WINERY NOTES

Thanks for signing up to participate as a featured winery in

The Wine Festival at The Plains

to be held at Great Meadow Equestrian Center - September 10-11, 2011

 

 

Winery participation in this event is limited in an effort to reduce winery competition and maximize ROI for each participating winery. Because we are limiting the number of wineries you will each have a double booth tasting bar from which to adequately service the crowd.

Wineries will be placed in large 40’ x 140’ tents for this event. Each winery will have at least a 24 linear feet of tasting bar space. YOU MUST SUPPLY YOUR OWN TABLES (it will take 4 8-foot tables) according to our diagramed set-up and skirting covered to the ground for this event.  

  • Set-up must be accomplished Sep 9 between 10am and 5:00pm
  • Show hours are 11-6 Saturday and 11-5 Sunday, Sep 10-11.
  • You will need to apply for a remote for this event. A hyperlink directly to the remote form you’ll need to submit to ABC and the answers you’ll need for the form are located by clicking here - Remote for Great Meadow Sep 01-11

  • You will need a liability insurance rider with Farm Wineries council and Great Meadow Foundation named as additionally insured for the dates of the event. Please contact your liability insurance provider and obtain a rider naming the following as additionally insured for the dates of September 10-11, 2011: Farm Wineries Council Inc., 72 Christmas Tree Lane, Washington VA 22747 and Great Meadow Foundation, 5089 Old Tavern Road, The Plains, Virginia 20198. This should be a free service of your insurance provider.

  • Each Winery that services the entire event (from 11am Saturday to 6pm and 11am to 5pm Sunday) will be reimbursed $100 at the end of the show for wine used to serve tastings. If you do not service the entire event your wine reimbursement will be $10 for the event.
  • You may do tastings and sell by the glass and bottle at this event. Tastings may only be poured to wristbanded attendees who have purchased a tasting ticket. You are not allowed to charge extra for tastings at your table.
  • Farm Wineries Council will supply glasses for tastings. No other glasses or cups may be made available to guests at the event.
  • Farm Wineries Council will have a fork lift available for load-in use on a pre-reserved basis for a shared cost of $50.
  • Farm Wineries Council will provide a Wine Valet service to make it easy to purchase your products.
  • Farm Wineries Council will perform an ID check and wristband guests who will be doing tastings.
  • Farm Wineries Council will provide potable water and have ice available for purchase on the field.

You must bring your own tables to form your wine tasting bar. Tables must be covered to the floor with your decorative table cloths.

Your inventory must be placed against the back of your space to form a “wall” between spaces.

Please unload your vehicle in the designated area as quickly as possible and immediately park your vehicle in the exhibitor parking area. Actual booth setup should begin only after your vehicle has been parked to ensure all exhibitors can get to their space in a timely manner.

Wineries should bring:

o        Tables

o        Decorative tablecloths to distinguish your space.

o        Decorative and functional items you would normally have on your tasting bar – pitchers for rinsing, oyster crackers, decorative containers for crackers, rinse bucket, floral accents, etc.

o        A rinse bucket so people don’t have to leave your table during their tasting.

o        Coolers for under the table and a tabletop chill bucket to showcase your whites.

o        Bottle Openers, rags, water container and any other tools you normally use at your tasting bar

o        Wine accessories and gift items from your tasting room if you would like to sell them at the fest.

o        Company identification signage you would like to place. All signage must be professional in appearance (no hand-lettered signs).

ICE – Ice will be available for sale on the floor all day Saturday and Sunday.

WATER – Potable water will be available on the floor so that you can fill a rinse bucket to set at your booth for rinsing.  

 

                                           SERVING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

It is against Virginia law to serve alcohol to anyone under 21 years of age. The pourer is personally responsible for individuals they serve. If an individual is under the age of 21, the person who pours or sells them alcohol goes to jail. This is very serious business. Do not serve minors. The legal birth date for drinkers at this event must be prior to today's date, 1990.

WRIST-BANDS – Every guest eligible to do wine tastings wine at this event will be wearing a colored wristband. We'll let you know the color of the day each day of the event. The Definition of "tastings" is sampling any wine before making a purchase.

New info - we have added a new ticket - GENERAL ADMISSION - General admission guests do not get to sample any wines but they will be able to purchase wine to drink at the event without doing tastings. They will be wearing white wristbands. Do not serve tastings to anyone wearing a wrist (no color) wristband. You may check ID and sell wine by the sealed bottle only to people over the age of 21 wearing a white wristband.

ID CHECK - We try diligently to ensure no one gets into the event without properly being checked, but on occasion a wristband gets onto the wrong wrist. If you are ever in doubt of someone’s age, ask “Are you over 21?” then ask to see proof in the form of a drivers license or other legal identification document (a business card is not proof).

TASTERS VS DESIGNATED DRIVERS  – Only “tasters” equipped with the properly colored wristband are permitted to do tastings at this event. Do not allow any guest to give alcohol to a second person.

 

WINE VALET SERVICE WILL BE PROVIDED AT THIS EVENT

Guests who make large purchases and do not wish to carry wine around the show floor will be able to leave their wine where they buy it at this event. We will have valets come to your booth to collect wine and take it to the parking lot wine check station. This service is provided so that our guests can enjoy the day and make purchases without lugging boxes around the show floor or running back and forth to the car.

Cheers ya'll,

Donna

Farm Wineries Council

703-823-1868

www.farmwineriescouncil.org

www.virginiawineevents.com

www.winefestivalattheplains.com

www.vawineshowcase.com