Raley’s Grape Escape

This is one of my favorite events in Sacramento. I was really bummed when they had to cancel it this year (2015) due to permit restrictions or something.
First off, there are unlimited wine and beer tastings. I personally stuck with beer after I saw the much heftier tasting sizes they were giving compared with those of the wine vendors. Also, grab some of the free food. Lowbrau had one of the most popular tents since they were serving brats.
There’s also live music playing and a food court where you can chill with your friends for a bit. There are also a few places to grab shade and escape the heat, which will definitely be there. As far as bathrooms, enjoy the porta potties.
Be sure to dress a bit more nicely for this one. It’s more of a wine event than a beer one, so keep it classy.

Talk about a great all around time! Found out about this event because of a Living Social 2fer 2 tickets for $ 25 GREAT DEAL, Gotta LOVE DISCOUNTS on great Sacramento adventures! While it was as hot as all H*** the great music, food, wine and most of all great vibe of people the heat was bearable. After braving the parking or lack thereof my friend and I came to the main entrance with one hell of a line! NOOOOooo! Talk about efficient! The staff handling the line had people in in no time​.PRO! With that said, they barely looked at our tickets, They may want to get a better system for next year as this can be a VERY big problem if you are dealing with dishonest people. Most vendors were TOO generous with the tastings ESPECIALLY the guy that poured my friend and I an ENTIRE glass of a delicious Red blend. While we wanted to make sure we tried the maximum amount to vendors we couldn’t just pour out after a sip NO WASTING LIQUOR soooo*****Cue drunken fun***** The food was awesome and I found out so many local wineries and great places to eat who offered coupons for FREE or REDUCED PRICE SPECIALS! Great Reds, Whites, Beers, and Food, some stuff sucked but overall most were very enjoyable and COMPLETELY worth the price of admission. I will definitely be on the lookout for this event next year.

From the recent Music Festival in Old Sacramento to the Raley Field Brew fest last month, many and most downtown festivities and events have succeeded. One recent exception? Raley’s Grape Escape at Cesar Chavez Park in Downtown Sacramento. As a property owner in Downtown Sacramento, I appreciate the amount of general care and organization applied to local festivities in the area. And as an attendee of this year’s Grape Escape, I witnessed considerable disorganization within the event itself and simply far too many people admitted. My husband and I arrived on time and waited in each line for an exuberant amount of time. For example, a splash of wine required a 15 – 20 minute wait in overcrowded, jumbled lines. While superb, local restaurants such as Mulvaney’s, The Grange and Michelangelo’s, were present, portions were minuscule and unsatisfactory, with the only exceptions being Krush Burger’s Flavorful, sweet potato tater-​tots and Red Rabbit’s perfectly dressed, savory salad. With all of the grumpy, inhospitable wine hosts, exhausting long lines, and so-​so eats, I’ll throw my own wine tasting party next year. See you there.

After my opportunity to attend last years function was denied by Mother Nature’s rainy fury. I jumped at the opportunity to buy the 2 for 1 ticket voucher from Living Social two months prior to the event. I found out that Raleys offers a free VIP coupon to gain access to the event 30 minutes earlier than the non very important people. This VIP coupon will turn out to be a gift and a curse.
After gaining access at about 3:40, I immediately sampled close to 10 different wines in 10 minutes and by the official starting time at 4:00pm, I was FAYYYYDED. At this time, I was faced with a dilemma, go or go home; with the intensity and determination of Kobe Bryant in the 2002 playoffs after eating the tainted cheeseburger. I channeled my inner boracho and powered my way through other drunken wine tasters to more and more booths, with tasty bites of food in between.
All in all, this was a very fun event that had alot of everything: pretty ladies, ugly ladies, great wine, good wine, crappy wine with stingy pours, tasty bites of food and some beer for the bros. I will definitely be making this event a yearly tradition.

It was my first experience, and I have to say it was good to see how coordinated the event was… regardless of the weather this year (rain/​shine). It was a different experience (in regards to the weather clothing) in June, but the food-​entertainment-​cook off’s between the local chef’s-wine was a great taste for the palette w/​in 3 hours! I actually went back for the tater tots 2x, and the Sugar&Spice line was worth the wait. Of all the tastey bites, I liked the lettuce wraps from PF Chang’s the most! It felt like a teased dinner, and I would go again next year. My only recommendation is to have more food stations (in opposite corners of the park) from the popular restaurants so that everyone gets a try. There were vendors who already ran out of food and did not allow me to savor their genuine culinary arts. And you also get a souvenir wine cup, how cute is that! They also have bottled water there to keep you hydrated. There was also beer there, how awesome was that! Overall, there were no rude or drunk-​drama people there. So to prepare for next year, get your tixs at Raley’s because are cheaper!

This was my first experience at the Grape Escape and I’m so glad I went! Most people expected rain from the bipolar weather but in my opinion, the weather turned out almost perfect (minus that damn wind).
Some highlights:
Tulí Bistro– That pizza. mmmm yeah, tasty baby.
Cycles Gladiator– Nice heavy pours, thankyouverymuchmayIhaveanother.
Jodar– I already knew I loved you. Just thought I’d say it again.
Barefoot– Normally not at a fan at all, but a friend let me taste her pour of Moscato (pretty sure that’s what it was) and it was almost like champagne. Surprisingly good!
Pizza Rock– the guy twirling and flipping pizza dough, he was rad!
Lone Buffalo– Where The Buffalo Roam, mmmmm… I had to go back for a 2^nd pour.
Flattened boxes– Some wineries put them in front of their booth so that we didn’t have to stand in the mud while tasting. Totally appreciated that.
My only complaint is the restaurants and wineries that no-​showed because they were afraid of a little rain. LAME.
I can’t wait to go next year!

This is an enjoyable event, but it has become a little too popular and the lines are getting a little longer than I’m willing to stand, so this was probably our last year going. However, it is well organized and there is plenty of selection. Love the food samples. The gourmet Tater Tots were amazing! Quite a few wineries did not show up due to the rain this year. It wasn’t a lot of fun trampling through the mud, but that’s the risk of an outdoor event. Time for a larger venue or fewer tickets sold.

A for Effort! I love that this event said «Rain or Shine» — and to be honest, it did just that, SHINED!
While this review is a bit overdue, the memory of the booths and tasty treats still resonant with me. I loved the Tuli pizza oven (of course, Chef Adam was robbed in the Chef Challenge!!), Sugar and Spice and Chipotle. Yes… Chipotle. They always serve the biggest portions and juiciest pork tacos. Delicious.
This event really captures the Sacramento Valley. I enjoyed the friendly wine vendors, even friendlier (tipsy to the max) people and well thought out food.
I must say… the wines were a bit lacking in their overall flavor profiles, but who’s going to complain? Not I! This is my second time going to Grape Escape, and it won’t be my last. See you next year, rain or shine!

The clouds parted, the winos gathered, and the beer and wine did flow! I was super impressed with this year’s Grape Escape, especially when I compare it to other recent booze gatherings like the beerfest. There were a ton of wine, food and beer vendors from all across California providing samples. Every vendor I spoke with was outgoing and cordial. The lines weren’t bad (except for the food in the beginning) and, as I mentioned, the heavens provided a merciful respite from the apocalyptic storms we’ve been experiencing lately. And most importantly, I got my monies worth. While the beerfest was so crowded that I got tired just waiting to get a buzz, this event was evenly balanced between the large crowds and booths. I even had to cut myself off near the end!
A big pat on the back to Raley’s for organizing a fantastic shindig in Cesar Chavez Park!

Wine isn’t really my thing, but I was impressed with this event! I cant believe it went on «rain or shine!» you wine-​os are hardcore! ;-)
You walk in and they give you your own novelty wine glass for tasting that you get to keep as well as a plastic tray for chow. It even has a wine glass holder! How cute!
Then to the tasting. Hundreds of wines (all you can taste) as well as local restaurants and businesses ranging from Lucca to chipotle to Sugar n Spice!
This was a great event for the wine connoisseur or for someone like me, looking to learn. They even had beer and sake tastings!
Everyone was really helpful and looked particularly ready for wine tasting in rain boots under tents :-)
Maybe a beer tasting event soon? Yes, please!

This event was so much fun last year. I loved that it was outdoors and the the lines were WAY shorter than other wine events. Had a great selection of wineries, great food and a selection of beers and ciders.
Tips:
— buy your ticket in a Sacramento Bel Air/​Raleys and it’s only $ 35 with no fees.
— Sign up for the free VIP pass on Raley’s website and you get in an hour early.
It seems this year may be raining, which really sucks and will likely keep me away. Crazy thing is last year it was close to 100. That’s the thing about an outdoor event… can’t predict the weather.

What is not to like? Nearly 100 booths composed of local wineries, restaurants and trade schools (or at least the institute for technology, which was a good stop). They even got a top chef competition. For the $ 40 price tag you are getting your dinner and more drink then you need. If there is a certain stand that you like, make sure you go back for seconds.
This event is held in the summer and can get awfully hot. Come hydrated, because a wine and heat combination can wear you out. Also note that some stands close early because they run out of wine or food. Come early to ensure your full ticket price. Still wont be early enough for a café americain though!

Grape Escape has become an annual tradition for me. At $ 40 – 50, the price is a little steep, but you certainly get your money’s worth if you’re really out to do so. There is a lot of quality wine to taste (some places seem a little more stingy than others with their pours…) along with a handful of beers and a good amount of food from restaurants in the area. All around, it’s a fun event and I wish it’d happen more than once a year.
My biggest complaint is the damn heat. It’s tough to enjoy warm wine when you’re sweating profusely in a park. I seem to remember last year being even hotter. Perhaps future editions could add misters? Heck, I’d be happy if they just filled the fountain so we could tromp around a bit.
Overall, it’s a heck of a party where you can eat and drink to your own capacity. Can’t wait for next year.

Grape Escape is always a great event and the move to Cesar Chavez Park puts it in a beautiful location. It’s a great way to spend a leisurely afternoon with good friends, enjoying more food and wine (and beer and champagne fizzes) in one place than you could ever hope for. Think «Best of Sacramento» for food and wine, but at half the cost and in perfect 78 degree weather!
Go round up some friends and buy your tickets now. You’ll love it!

Very cool event! Lots of great wine and food and local beers. Like a mini Best of Sacramento but half the cost – and in a park! Only $ 35 if you enter RALEYS at the
site. Some good music last year, too… local art, olive oils, sake, champagene, sangria, etc. A great way to spend a saturday and drink and eat to your heart’s content for cheap. I have not missed this event in four years!

2009 marks the seventh year the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau will produce this event. As a ‘Capital Region Wine & Food Celebration,’ the one-​day event features more than 100 local wineries and restaurants that guests can experience via free tastings, a local celebrity chefs cooking competition, live music and art exhibitions.
For $ 40−50/person (age 21+) you can’t beat the quality of wineries who come to you from Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin and Yolo counties. After all, I spend that kind of money driving to them and tasting their wines. Last year I met the 19-​year-​old chef who upset culinary cult leader Randy Selland!
In the past, Crocker Park and Raley Field have hosted Grape Escape. Cesar Chavez Plaza was the site for last year and this year’s. You also get a keepsake wine glass, and my cabinet’s filling up!
Elect a designated driver and save the date: Saturday, June 6, 2009!