For a Good Cause - The 30A Wine Festival
02-25-2023
We had a unique opportunity to attend the 11th Annual 30A Wine Festival in the beautiful beach community of Alys Beach in South Walton Florida. The event spanned five days with the main event, called the GRAND TASTING, was on Saturday afternoon. 
The festival showcases renowned distillers, vintners, mixologists and culinary favorites from local and regional chefs. All proceeds from the festival benefit the Children’s Volunteer Health Network, a local charity which provides health services to uninsured or underinsured school children in Walton and Okaloosa Counties. 
The event was very well attended and was sold out. As industry professionals, we were able to score some tickets. There were 47 tables that featured a variety of wines, gins, rums and vodkas. We connected with some old favorites such as Paul Hobbs, Fess Parker and Nicholson Jones.
The Cobos Cocodrilo Red Blend and Bramare Malbec from Paul Hobbs were amazing finds as most fans of Paul are only familiar with his Crossbarn brand. One winery that really stood out was Tarpon Cellars from Napa Valley. The winery is a very holistic with a peace, love and happiness theme. Many of their wines are called Cambaro. Cambaro means "skin contact". This winemaking style is slightly experimental and includes white grapes that have been treated like red grapes and ferment on the skins for approximately 17 days. The result is a rich and layered white wine that is an on-trend alternative to Chardonnay.
Another great find was Finca Ambrosia from Mendoza (Argentina). This winery has 6 different lines of wine, however the Viña Unica line was featured at the event. The Chardonnay Viña Unica had a wonderful oak notes with hints 
of vanilla. The wine was 50% fermented in French oak barrels and 50% in concrete eggs. The 2020 Malbec Viña Unica rocked it with great concentration. This wine was fermented in stainless followed by aging in 15 months in used french oak barrels and 9 months in bottle.
A boutique importer of fine French wines from Miami called "Drink the Rent" showed well. All of the wines had a trick to them. For example the Mille Reves Vouvray is 100% Chenin Blanc aged on fine lees for 6 months. “Sec Tendre” style with 15 g/L RS. The Band de Louve (translation: Band of Wolves) 100% Melon de Bourgogone that was aged on lees for 9 months. The grapes were hand picked and aged 50% stainless steel, 50% French oak barrels. The wine is pesticide free.
The 30A Wine Festival is held on the last weekend of February. Tickets are hard to come by as the home owners of Alys Beach have the first opportunity to purchase tickets on November 1. Tickets open for sale on December 1 to the general public. If you want to attend, purchase your tickets when they go on sale!
The festival showcases renowned distillers, vintners, mixologists and culinary favorites from local and regional chefs. All proceeds from the festival benefit the Children’s Volunteer Health Network, a local charity which provides health services to uninsured or underinsured school children in Walton and Okaloosa Counties. The event was very well attended and was sold out. As industry professionals, we were able to score some tickets. There were 47 tables that featured a variety of wines, gins, rums and vodkas. We connected with some old favorites such as Paul Hobbs, Fess Parker and Nicholson Jones.
A boutique importer of fine French wines from Miami called "Drink the Rent" showed well. All of the wines had a trick to them. For example the Mille Reves Vouvray is 100% Chenin Blanc aged on fine lees for 6 months. “Sec Tendre” style with 15 g/L RS. The Band de Louve (translation: Band of Wolves) 100% Melon de Bourgogone that was aged on lees for 9 months. The grapes were hand picked and aged 50% stainless steel, 50% French oak barrels. The wine is pesticide free.
The 30A Wine Festival is held on the last weekend of February. Tickets are hard to come by as the home owners of Alys Beach have the first opportunity to purchase tickets on November 1. Tickets open for sale on December 1 to the general public. If you want to attend, purchase your tickets when they go on sale!