Happy Wine Wednesday! If you follow me on Instagram, it’s no secret that I love a great glass of wine on #WineWednesday… and every other night of the week. From cava tastings in Spain to cabernet in Napa Valley, I love traveling new cities and experiencing expanding my palate for wine. When Wine & Food Week in The Woodlands popped on my radar, I was excited to have a tasting event right in my backyard.
If you’re not a vino drinker, hear me out. For the record, I used to not know the difference between Trader Joe’s “Two Buck Chuck” and a glass of Chateau Lafite. (Honestly, if you blindfolded me, I still wouldn’t!) Wine grew on me, but I started to enjoy it for a reason outside of the taste: the people. Wine and food are threads that weave us together in a tight-knit way through anticipated girls’ nights, dinner parties, work networkers, and travels. There’s a reason why friends, a bottle of merlot and great food are all common denominators of an evening well-spent. Aside from sampling amazing wines and food from chefs around the world, I’m really excited to meet new people from the Houston-area and beyond.
Now in its 13th year, Wine & Food Week will host 75 chefs, hundreds of talented winery representatives, and an incredible lineup of restaurants between now and June 11. There will be more than 500 wines from across the globe… yes, 5-0-0. Wine & Food Week has raised over $900,000 for local charities over the years through their silent auctions at the H-E-B Wine Walk at Market Street, the WineRendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase and other various happenings throughout the year. This year’s beneficiaries are The John Cooper School’s Signature Author Series as well as New Danville (which I’m really excited about), a community where adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities can live and work.
I was invited by Wine & Food Week to attend Saturday’s Platinum Wine Vault Ultra Premium Tasting and Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase and stay at the Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel. Brian (my boyfriend) and I are really excited to experience Wine & Food Week. I’ve been packing my weekend bag and looking forward to a much-needed “staycation.” Wine is actually something that’s been very special to us and carries a sense of nostalgia. We visited Napa Valley with friends two years ago and bought a special bottle wine from the Hess Vineyard (his last name is Hess, so this was a cheesy but necessary no-brainer) and have been holding onto it for the right time. I have no idea when that “special moment” will happen but since Napa, we’ve enjoyed trying new wines and cooking together throughout the week. It’s a bit cathartic! Wine nights give us moments to look forward to and time to unwind.
If you’re in the Woodlands area, I’d love to see you at the event! You can snag tickets for Wine & Food Week here.
Thursday, June 8
H-E-B Wine Walk at Market Street
Location: Market Street in The Woodlands
Time: 5:30 – 8:30 PM
Cost: $20.00 – $35.00
Friday, June 9
Ladies of the Vine Tasting, Panel & Luncheon
Location: The Club at Carlton Woods Main Club House
Time: 12:00 – 3:00 PM
Cost: $85.00
Sips, Suds & Tacos
Location: The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center
Time: 6:00 – 9:00 PM
Cost: $20.00
Saturday, June 10
Platinum Wine Vault Ultra Premium Tasting (I’ll be here!)
Location: The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center
Time: 4:30 – 6:30 PM
Cost: $250.00
Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase (I’ll be here!)
Location: The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center
Time: 7:00 – 10:00 PM
Cost: $125.00
VIP Experience – Mercedes-Benz VIP Lounge and Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting Combo
Location: The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center
Time: 7:00 – 10:00 PM
Cost: $175.00
