Contest is closed. Congratulations Mindy for leaving lucky comment 10!
Fall is just around the corner which means cooler temps, grape-harvest time and of course local wine. A busy time for winemakers and wineries alike, tasting rooms are busy and new vintages are being poured. That said I thought it would be a great time to post a list of helpful tips (and products) to make for a memorable visit:
- Be prepared to wait. Fall is a busy time and tasting rooms tend to fill up quickly. If you’re traveling in a larger group, call ahead and make reservations.
- If you’re familiar with the wineries offerings, purchase a bottle and enjoy outside. There is nothing better than spending a Fall afternoon with friends on the patio enjoying a nice cheese platter paired alongside a favorite wine. I recommend packing a blanket, wine opener and a holder for your wine and glasses. The Picnic Stix Wine Set is the perfect companion for picnics, concerts and more.
- Plan ahead. Most states offer web resources that cover their wine industry. Fall is a popular time for festivals and events, so do your homework before hitting the wine trail.
- Take notes! The holidays are right around the corner and nothing makes for a better gift than local wine. A simple, inexpensive, compact notebook to log all your tasting notes, the DeLong’s Wine Tasting Notebook is the perfect companion guide to refer back to after a day of tasting.
- Read my 10 tasting rules here.
- Bring along a friend and introduce them to local wines.
Have a wine accessory that you can’t live without? True Fabrications is generously offering one lucky reader a Cherry Wood 1-Bottle Wine Accessory Gift Set. To enter, visit their website and tell me a product that’s a “must have” for the wine connoisseur. For additional entries, do the following but leave a separate comment for each (this will allow you additional chances to win).
- “Like” TheOther46.com’s Facebook Fan Page. If you’re already a fan, thank you very much! Just list your name below and indicate that you are.
- Post this giveaway as your facebook status and encourage your friends to enter.
- Follow @TheOther46 on twitter and retweet this contest (you can use the convenient green retweet button above). You can do this once per day, just make sure to leave your tweet link as a comment daily.
- Subscribe to TheOther46.com’s RSS feed and let me know you have. Already a subscriber, thank you. Just indicate that you are in the comments.
- Have a blog? Add The Other 46 to your blog roll and let me know you did.
Random.org will select a winner on September 19, 2010. U.S. residents only. Winner will be contacted via email and has 48 hours to respond. If no response is received, random.org will select another winner.
Good luck!






September 9, 2010 at 8:40 am
A must have product for any wine connoisseur is a really good cork screw. There are many other items that are useful and fun to have but a cork screw is most definitely a must have!
September 9, 2010 at 8:41 am
“Like” your Facebook page.
September 9, 2010 at 8:41 am
Following on Twitter.
September 9, 2010 at 8:42 am
I am subscribed to the RSS feed.
September 9, 2010 at 8:45 am
Added you to my blog roll!
September 9, 2010 at 10:29 am
I think a great decanter is essential! Plus, they just look cool.
September 9, 2010 at 10:33 am
Followed you and RT’d.
September 9, 2010 at 3:21 pm
I have parties all the time and I can’t live without a few sets of wine charms. I love the Vintage Ornament Wine Charms for the holidays. Also great to have on hand for any last minute gifts.
September 9, 2010 at 3:22 pm
I am a fan on your FB page
)
September 9, 2010 at 3:25 pm
I follow you on Twitter and retweeted this contest
September 9, 2010 at 7:50 pm
Nothing better than Virginia Wineries in the Fall!!!!I love my marble wine bottle holder, that is kept in my freezer, and ready for my bottle of white wine!
September 9, 2010 at 9:32 pm
Retweeted this post!
September 12, 2010 at 2:40 pm
Added you to my blog roll!
CD
September 12, 2010 at 2:42 pm
Already following you on Twitter, but I retweeted.
CD
September 12, 2010 at 2:43 pm
Our current favorite wine accessory is the Wine Soiree, a decanter device that you stick on the end of the bottle. Perfect for those Autumn weather reds!
CD
September 12, 2010 at 4:44 pm
I am a fan on facebook.
September 12, 2010 at 4:55 pm
One item I personally believe is a must have would be the following.
http://www.truefabrications.com/shopexd.asp?id=1313
You can stick it in your pocket, and you are never without an opener. It’s nice looking, and has 2 great features. The teflon makes it slide into a cork like a hot knife through butter, and the double hinge design gives you just the right amount of leverage to get the cork out, without splashing the contents of the bottle all over you in the process. I have one just like this, and will be buying one of these as a backup. Inexpenive and makes a great gift for anyone who loves wine.
Side note – They work great on opening bottles for the beer lover in your family as well.
September 12, 2010 at 5:09 pm
Retweeted the contest
)
September 14, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Retweeted the post
September 15, 2010 at 4:43 pm
While I love my corkscrew, I actually think the most important wine accessory in my bar at the moment is a wine stone to keep whites cold while out on the deck with my wife enjoying what little of summer we have left here in Virginia.
September 15, 2010 at 4:46 pm
retweeted the contest – mindysharp RT @TheOther46 Fall Is In The Air http://bit.ly/aCVxsY
September 18, 2010 at 1:30 pm
Proud to say The Other 46 was one of the first blogs listed on my blog roll at eugeniaessentials.com
September 18, 2010 at 1:30 pm
I’m already a FB fan.
September 18, 2010 at 1:31 pm
I follow The Other 46 on Twitter.
September 18, 2010 at 1:34 pm
I visited True Fabrications and for picnicking with wine those wine stix are definitely can’t live without items! Plus a good lever cork screw. I saw some nice ones on there that were affordable…also makes a nice gift with a bottle of someone’s favorite Virgina wine!
September 18, 2010 at 1:36 pm
I retweeted your contest on Twitter.
September 18, 2010 at 1:40 pm
I posted the contest to my FB profile page.