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The Virginia Wine Showcase People's Choice Award Bring your serious wine to this show - Each featured winery in the Virginia Wine Showcase may nominate one white and one red wine for a People's Choice award. Nominated wines will be judged at the Showcase and the 8 People's Choice winners will get dibbs on participating in the other best events in Virginia - The Wine Festival at the Plains and The Old Town Alexandria Food & Wine Festival. Participation in both of these shows will be very limited. The prestigious People's Choice Award, complete with medallion, plaque and heavy press coverage, will be presented to the top 8 wines voted best in show by real people - the guests of the Virginia Wine Showcase. Guests will be carrying a ballot card on which they'll be asked to be vote for their favorite wines as they meander through the show. Ballots will be turned in for our door prize drawing as guests depart. After the show we'll tally the ballots and the TOP 8 wines will receive the gorgeous, prestigious People's Choice Award medallion and plaque, have their winery featured  in post show media coverage, and be selected to participate in the two shows that will take the Virginia Wine industry into the big leagues - The Wine Festival at the Plains and The Old Town Alexandria Food & Wine Festival.                           CLICK HERE to email us your Nominations                                                  (one white and one red wine per winery)

 

Everything works a little bit differently inside a building - it's climate controlled, wind, rain and hurricane-proof and there are no chiggers or rolling grass terrain! We hope you enjoy the ease of this indoor showcase that is bringing Virginia's wineries into the big leagues!

Winery participation in this event is limited to 35 wineries in an effort to reduce winery competition and maximize ROI for each participating winery. Because we are limiting the number of wineries you will each have a double booth tasting bar from which to adequately service the crowd.

Winery booths will be set the way they will look during the show. We'll provide the tables to form your wine tasting bar. Tables must be covered to the floor with your own decorative cloths. You will need 8 cloths if you are in an island booth.  You will need 2 8' cloths and 2 6' cloths if you are in a wall booth.

                                        

Please unload your vehicle in the designated area as quickly as possible and immediately park your vehicle in the exhibitor parking area. Actual booth setup should begin only after your vehicle has been parked to ensure all exhibitors can get to their space in a timely manner.

Wineries should bring:

o        Decorative table cloths. (We recommend one set for Saturday and one set for Sunday so that you can refresh and cover any spills).

o        Decorative and functional items you would normally have on your tasting bar – pitchers for rinsing, oyster crackers, decorative containers for crackers, rinse bucket, floral accents, etc. We will have rinse stations throughout the show floor but you will want your own right there so people don’t have to leave your table during their tasting.

o        Coolers for under the table and tabletop chill buckets to showcase your whites.

o        Bottle Openers, rags, water container and any other tools you normally use at your tasting bar

o        Wine accessories and gift items from your tasting room if you would like to sell them at the event.

o        Company identification signage you would like to place. All signage must be professional in appearance (no hand-lettered signs).

Farm Wineries Council will provide wineries with:

o       Tables

o        Lots of people who want to try and buy your wines

o       Each Winery will be paid $100 at the end of the show for wine used to serve tastings.

         (any winery who vacates prior to 5pm on Sunday will be paid $1 instead of the full amount

          for wine used in tastings - new rule, thanks to a guy who doesn't come to FWC events anymore).

FORKLIFT - There will be several pallet jacks and hand carts in the hall that you can use for free on a first come basis. We think these will work well for this event since everything is indoors on flat concrete. The building will run a Forklift service for those who need it. I believe the fee is around about $130 per hour to cover cost of the machine and driver. You will need to reserve forklift service in advance if you'd like it.

ICE – Ice will be available for sale on the floor all day Saturday and Sunday.

WATER – Rinse tables will be positioned throughout the show floor for guest use. Potable water is also available on the floor and we do suggest that you provide a way for folks to rinse their glasses at your tasting table as well. PS - Please DO NOT fill your pitchers or remove the water tanks from show rinsing stations.

SERVING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES – It is against Virginia law to serve alcohol to anyone under 21 years of age. The pourer is personally responsible for individuals they serve. If an individual is under the age of 21, the person who pours or sells them alcohol goes to jail. This is very serious business. Do not serve minors. The legal birth date for drinkers at this event must be prior to today's date, 1989.

WRIST-BANDS – Every guest eligible to taste wine at this event will be wearing a wrist band.  If you are ever in doubt of someone’s age, even if they are wearing a wristband, ask “Are you over 21?” then ask to see proof in the form of a drivers license or other legal identification document (a business card is not proof). New info - we have added a new ticket - GENERAL ADMISSION - so there will be lots of people on the floor without wristbands. Do not give tastings to anyone without an wristband. If they would like to purchase sealed bottles they may do so but you must check their ID.

TASTERS VS DESIGNATED DRIVERS OR ART CUSTOMERS – Only “tasters” equipped with a wristband are permitted to do tastings at this event. Do not allow any guest to give alcohol to a second person.

NON-TASTERS will not be wearing a wristband. You will only be serving to verified legal age wrist-banded people. Do not serve alcohol to anyone not wearing a wristband.