22 Aug St Augustine Florida Spanish Wine Festival 2017
Spanish wine has been a special part of Saint Augustine’s past since its very founding over 450 years ago, when Pedro Menéndez’s ships brought quantities of this wine as essential survival provisions. The Spanish Wine Festival celebrates this history and St. Augustine as the Spanish Wine Capitol of America, bringing guests from around the world to enjoy Spanish wines and cultural traditions. The 6th annual Festival is September 8-10, 2017, at a new location, the St. Augustine Shipyard.
With a formal wine dinner, traditional pig roast, wine battle, grand tasting, and more, the Festival continues throughout the weekend. Kick off the fiesta with the Cava Reception and Dinner at the Shipyard, where you’ll enjoy Spanish wines paired with the four courses of a dinner featuring many Spanish ingredients, prepared by Michael’s Tasting Room. The Don Soledad Band and Flamenco dancer Tammy Weber Millar will entertain you; then conclude the evening watching fireworks in the sky over the San Sebastian River.
Spend Saturday morning and afternoon taking in the historic sights of the city while you build up an appetite for the Cochinillo Asado, Spanish pig roast, beginning at 5:00 pm at the Shipyard. The picnic menu with foods prepared by Michael’s Tasting Room, Culinary Outfitters, The Raintree and The Reef Restaurant, features suckling pigs pit roasted in the Spanish tradition, accompanied by Spanish wine and beer. The Don Soledad Band provides music, and K-9s United, one of the charities supported by the Festival, will present a demonstration.
The entertaining Batalla de Vino or Team Wine Fight takes place from 6:30 – 6:45 pm. Five-person teams will compete to protect their king or queen from red wine attacks by opposing teams; the winner is the team whose royalty ends the battle with the whitest clothing. If you think squirting other participants with red wine would be great fun, dress in white and enter the Grand Wine Fight or Grand Batalla de Vino that follows the team battle.
Sunday, there’s more time to explore all St. Augustine has to offer, before the Festival’s culmination in the Grand Tasting beginning at 2:00 pm. Here, you’ll be able to sample some of the more than 100 Spanish wines presented, accompanied by Spanish-inspired hors d’oeuvres, and the guitar music of Don Soledad.
Don’t miss this unique chance to learn about Spain and Its wines from native Spaniards and celebrate St. Augustine’s role as the Spanish Wine Capitol of America. The historic Casa de Solana, one of the oldest buildings in the historic district, creates the perfect ambiance for experiencing the city’s centuries-long Spanish heritage at this fiesta. You’ll drink and eat for a good cause – all ticket proceeds support local charities. The celebration of Spanish wines continues throughout August and September, with Spanish wines available by the glass at participating St. Augustine restaurants in a program that also supports the festival’s charities.
St. Augustine’s 6th Annual Spanish Wine Festival
September 8-10, 2017
Location: St. Augustine Shipyard 117 Dockside Drive St. Augustine, FL 32084
Tickets may be purchased online
Individual Events
Friday, September 8, 2017
Cava Reception and Dinner Time: 6:00 – 10:00 pm Cost: $125 per person
Saturday, September 9, 2017
Cochinillo Asado Time: 5:00 -9:00 pm Cost: $65 per person
Batalla de Vino Time: 6:30 – 6:45 pm Cost: $100 for team of 5 people
Grand Batalla de Vino Time: 6:45 – 7:00 pm Cost: $10 per person
Sunday, September 10, 2017
Grand Tasting Time: 2:00 – 5:00 pm Cost: $75 per person.
All Access Ticket includes the Cava Reception and Dinner, Cochinillo Asado, Grand Batalla de Vino and Grand Tasting.
Cost: $200 per person
NOTE: Guests must be 21 years of age or older to purchase tickets and attend the events.
100% of Ticket Sales Benefit Local Charities
The Spanish Wine Festival is co-presented with the St. Augustine Shipyard and Wells Fargo
Photos courtesy of the St. Augustine Spanish Wine Festival