San Francisco Vintners Market? (April 12-13)

WINE TALK
1

Has anyone every attended this event: http://www.sfvintnersmarket.com/ ?

I posted in Cellar rats for feedback from the winery POV, but I wonder if anyone has comments rom the consumer side.

Any comments will be greatly appreciated.

2

We used to attend as sellers and really enjoyed it a couple years ago, but the actual buyer attendance seemed to dwindle over the last few events, being replaced by a much younger (non-buying) marina crowd, so we passed on the 2013 events.
We are undecided on the 2014 events.

3

Cool – sounds like the Marche aux Vins D’Ampuis we wrote about on our blog a couple of weeks ago.

Sounds like fun – wish this had been around for the dozen years I lived in SF

4

Andrew, just answered in Cellar Rats.

5

Been a couple of times. I like it as an opportunity to get to know producers I would otherwise never encounter, and this brings many under one roof. On the negative side, like a lot of these Fort Mason Pavilion events, the crowds can get bigger, skew towards younger non-buyers, and a few drunkies will rear their ugly heads from time to time. Never ruined it for me though.

A few notes:

  1. It can get crowded … though I agree it was less the second time around. It’s divided into three sections - Main Room, Reserve Room and Cult Lounge (which is on a second level in the back of the pavilion and is wines at something like $75 a bottle and up, many $100+). Main Room gets packed, Reserve a little less but still crowded, Cult Lounge not too bad but it is a smaller space. Cult tickets (and maybe reserve) get you in an hour early which I would advise using in the main room before the crowd gets in.
  2. Never pay full price. Discount codes of 50-60% off float around like wildfire, even for the super-exclusive Cult Lounge. Cult is pricey even with discounts ($150 regular, I think $75 with best discount), but if you’re going to go once and throw down $40 or whatever for main room, I think it’s worth the bump to the discounted price to Cult (which also, of course, includes the Reserve Room).
  3. Lots of wineries there, so it helps to plan ahead and pick out a few you think you want to try. I believe the website lists producers. You’ll never get to all of them.
  4. You can buy wines here, which is always a plus. Most have a discount for the event.

Hope that helps a little.