From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 14 at Grapevine’s Main Street
Toast the good life at Grapevine’s 26th Annual New Vintage Wine and Gallery Trail.
For one ticket price, enjoy wine tastings from nine of Grapevine’s premier wineries in your own keepsake souvenir wine glass, and view some fine art in Grapevine’s many art galleries located along Main Street. Included as part of the day’s festivities is the Blessing of the Vines, a centuries-old tradition where a priest bestows a blessing on the vineyards for an upcoming fruitful season and harvest, and on the newly produced wines from the prior year’s yield.
Tickets $45 per person and includes:
— Souvenir wine glass
— Three 1-ounce tastings at each participating winery
— One “light-bite” food item at each winery
— Access to art galleries on Main Street
Advance purchase is recommended, however tickets may be purchased the day of the event. Click here to purchase your tickets today! The event takes place rain or shine and no refunds are issued. This event is for participants 21 and up only.
THE WINES
The following wineries are participating in the 2018 New Vintage Wine and Gallery Trail, along with their featured wines and food offerings:
(Note: wine and food offerings and subject to change by the winery)
Bingham Family Vineyards Cross Timbers Winery
Delaney Vineyards Grapevine Springs Winery
Homestead Winery Messina Hof Winery
Sloan & Williams Winery Umbra Winery
Wine Fusion Winery
Included in your ticket price are three 1-ounce wine tastings at each participating winery, however you may purchase additional tastings at your own cost.
Please note that the New Vintage Wine & Gallery Trail ends at 5 p.m. and participating wineries are not required to honor remaining or unused tastings after 5 p.m. Also note that Delaney Vineyards will close at 3 p.m. due to a special private event.
THE BLESSING OF THE VINES
From 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Saturday, April 14 at Grapevine Visitor Information Center, located at 636 S. Main Street in Grapevine
Kick off the New Vintage Wine and Gallery Trail with the annual Blessing of the Vines! Father Ken Robinson leads this centuries-old tradition that many winemakers still participate in today.
At the conclusion of the blessing, enjoy a small sample of wine and some cheese before embarking to your first stop on the trail.
The first 150 attendees to the Blessing of the Vines will also get to take home a one year-old Texas champanel grape vine courtesy of Womack Nursery to plant at home! (One per family please)
Also as part of the ceremonies, a new public art piece will be dedicated by the Wine Pouring Society. The sculpture – named “Seasons” – depicts the different seasons of a grape vine’s phases of growth throughout the year from the leafless winter dormant months, to the summer berry growth, to the fall harvest.
The Blessing of the Vines is included as part of the ticketed event, however guests or the general public are welcome to attend the ceremony for no additional cost. The ceremony will take place at the Grapevine Visitor Information Center located at 636 S. Main Street in Downtown Grapevine.
What exactly is the Blessing of the Vines?
It is a centuries-old tradition performed by Christian priests all over the world, however some scholars say that the ceremony may be older than originally thought. Some ancient Roman texts show that a celebration centered around wine happened in April every year to ask the Roman gods for good weather and a bountiful growing season.
Dating back to the Old Testament time, every year growers would bring a small sample of their harvest to the church or temple for a blessing by the priest to ask for productive fields and soils, good weather with lots of rain, and bountiful harvests. This could be any crop including apples, corn, honey, grapes, and beyond.
When Spanish missionaries came to Texas in the late 1600’s, they continued on the tradition of blessing their vines for the wines they would use in their ceremonies and the tradition has been carried on by winemakers since.
While performed by a Christian priest, no religious affiliation is required to attend or watch the Blessing of the Vines ceremony.
THE ART
Without overstating the obvious, one big component of the New Vintage Wine and Gallery Trail is the art! As you stroll down Main Street in Grapevine be sure to visit the many art galleries and fine art working studios.
As part of the event, the Grapevine Art Project (GAP) is hosting a special juried exhibition with artist demonstrations. The art will be on display from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. inside the Tower Gallery located inside the Grapevine Visitor Information Center at 636 S. Main Street.
The following art galleries and working studios are participating in the 2018 New Vintage Wine and Gallery Trail:
A Touch of Paris Art Gallery
202 W. Wall St.
Giddens Gallery of Fine Art
624 S. Main ST.
Grapevine CVB Grand Gallery
636 S. Main Street
Grapevine Foundry
701 S. Main St.
Great American West Gallery
332 S. Main St.
Holder Dane Art Gallery & Studios
701 S. Main St.
Vetro Glassblowing Studio
701 S. Main St.
(Note: wine is not served or sold in any of the art galleries)
For more information, please visit https://www.grapevinetexasusa.com/events/new-vintage-wine-gallery-trail/.