Food + Drink: Fill Your Wine Glass To The Brim Saturday at Max's, Vino Vino, and The Austin Wine Merchant

Image by Terrence Moline via vinovinotx.com.

As we approach Memorial Day, more and more weekends seem to be filled with hours on the back patio and at barbecues - which usually means that there's some imbibing going on. If you're prepared for the hot weather, but are unsure of what wine to tote along to the next big summer bash, three events taking place this weekend may help to cure that indecision.

Pink Fest at Vino Vino - Saturday, May 22, 12:30-3:30pm, Guadalupe @ 42nd Street, $30/person: Nothing says summer quite like a rosé. Some of these pink wines were once dismissed by wine geeks as candy or leftovers, and not without merit - many of the infamous early "white zinfandels" were made from the stems and pulp after the regular zin was produced. But don't let the Franzias of the world tarnish a wine style that can be wonderful when produced with quality and terroir in mind. Thankfully, as wine education and greater selection become more commonplace, Austin consumers can now sip on beautiful French rosé from Tavel, Cabernet-based rosé from South Africa, or Pinot Noir-based wines from California done in a saignée style (meaning that the wine is 'bled' from the tanks after limited contact with the grape skins.) One can easily find 100 rosés to choose from on local shelves...but which is your favorite? To answer this, Hyde Park's Vino Vino has an annual tradition of opening every rosé they can get their hands on once a year to help settle the debate for all of their patrons. The annual Pink Fest features 60 pink wines, live music from Latin band Son y No Son, and a tapa of your choice (either lamb sausage or a portabello mushroom slider.) Pink attire is encouraged, as it is concurrently festive and helpful in preventing unsightly stains.

Spring Wine Tasting at Max's Wine Dive - Saturday, May 22, 1-4pm, 3rd and San Jacinto, $30/person ($25 for Max's Black Door members): If just tasting rosé is too constrictive for you, there's another mega-tasting option for Saturday, as Max's WIne Dive presents a lineup of 30 "spring friendly" wines to sip and sample in their space near the Convention Center. Two things to note about Max's: first, they're also a wine retailer, so if you taste something you like, you can often buy a bottle to take with you. Second, the tastings at Max's are always accompanied with snacks - crackers, fruit, and cheese are always on hand, but they often bring out fries, stuffed mushrooms, and other indulgent snacks during their tasting events. While the wine lineup isn't posted, the announcements make it clear that the lineup will lean toward whites, rosés, and lighter-bodied styles appropriate for picnics and warmer weather.

Pellegrini Family Vineyards Tasting at Austin Wine Merchant - Saturday, May 22, Noon-3pm, West 6th St. at San Antonio, free: It would be tough to overstate the amount of wine education one can receive simply by turning up to see what John Roenigk and his staff are pouring each Saturday afternoon. One week, you might find $8 summer sippers, then the next, they might be pouring upscale Cabernets from Silver Oak or Chateau Montelena. This Saturday, new world wine lovers can find their new favorites from Sonoma's Pellegrini Family Vineyards, as the Merchant will sample a selection of five wines from the highly-regarded producer. Varietals will include Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Cabernet, and even Carignan, so there will be something for every palate. The best part of this tasting is the price - or lack of one. The Austin Wine Merchant does these weekly tastings for free, so come this weekend, and make it a habit to come back, sample, and purchase - you'll learn a lot, find new favorites, and support a local business all at once.

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