Imagine standing atop a seaside cliff, the fresh ocean breeze in your hair, waves crashing on the beach below, while you sip from a bottomless flute of sparkling wine.
Some lucky festival-goers will be living that dream this month.
Create Promotions, the event specialists behind the annual Bacon & Barrels, has created a new event for “the bubbles and Sunday Funday obsessed,” called BubblyFest By The Sea, a three-day festival, Oct. 24 through 26 in Pismo Beach.
“They have champagne festivals in Europe, they have them in South Africa, but there’s nothing in the United States. … And yet it’s become such a beloved beverage, so it was like, ‘We’ve got to do this,’” said Holly Holliday, the brains behind BubblyFest.
BubblyFest begins with a Gatsby-themed cocktail mixer on the oceanfront patio at the Dolphin Bay Resort on the evening of Friday, Oct. 24.
“I like to create an experience. It feels like this cool speakeasy club, but you’re outside under the stars,” Holliday said. “It’s a gorgeous location. The entire festival is on the cliffs of the Pacific Ocean.
“We are encouraging people to have fun with it and come dressed as if you were going to a ’20s or Gatsby-themed party. I know my staff will be there all dressed up!”
Bartenders will pour bubbly and specialty cocktails made with champagne, served with appetizers, and accompanied by the sounds of the Tipsy Gypsies jazz band.
At least 44 wineries are lined up to pour their sparkling wines, champagne, prosecco, and cava at BubblyFest’s Saturday Grand Tasting event from noon to 4 p.m. on Oct. 25 at the SeaCrest OceanFront Hotel in Pismo Beach.
“I don’t know if you’ll be able to get through all the bubbles in four hours,” Holliday said of all the sparkling wine that will be flowing that afternoon.
Wineries pouring at the festival’s Grand Tasting include Gruet, Orange Coast Winery, Mosby, Pacific Rim, Laetitia, Cass, Opolo, Joseph Blair, Arroyo Robles, Clavo Cellars, Derby Wine Estates, Palmina, Brewer-Clifton, Flying Goat Cellars, William James Cellars, Rack and Riddle, Tobin James, and Bonny Doon Vineyard.
Holliday enthusiastically revealed that Randall Grahm, legendary winemaker and author, the founder of Bonny Doon, is attending BubblyFest.
She was also excited to announce that distinguished French winery Lucien Albrecht is bringing its cremant to pour for BubblyFest attendees.
Solminer Wine Company based in Los Olivos is introducing its first sparkling wine at the festival.
“We’re really excited to be a part of what feels like a sparkling wine ‘movement,’” wrote Solminer winemaker David deLaski in an email to the Sun.
His winery is debuting the newly bottled 2013 Nebullite sparkling syrah.
“The syrah for Nebullite was hand disgorged and bottled in the ‘traditional method,’ producing a brilliant, amethyst-colored sparkling wine. The timing is really tight but we are excited to literally have the first pours of this new effort be at BubblyFest. In fact, as soon as we heard about BubblyFest we made sure that it would be ready in time. It should be a great party. I can’t wait to try all of the amazing bubbles,” Solminer wrote.
Also at Saturday’s Grand Tasting—in addition to an educational talk from Lompoc winemaker Steve Clifton, a man cave where beer will be pouring, a live mermaid, and a photo booth with Roaring ’20’s costume accessories—there will be food that pairs well with the bubbly.
Holliday enlisted Tracy Labastida’s Field to Table to cater BubblyFest.
“I gave them four ingredients that they needed to focus on: bread, cheese, strawberries, and chocolate,” Holliday said. “Those are the four things I feel go the best with champagne.”
The weekend festival wraps up with a Sunday champagne brunch at Dolphin Bay Resort.
Tickets for BubblyFest are selling out faster than a champagne bubble bursts. Go to Bubblyfest.com for more information.
Sun wine and food columnist Wendy Thies Sell has one particular Don Ho song stuck in her head. You can contact her at wthies@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Oct 9-16, 2014.
