Decatur Wine Festival

The Decatur Wine Festival is probably the best wine fest in the Atlanta area. And my favorite! A true kick-​off to the holiday season for me. This was my third year going and it has gotten better each time.
It’s held in the Decatur Square area, taking over the actual square and some of Ponce. 2014 brought an extra hour (12:30−4:30) and a few more food options. The food always runs out though, so sample early but more importantly, eat a good meal beforehand to pad that belly.
There were 70 tables this year with each table having at least 5 wines, needless to say, there are many options for you to choose from. I would suggest having some sort of game plan going in. Maybe try varietals you’ve never had. Or stick to all a couple you like (Zinfandels and Malbecs for example). Or stick to certain regions. Just don’t think you will actually get through all tables and all wines. You would be assed out on Ponce. Take your time, drink some water and enjoy the inevitable buzz.
The value for what you pay at this festival is just too good to pass up. It was $ 39 this year for allathat! I love that they give you a booklet that has every table listed and numbered with the wines available at each table. It helps you keep track of what you had (bring a pen!) and what you did or did not like. Unless, of course, you are already balls to the wall drunk. Don’t be that one.
Each table also has a wine with an *asterisk next to it in the booklet. That is their featured and recommended wine. It may or may not be the best tasting one at the table (every palette is different) but I’d suggest at least trying that one at the tables you go to. They tend to run out faster than any.
It’s always interesting and funny for us to observe the crowd’s energy and vibe at the beginning of the fest vs the end. By the last hour, everyone is a BFF, everything is beautiful, you may have get some random hugs or hi-​fives and the decibel level is insane. Wine makes everyone happy.
And the bonus part about the Decatur Wine Fest is the plethora of delicious restaurants in walking distance to help sober you up. This year we tried Leon’s Full Service for the first time and it was perfect.
Be responsible and take MARTA or Über. Cheers!

It is hard to complain about a all you can drink wine event. And there is no reason to complain about this festival. I volunteered for the early shift and was done by 2pm and was able to enjoy the large wine selection. Unfortunately some of the food ran out or the lines were long by that time.
The festival started at 12:30 and people were there early! So get there early if you want to get to the food. There was no running out of wine though. There were so many options!!! There were about 70 tables and each table had at least 3 different wines. That’s how many there is to pick from! I myself don’t know much about wine, so it was the perfect opportunity to step outside of the things I normally drink!
I tried some rose, some proseccos, a South African wine, a Medoc, A Grenacha, A Malbec, a Chenin. I really should have kept track of what I was trying for future reference. Needless to say you definitely have a wide range of choices.
There was music the entire time and by the end a lot of people were in the center of the square dancing and having a great time. You get a nice glass and a booklet of all the wines and food.
Two thumbs up for the wine festival. Put it on your calendar for next year as they always sell out!

I won tickets to the Decatur Wine Festival, but I had such a good time that I would gladly pay the $ 30ish for tickets next year.
The Festival takes place in the Decatur Square, which is lovely on its own, but lends itself particularly well for this type of event. There was a little line to get in, but once we got our wrist bands and wineglasses, we were turned loose to partake in the 300+ varieties (!) of wine with an emphasis on organic/​local options. Whether you like white, red, pink, or bubbly, there were tons of options. For someone like me that likes wine but doesn’t know a whole lot about wine, this was the perfect opportunity for an education in viticulture. Or drunkenness. Or both. Thank goodness for MARTA.
Unlike the beer festivals I’ve been to, food was also included. At least a dozen Decatur restaurants from Parker’s on Ponce to the Iberian Pig were offering tastes of their menu, though I’m still not sure which wine I was supposed to pair with the nachos the Mexican place was serving.
The only two suggestions I have to make this Festival even better would be to 1) Place the numbers for the wine stations on high stakes so that they’re visible over the crowds and 2) Have the restaurants provide wine recommendations for the bites they’re serving.
I love when I can (over)indulge in great wine while supporting a great cause (the Decatur Arts Alliance).