Vote for your favorite wine festival!
USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
There's a reason that Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, is often depicted as a partier; wine makes a good festival even better. From full parties to laid-back events, there's a wine festival for everyone.
We've teamed up with a panel of experts to find the best wine-centric celebrations throughout the United States. Now, we're asking you to help crown the winner by voting for your favorite once per day until voting ends on Monday, July 22 at noon ET. The winning festivals will be announced on Wednesday, July 31.
Read the official Readers' Choice rules.
There's a reason that Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, is often depicted as a partier; wine makes a good festival even better. From full parties to laid-back events, there's a wine festival for everyone.
We've teamed up with a panel of experts to find the best wine-centric celebrations throughout the United States. Now, we're asking you to help crown the winner by voting for your favorite once per day until voting ends on Monday, July 22 at noon ET. The winning festivals will be announced on Wednesday, July 31.
Read the official Readers' Choice rules.
There's a reason that Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, is often depicted as a partier; wine makes a good festival even better. From full parties to laid-back events, there's a wine festival for everyone.
We've teamed up... Read More
Best Wine Festival Nominees
Black Vines
Oakland, California
Black Vines is on a mission to connect wine lovers with Black winemakers through the longest-running Black wine festival in the United States. The annual winter festival in California brings together Black winemakers, musicians, artists, and vintners for a day of tastings, food, art, and live entertainment.
California Wine Festival - Dana Point
Dana Point, California
This two-day festival in Dana Point — the first of four California Wine Festival events held throughout the state each year — offers a tasting of rare and reserve wines at sunset to kick things off before their signature event: the beachside wine festival. The three-hour afternoon affair features hundreds of fine wines alongside culinary delights like shellfish, artisanal charcuterie, and freshly-baked breads.
Charleston Wine + Food
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston Wine + Food takes place throughout the summer with traditional epicurean experiences, from tastings to fine dining opportunities. The festival also offers educational classes and hands-on experiences for an immersive festival that offers something for everyone.
EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival
Orlando, Florida
This multi-month culinary festival at EPCOT is further proof that Disney isn’t only for kids. Families will be thrilled at the foodie offerings and global marketplaces that represent six continents, while adult visitors will delight in the drink-around-the-world experience.
Hawaii Food & Wine Festival
Big Island, Maui, and Oahu, Hawaii
An epicurean dream come true, the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival is a culinary celebration of island delights fused with top talent from across the country. There are beachside barbecues, a pickleball tournament, mixology events, and a golf classic that’s usually the first event to sell out, all headlined by world-class chefs!
Photo courtesy of franckreporter / E+
Hudson Valley Wine & Food Festival
Rhinebeck, New York
More than 300 vendors set up at this fall festival in upstate New York. Food trucks, wineries with pop-up tasting rooms, and celebrity chef demonstrations make for an entertaining weekend.
International Pinot Noir Celebration
McMinnville, Oregon
Oregon is known throughout the world for its outstanding pinot noirs, and this grape is celebrated each July during the annual International Pinot Noir Celebration. This three-day event includes vineyard tours, winery lunches, special tastings, and numerous seminars.
Key West Food & Wine Festival
Key West, Florida
Escape winter and head to the sunny Florida Keys. This creative festival held in January is the perfect escape for the wintertime blues. Enjoy a series of over 20 unique events that includes chef and winemaker collaborations, as well as waterfront tastings.
Photo courtesy of ViewApart // Getty Images
Lodi Wine Festival
Lodi, California
Often overlooked as a wine destination, Lodi plays host annually to the Lodi Wine Festival on the Lodi Grape Festival grounds, where locals and visitors have been celebrating the grape harvest for over 80 years. This one-day fest offers wine tastings of over 200 varietals from up to 40 wineries.
Photo courtesy of Mila Bridger
Naples Winter Wine Festival
Naples, Florida
Each January, the Naples Winter Wine Festival raises money for local underprivileged and at-risk kids. In addition to a charity wine auction, the festival includes a number of intimate wine dinners around Naples, Florida, where guests can mingle with top chefs and vintners.
Photo courtesy of Tami Wong
Nat Diego
San Diego, California
Spread over two days, this San Diego festival focuses on natural wine producers. Nat Diego's aim is to highlight under-the-radar wineries, as well as introduce attendees to the natural wine scene. The event is whimsical and casual, featuring a walk-around tasting and a live DJ.
New York City Wine & Food Festival
New York City, New York
This annual festival brings oenophiles together in Manhattan and Brooklyn for four days of pours from both renowned producers as well as emerging wineries. There are more than 80 events featuring more than 500 chefs from all over the world.
Rose Bowl Rosé Festival
Pasadena, California
Rosé fans won’t want to miss out on this playful festival that takes over the Rose Bowl Stadium field in Pasadena. Attendees can choose from general admission or VIP entry, the latter of which permits access to the field an hour early. A live DJ spins while more than 40 rosé producers pour up samples.
Photo courtesy of Kaeli Hearn
San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival
San Diego, California
Sandy beaches and sailboats set the scene for this week-long festival in San Diego. Celebrity chefs, top-notch winemakers, mixologists, master sommeliers, brewmasters, and James Beard Award-winning authors join together for a bevy of exciting events.
Photo courtesy of Gabriella Marks
Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta
Santa Fe, New Mexico
This five-day festival each September showcases the culinary and wine culture of Santa Fe. Some 90 wineries from around the nation partner with more than 60 Santa Fe restaurants for cooking demos, wine seminars, luncheons, and dinners, culminating in the Grand Tasting on the grassy lawn of Magers Field in downtown Santa Fe.
Photo courtesy of World Red Eye
South Beach Wine & Food Festival
Miami Beach, Florida
One of the best-known wine and food fests in the U.S, South Beach Wine & Food Festival has featured some of the country’s most notable chefs (thanks to its Food Network partnership) and winemakers for over 20 years. Enjoy more than 100 events during this four-day fest.
Photo courtesy of Alexander Rubin
Taste of Sonoma
Santa Rosa, California
As one of California's premier wine regions, it’s only natural that Taste of Sonoma would celebrate their renowned producers with a festival. More than 100 wineries are featured in a walk-around wine tasting. To keep the palate fresh, there’s also a beer garden to break up all the vino, as well as curated, complimentary dishes from local food trucks.
Taste Washington
Seattle, Washington
More than 200 Washington state wineries come together to showcase what their state has to offer. True to its name, the weekend-long event provides plenty of opportunities for tasting. Taste Washington also offers educational seminars, and an experiential dinner series ensures enlightening conversations around food and beverage is around every corner.
Uncorked: San Diego
San Diego, California
The day-long Uncorked: San Diego festival evokes the feel of a backyard gathering with your closest friends. More than 100 wines, sparkling beverages, and even canned cocktails and seltzers are there to be sipped and celebrated. The casual event offers lawn games and food trucks for a stay-all-day vibe.
World of Pinot Noir
Santa Barbara, California
World of Pinot Noir brings together notable winemakers from pinot noir-producing wineries along with chefs, sommeliers, and wine scholars who lead educational wine seminars. Held at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Santa Barbara — one of California’s best wine regions — more than 200 wineries participate.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Jenny Peters
Jenny Peters – aka Jet Set Jen – is a Los... Read More
Jenny Peters – aka Jet Set Jen – is a Los Angeles-based freelance journalist, editor and party columnist specializing in travel, entertainment, film, food, wine, fashion and the other good things in life. She is a founding/voting member of the Critics Choice Association, who present the Critics’ Choice Awards every January. Her favorite places to be are on the beach in Southern California playing volleyball, scuba diving with the sharks in warm tropical waters or strolling the streets and soaking in the atmosphere of one of the world's great cities (New Orleans and Florence are her favorites).
Jenny Peters
Jenny Peters – aka Jet Set Jen – is a Los Angeles-based freelance journalist, editor and party columnist specializing in travel, entertainment, film, food, wine, fashion and the other good things in life. She is a founding/voting member of the Critics Choice Association, who present the Critics’ Choice Awards every January. Her favorite places to be are on the beach in Southern California playing volleyball, scuba diving with the sharks in warm tropical waters or strolling the streets and soaking in the atmosphere of one of the world's great cities (New Orleans and Florence are her favorites).
Jillian Dara
Jillian is a lifestyle journalist with a focus on... Read More
Jillian is a lifestyle journalist with a focus on travel, wine, spirits and culture. Growing up in Bermuda, Jillian quickly became comfortable on planes and intrigued by the concept of the unfamiliar. Traveling, eating, and imbibing may be part of the "job" but Jillian truly believes in the whimsical power of a local experience or meeting over a traditional spirit to bond strangers in the most chance of circumstances. Outside of 10Best, Jillian's work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Decanter, Wine Enthusiast, Forbes, Elite Traveler and Hemispheres.
Jillian Dara
Jillian is a lifestyle journalist with a focus on travel, wine, spirits and culture. Growing up in Bermuda, Jillian quickly became comfortable on planes and intrigued by the concept of the unfamiliar. Traveling, eating, and imbibing may be part of the "job" but Jillian truly believes in the whimsical power of a local experience or meeting over a traditional spirit to bond strangers in the most chance of circumstances. Outside of 10Best, Jillian's work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Decanter, Wine Enthusiast, Forbes, Elite Traveler and Hemispheres.
Joanne and Tony DiBona
Travel memories may fade over time, but... Read More
Travel memories may fade over time, but photographs recall those magical moments.
Joanne and Tony DiBona
Travel memories may fade over time, but photographs recall those magical moments.
Katy Spratte Joyce
Katy Spratte Joyce is a Midwest-based food, wine,... Read More
Katy Spratte Joyce is a Midwest-based food, wine, travel, and design writer. She has contributed to Travel+Leisure, Eating Well, ELLE DECOR, Chilled Magazine, The New York Times, and more. She enjoys a jammy Pinot, aggressive brunching, and traveling the globe in search of her next great story.
Katy Spratte Joyce
Katy Spratte Joyce is a Midwest-based food, wine, travel, and design writer. She has contributed to Travel+Leisure, Eating Well, ELLE DECOR, Chilled Magazine, The New York Times, and more. She enjoys a jammy Pinot, aggressive brunching, and traveling the globe in search of her next great story.
Lynn and Cele Seldon
Lynn and Cele Seldon make up the team that is... Read More
Lynn and Cele Seldon make up the team that is Seldon Ink and have spent more than 25 years covering all aspects of culinary and travel writing. With a keen focus on the Southeast and a particular love of the Carolinas, they have written dozens of magazine and newspaper articles about the area and have become self-professed experts along the way. Their work has appeared in Southern Living, Taste of the South, The Local Palate, Cruise Travel, South Carolina Living, South Carolina Magazine, TrailBlazer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Charlotte Observer, various in-flight publications and many AAA magazines. They are also the authors of 100 Things To Do In Charleston Before You Die from Reedy Press. Follow along on their adventures at www.seldonink.com or @seldonink.
Lynn and Cele Seldon
Lynn and Cele Seldon make up the team that is Seldon Ink and have spent more than 25 years covering all aspects of culinary and travel writing. With a keen focus on the Southeast and a particular love of the Carolinas, they have written dozens of magazine and newspaper articles about the area and have become self-professed experts along the way. Their work has appeared in Southern Living, Taste of the South, The Local Palate, Cruise Travel, South Carolina Living, South Carolina Magazine, TrailBlazer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Charlotte Observer, various in-flight publications and many AAA magazines. They are also the authors of 100 Things To Do In Charleston Before You Die from Reedy Press. Follow along on their adventures at www.seldonink.com or @seldonink.
Sarah May Grunwald
Sarah May Grunwald is a wine, food, and travel... Read More
Sarah May Grunwald is a wine, food, and travel writer originally from California She is a certified sommelier and former professor of wine. She gardens and keeps bees in the Roman countryside and has seven rescue dogs and three cats. She leads wine and food tours in Rome and the country of Georgia. She co-owns a Tbilisi food and wine tour company called Taste Georgia. Sign up for her Substack newsletter Contadina, and find her on Instagram at @sarahmaygrunwald and @tastegeorgia.
Sarah May Grunwald
Sarah May Grunwald is a wine, food, and travel writer originally from California She is a certified sommelier and former professor of wine. She gardens and keeps bees in the Roman countryside and has seven rescue dogs and three cats. She leads wine and food tours in Rome and the country of Georgia. She co-owns a Tbilisi food and wine tour company called Taste Georgia. Sign up for her Substack newsletter Contadina, and find her on Instagram at @sarahmaygrunwald and @tastegeorgia.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.