Weekend. Tickets will sell out, so if you’re even remotely considering this vacation idea, pull the trigger now.
Or, pop the cork, we should say.
Gay Wine Weekend
July 18-20
outinthevineyard.comSonoma County
Build your own dream itinerary at sonomacounty.comMain image generated by ChatGPT (duh), all others courtesy of Gay Wine Weekend
