Are you ready for the party of the fall? Now in its 6th
year, 20something – The New Vintage (@20somethingwine) roars back into the Seattle
scene on Saturday November 17th, from 6-10pm at the Fremont Studios.
This annual event attracts more than
1,000 attendees and is co-produced this year by Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau
(@VisitSeattle) & the Washington State Wine Commission (@winecommission).
So what exactly is 20something? The event was modeled after
Taste Washington
but created to appeal to a different and younger audience. While you definitely
don’t have to be a 20-something to be in attendance at the event, the event has
a much more club type atmosphere and definitely caters to the 20 to 30
something crowd. You’ll find a DJ, winemakers and winery representatives
mingling amongst the crowd, and a much more informal approach to wine tasting.
But don’t think you won’t have some of Washington’s
most well-known winemakers themselves in attendance also. Last year I had the
amazing opportunity to try WSU Alum Drew Bledsoe’s wine Doubleback, and was
also able to chat a bit and get a photo with the famed quarterback turned
winemaker! Because you’re not dealing with lines at tasting tables, once you’re
able to snag a winemaker for a taste, you have a better opportunity to ask a
few questions and not be in someone else’s way. The only downside to this
(which I’ve mentioned in past posts on the event) is that it’s often very
difficult to find specific wineries that you know are there. A tip from a past
pro who has struggled through this in years prior: go early. If you beat the
crowd, you’ll have a better chance of tracking down specific wineries by word
of mouth (just ask someone if they’ve seen that winery nearby) or simply
because you’ll be able to better see through the crowd. Last year’s event had
the winery representatives sporting glowstick necklaces (that some turned into
bracelets) in order to stand out better in the darkened room. This made it much
easier to zone in on a winery when you were ready for your next taste.
Some people might ask WHY exactly hold an event catered to
the 20-something set? Well I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but the 20 to
30-something set is big into wine lately. They’ve let go of the notion of an
image of wine as their mother’s cheap Chablis or White Zinfandel. The “New
Vintage” of wine drinkers is more educated and eager to try new varietals. And the
biggest factor is that they have disposable income since most aren’t yet tied
down with mortgages and families. This is the perfect audience for wineries.
Get them to try and buy now, and they’ll likely be customers for life. In an
age of social media, garnering the attention of this age group also bodes well
for exposure and a bigger presence in the marketplace. Plain and simple: if
they like it, they’ll tell everyone they know about it via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
or some blogging platform. As an event geared toward this hot demographic,
20something – The New Vintage aims to educate and attract loyal wine
drinking consumers.
This year the event has teamed up with some local hotels for
some great packages to turn the one-night event into a Seattle weekend getaway. Check out packages at some
notable Seattle
locations:
Hotel Ändra - 2000
Fourth Avenue/ (206) 448-8600
Hotel 1000 -
1000 First Avenue/ (206) 957-1000
SpringHill Suites - 1800 Yale Avenue/ (206) 254-0500
With over 75 wineries pouring (have you seen the winery list?
Another great line-up!), and over 15 restaurants
pairing delectable bites to go with your wine, there is no way you are leaving
hungry or thirsty from this event.
Don’t miss out on this fall’s trendiest wine tasting soiree
and get your tickets for 20something before they sell out. And believe me, they WILL sell out.
Tickets for this popular event generally start reaching sell-out stage at least
a week or two prior to the event. Get on it and I’ll see you at 20something
2012!
