“‘Tis the season of wine, roses and drunken friends. Be happy for this moment . . . this moment is your life.” – Omar Khayyam
Every year at the end of May, I, along with countless others, find myself journeying home to Temecula, California. Home of hot air balloons, horse ranches, and Wine Country, Temeculans have learned how to kick off summer the right way. The Balloon and Wine Festival is more than just your local farmer’s market. Alas, the festival is a yearly celebration that one just doesn’t miss.
For me, attending the Balloon and Wine Festival is now an annual tradition. Coming from Temecula Valley, and working in Wine Country for many years, I appreciate wine more than your average person. I also appreciate drinking with my very close friends while listening to live country music. So it’s pretty much a win-win situation for me. However, I love the Balloon and Wine Festival for so many more reasons.
5. It’s like a mini- Stagecoach
Ok, so obviously it’s on a much smaller scale than the immensely large country music festival that encroaches on much of Indio in late-April. But, the Balloon and Wine Festival is incredibly similar to Stagecoach. For starters, the Balloon and Wine Festival screams country music. It has two stages, and every year those who put the festival on bring in musical artists from country music to RAP to rock. Each day has a different set of artists to entertain the festival-goers.
4. SO MUCH FOOD.
Seriously there is a plethora of choices to choose from. Do you want barbequed tri-tip? Cheesy carne asada fries? A foot-long, bacon-wrapped hot dog? Seriously, if you can think it up, the Balloon and Wine Festival has it. They’ve got your fried food, your Greek food, your frozen food, your Chinese food, your food-on-a-stick. They have a different type of food for every personality, for every picky eater. I recommend the gyro, but hey, go for that Fried funnel cake on a stick. I won’t judge you.
3. The Balloons are insanely cool.
If you’ve never been in a hot air balloon (or even near one), then this is yet another reason to go to the TVBWF. Towards the last music set of the night, all of the ballooners get together in the middle of the festival and set up their balloons. They all start up their helium and the FI-YAHHH and light ’em up. All of the balloons lift off the ground and into the air for one of the coolest experiences you will ever be a part of. Plus, the ballooning teams talk to you about the balloons and the process of getting one into the air. So you get to watch a show, but you get to learn a little something too. A two-for-one, if you will.
2. It’s Called a Tasting and It’s Classy!
This is my absolute favorite aspect of the Balloon and Wine Festival. THE WINE! Call me a wine snob, or a total girl. I don’t care. Let’s be honest, the wine tastings are one of the festival’s main attractions. Featuring about 30 different wineries from Temecula Valley and San Diego County, there is a variety of choices to choose from when taking tasting into consideration. Are you a red drinker or a white drinker? Perhaps you are more of a sparkling fan? If this is the case, I would recommend the Wilson Creek Winery booth. You’re more of a bold red drinker? Go to tent that represents Lorenzi Estate Vineyards. These two are just a taste of what you get yourself into at the TVBWF. Your pallet will be pleased, but you will also gain some wine knowledge. Those working the winery tents are the actual tasting room pourers at the individual wineries. At times, you may be lucky enough to run into the owners or the wine makers themselves. Feel free to ask as many questions as you’d like; the pourers have a vast knowledge of the wine-making process from planting to harvesting to aging.
1. Oh the Drunken Memories…
The best part of the Balloon and Wine Festival is without a doubt, the memories that are made each year. The food is great, the wine is fantastic, but nothing beats drinking great wine and eating great food if you don’t have the company to match the two. Two years ago, one of my best friends made a video of Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival 2014 which can be found at the following link: Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival 2014. It’s just a great way to ring in summer with your best friends, listen to country music (perhaps belt out Friends in Low Places by Garth Brooks), drink a little too much and act like a total 20-something idiot, and really just have the best night possible.
The 2016 Balloon and Wine Festival was held this past weekend, May 20th to May 22nd. I happened to go last Friday. This year, we had the utmost luck in being related to one of the ballooning teams! I dare say, free parking, free tickets and no wait times to get in made everything that much better! Yes, I’m one of the “FREE IS THE BEST” people.
This year’s festival was just as amazing as the previous two. I immediately headed straight for the alcohol wristbands. This year they had credit card readers which was AMAZEBALLS! God, not having to wait in line for a thousand hours to put a paper sticky bracelet on my hand was Class-A service. Seriously, waiting in lines for your Over-21 wristband is one of the most tortuous waits around. So bypassing another line was killer.
After pacing the food booths lined up and down the road, we decided on the bacon-wrapped hot dog, although, we were eyeing the carne asada chips. However, this year, I was less focused on food and more focused on how to get as many wine tastings as possible. But where to start first?
I am a red wine drinker. When I first started drinking wine, I only drank white wines (like a newb). Now I drink primarily reds, but being an avid taster, I will always try as many different types of wine as I can. I started with Lorenzi Estate Vineyards. Now, as a side note, all of the wineries offer 6 different types of wine. BUT, in order to taste all 6 types, you have to purchase reserve tastings instead of just regular tastings. Why? Reserve Tastings are tastings of more expensive, better tasting, better quality wine. Not to say that the quality of all a winery’s wine isn’t great, but most of the time, the wines saved for reserved tastings are the higher level, more exquisite wine with a more complex creation process.
I started at Lorenzi with the Adam & Eve. This is a bordeaux blend, meaning that it isn’t made with one distinct grape, rather, it is a mix of two to three different varietals. Adam & Eve is one of my favorite Lorenzi wines. Whenever I have the pleasure to go to Lorenzi, I almost always get this particular wine, or a glass of Zin City.
I tried to go to Wilson Creek’s tent. This is normally a resort that my friends and I turn to when we want big pours. Trust me, getting the right pour is EVERYTHING to a wine fiend. It is kind of a known-fact in Temecula Valley (by those who patron the wineries quite frequently) that Wilson Creek is the place to go if you want all of the bang for your buck (hence, they overpour). So, of course we would go to Wilson’s tent in order to get the biggest pour around. BUT! It was to no avail. They were only serving Almond Champagne, Peach Champagne and White Cabernet Sauvignon (none of which I was willing to sacrifice on my pallet). So we moved along to the other wineries where I was quite happy.
The music on Friday night didn’t disappoint either. Country music band Parmalee opened Friday night and rocked the house. One of country musics newest bands, Parmalee serenaded us with favorites like Close Your Eyes, Day Drinking, Dance, and the always loved Carolina. Later in the night we were graced with Phil Vassar, a veteran of the country music stage. My friends who are new to the country music scene described Vassar’s Ray Bans-in-the-dark look as very Jack Nicholson-esque.
All in all, it was a great festival. For once, I didn’t drink too much so the end of the night was just as great as the beginning. I laughed for what seemed like hours and danced as well as I could in the frigid 50 degree weather. Yet another summer welcomed in like a hero.
Tis’ the season. 
PANTS & RESPONSIBILITIES 