Savor Dallas - Know Before You Go
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Savor Dallas founders Vicki Briley-White & Jim White [ENLARGE] |
SOOO many wines; so little time …
The first time we traveled to Manhattan, we thought, “Can it really be that big?” It was. And the first time we attended Savor Dallas, we thought, “Can there really be that much wine?” And oh, without a doubt, there was!
Background
Featuring more than 400 wines and over 60 top chefs from the area, Savor Dallas is a premier wine festival and is considered to be one of the best reserve tastings in the country. Founded by former KRLD restaurant talk show host Jim White along with Vicki Briley-White as a means of showcasing star chefs and premium wines while raising funds for area arts and culinary programs, the Savor Dallas weekend typically consists of an Arts District Wine Stroll, wine and food seminars, a Reserve Tasting, and the International Grand Tasting.
The Vibe
This absolutely fantastic event, which quickly took its place as one of our favorite festivals, is extremely well organized and not pretentious by any stretch of the imagination. OK, maybe you can find a few pretentious people, but you don’t have to be a wine geek to attend. As a matter of fact, you really don’t have to know much about wines at all. That’s the beauty of Savor Dallas (and the point entirely) - it’s a completely comfortable environment for learning and a great opportunity to experience a wide variety of foods and flavors.
How it Works
Navigating Savor Dallas is simple - just walk right in, collect your entrance badge, pick up a wine glass, and head on over to the tasting tables. The winemakers and vendors are generally extremely friendly, very knowledgeable, and not condescending or pushy in any way. When we inquired about offerings and recommendations, representatives delivered an abundance of information; and since most stations offered at least four different types of wine, we were invited to taste one or all of them.
The Food
Don't expect the food samples at Savor Dallas to be little chicken nuggets on decorative toothpicks. That would be to think way too small. As a matter of fact, one year as we were enjoying Chef Blythe Beck's short ribs with accompanying cheesy, naughty grits, two women walked up near Blythe’s table and were eyeing the selections. There was some quiet debate, and then they started to walk away. We urged them, “If you’re thinking about tasting that, you should; it’s so good.” Their reply: “I don’t know if you work for the restaurant, but that sample is too big!” No, we don’t work for the restaurant; we just loved the dish and encouraged them to split it, which they did.
More Information
For much more additional information about Savor Dallas, peruse these articles:
Savor Dallas - Information
Information
Savor Dallas is a premier food and wine festival showcasing star chefs and premium wines while raising funds for area arts and culinary programs.
Savor Dallas - Reviews
FlashPoints Reviews
Reviews of previous events hosted by Savor Dallas such as the wine stroll, afterparties, seminars, reserve tastings, and International Grand Tasting.
Savor Dallas - Photos
FlashPhotos
Photos of previous events hosted by Savor Dallas such as the wine stroll, afterparties, seminars, awards presentations, reserve tastings, and International Grand Tasting.
How To Navigate a Wine Tasting Festival
FlashPoints HOW TO
Breeze through like a pro when you learn what to do, how to prepare, when to arrive, what to wear, how to take risks, and even how to gracefully ditch wines you don't care for.
