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Corks & Forks: Wine festivals around country worth the trip

The Columbian
Published: January 8, 2015, 4:00pm
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Getty Images
Many wine festivals have educational opportunities, including The Food Network's 14th annual South Beach Wine and Food Festival in Miami Beach.
Getty Images Many wine festivals have educational opportunities, including The Food Network's 14th annual South Beach Wine and Food Festival in Miami Beach. Photo Gallery

What’s better than wine and travel? Wine as an excuse to travel. Below is a list of reasons to get out of Dodge (and a couple to keep you close to home).

• Jan. 30-31 marks the 10th anniversary of Portland’s Seafood & Wine Festival. If Oregon wine and seafood is what you crave, you’ll find all you need right here. www.pdxseafoodandwinefestival.com/index.html

• Feb. 19-22 is the 37th annual Newport Seafood & Wine Festival in Newport, Ore. Artists, culinary professionals and winemakers converge on this coastal town to celebrate the fruits of the vine and sea. Beat the winter chill with a cup of chowda in one hand and a glass of vino in the other. seafoodandwine.com

• March 4-8: BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival celebrates its 10th year. Come see why Charleston, S.C., was voted by readers of Condé Nast Traveler “Best City to Visit in the World” in 2014. The festival showcases local chefs, artists and farmers as well as Northwest favorites, Andy Ricker of Portland’s Pok Pok and Alex Sokol Blosser, winemaker at Sokol Blosser Winery. charlestonwineandfood.com

• April 24-26: Everything’s big in Texas, and that includes the Austin Food & Wine Festival. It’s a spectacular outdoor event with culinary rock stars, award-winning wine and cocktails. www.austinfoodandwinefestival.com

• May 20-23 is the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience. It’s hard to top the cuisine and vibe of The Big Easy. Featuring over 1,000 wines from around the world, 2015 celebrates its 22nd year. www.nowfe.com/about-festival

• June 5-7: Enjoy the 39th anniversary of the Monterey Wine Festival in California. Buy an all-access pass to the weekend’s events, including an intimate Friday night VIP gathering with tantalizing bites and sips, a West Coast chowder competition, live music and even spirits and cigars. www.montereywine.com/index.html

• July 24-26: The 29th annual International Pinot Noir Celebration, held on the picturesque grounds of Linfield College in McMinnville, Ore., is highlighted by a salmon bake, outdoor tastings, seminars and showcases 60 Northwest chefs throughout the weekend. This is the event for pinot lovers. www.ipnc.org

• August. Dates are to be determined for the 18th annual Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival at Esther Short Park. An extravaganza of jazz, wine and art that has grown from one to four days in the living room of Vancouver USA. vancouverwinejazz.com

• Sept. 23-27 celebrates the 25th annual Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta. If you’ve not had wine from New Mexico, you’re in for a treat. If the fall sky doesn’t claim your heart, try some sangiovese from Estella del Norte Vineyard, and you’ll know what I mean. www.santafewineandchile.org

• Oct. 15-18 marks The Food Network’s eighth annual New York City Wine and Food Festival benefiting No Kid Hungry and Food Bank for New York City. www.corporate.nycwineandfoodfestival.com

Their sister event, the 14th annual South Beach Wine and Food Festival, is Feb. 19-22 in Miami Beach. Hosted by myriad Food Network personalit ies, it includes a Best of the Northwest Dinner featuring Northwest cuisine and wines from Chateau Ste. Michelle. www.sobefest.com

• Oct. 28-30: Celebrate the Denver International Wine Festival with over 60 wines as well as spirits, beer, seminars, vintner dinners and a wine competition in the Mile High City. www.denverwinefest.com

• Dec. 4-6 marks the 24th annual Deck the Halls weekend along New York state’s Seneca Lake Wine Trail. Not an actual festival, this is the perfect Christmas season event. Participants visit over 30 holiday-decorated wineries while collecting Christmas ornaments to decorate the grapevine wreath included in the ticket price. Enjoy a small bite and wine pairing at each stop and receive a complimentary recipe book to replicate the food samples in your own kitchen (held Nov. 20-22, as well). http://senecalakewine.com/events/trail-events/deck-the-halls-weekend.html

Viki Eierdam is a Clark County native who lives in Battle Ground. Read the Corks & Forks blog at blogs.columbian.com/corks-and-forks

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