Today, we attended the Aptos Winery Wander in the new Aptos Village. It was a chance to try tastings from 14 local wineries. The event was well-received. Lots of people showed up. When we attend an event like this, we pace ourselves. Our goal is to pleasurably try as many wines as we can without reaching a level of alcohol intoxication that ruins our day. When food is offered, we take a break and eat. Food acts as a buffer against intoxication. Eating, taking breaks, walking, and taking time to socialize are all nice strategies that allow us to enjoy more wine tasting.
At one of the tasting booths, Elke picked up a little pre-packaged snack offering. When you open the package, it has two compartments. One compartment has a bit of sliced cheese. The other has almonds and cranberries. Elke thought it was a nice idea and asked me to post the picture for you.
Another strategy used by those who love to taste wine is to take a small sip, swirl it in your mouth, and spit it into a spit bucket. Usually, tasting rooms provide a metal spit bucket for this purpose. We’ve never been comfortable spitting in public. Also, it feels like I taste more of a wine’s flavor if I allow it pass through my throat. When I am tasting in volume, I like to take a small sip, swirl it in my mouth, and then swallow. Then, I pour the rest of my glass out. This allows me to get all of the flavors and control my alcohol intake.
That being said, we made it to #7 on the walk, Armitage Wines, when we both felt that our tolerance for wine had been reached. The event lasted from 1-4 pm. We got there at 2 pm. Fourteen wineries showing off 2-3 tastings each was too much to alcohol to absorb in the 2 hours that we gave ourselves. Wine-tasting events seem to be popping up more frequently. Small wineries are trying to get their names out, and this dovetails with people’s growing desire to get out and attend more social events as the weather gets warmer. I recently read about an all-day local event coming up with 40 wineries offering tastings. Big wine tasting events suffer from the Law of Diminishing Returns. More is not always better.
At the Armitage Wine tasting room, we decided that we were done tasting wine. We needed to find something to eat. Lucky for us, we were right next to Akira Sushi. I ordered an Unagi Roll, which Elke and I devoured. This helped us to defeat the buzz once again. From Akira’s, we walked across the parking lot to the Cantine Winepub. This is a lovely place to go for a small snack and a glass of wine. Elke and I were totally wined-out, so we ordered a couple of non-alcoholic beverages. For food, we had an arugula salad and roasted fingerling potatoes. Cantine Winepub has an indoor social area where people drink wine and chat. There is a small outdoor deck that is perched high above a green, wooded area. It feels cozy and secluded. Heating lamps, a fire pit and microsuede blankets are optionally provided for warmth. Cantine Winepub is a popular place on the weekends. We have visited this spot a few times previously, and have enjoyed it every time. Elke and I both recommend Cantine Winepub.
