By Caden Zamastil
This Saturday, June 28, seasoned aficionados and novice wine drinkers alike will converge at the California Science Center for the eighth annual Uncorked: LA Summer Wine Fest.
Founder Michelle Harris said she originally created the event series as a welcoming space for inexperienced wine enjoyers to enjoy the company of like-minded individuals. Today, Uncorked holds festivals across the country, in cities like Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
“I’ve always really enjoyed wine. I enjoy wine tasting and wine events — things like that,” Harris said. “And I have a lot of friends who might enjoy a glass of wine here or there, but don’t necessarily enjoy that sort of environment. So my idea was to create events that anyone could have fun at without any sort of pretension or need to know anything about wine when they come in.”
According to Harris, the atmosphere sets Uncorked apart from other wine-related functions.
“It’s intended to be more of a festival and less of a wine tasting, so it’s really meant to be a fun experience where anyone can find something that they enjoy,” Harris said. “And that’s my favorite part about it.”
Since its first Summer Wine Fest eight years ago, Uncorked has increased the scope of its festivals.
“We’ve expanded the list of wineries we’ve had there. We’ve also added some zero-proof options, like Curious Elixirs, which does mocktails. We have wineries that are bringing their non-alcoholic wines or zero-proof wines, so we’re expanding the palette.”
This year’s event will feature more than 100 wines and other beverages from around the world. Despite the variety, Harris said she’s especially excited for a few specific brands.
“There are several brands I’m really excited for, one of which is called Nero Cellars,” Harris said. “They’re from Northern California and they’re a boutique winery, so a little lesser-known. They have incredible bold red wines like a killer cabernet, a killer red blend and killer zinfandels, so I’m really excited to have them there. I’m also excited to have Curious Elixirs back — they did our winter event at Union Station, and people were loving the zero-proof, wine-based cocktails. I sampled several of their products and they were delicious,” she said. “We’ve got a lot of local, boutique or garagiste LA-area wineries coming too, and it’s always nice to have local flavor at the event.”
In addition to a wide range of wines, the festival will include a live DJ set and food trucks. San Diego-based DJ Mike Zee will provide the music.
“Coming up from the San Diego area is a DJ who works as part of a group we use for all of our SoCal events,” Harris said. “They’re super fun, and they play a wide range of music. In the beginning, it’s definitely a little more ambient, and by the end of the night, people are out dancing, enjoying their wine tasting, and having a great time.”
Guests can also expect a variety of food options.
“We’ve got some different food trucks coming in with a variety of cuisines,” Harris said. “We’ve got Cerda Vega, which is tacos, we have poke bowls, Sunset Smash and Woody’s Grill for a little bit of everything — sort of comfort food. We have Woodstock Farina coming — gourmet fired pizza, and we also have a pop-up called Catered Kitchens that serves these beautiful gourmet charcuterie cones that people can walk around and enjoy.”
This Uncorked festival will benefit the K9 Youth Alliance, a local nonprofit which creates opportunities for youth from underrepresented areas to help provide rescue dogs with shelter and training. According to Harris, these kinds of partnerships are an integral part of Uncorked’s mission.
“They’re an incredible organization,” Harris said. “The organization had actually reached out to me initially about a donation for one of our galas, and I said, ‘You know, we’re looking for a new group to partner with in the LA market,’ so I started talking with them a little bit more. They’re super passionate. They create opportunities for kids from underserved communities and homeless dogs,” she said. “I have a soft spot for both animal charities and children’s charities, and this is bringing together the best of both worlds.”
The California Science Center offers a fun and interactive setting for the event, Harris said. Additionally, the world premiere of GAME ON! Science, Sports, and Play will coincide with the festival, and guests will have a chance to explore the exhibition.
“We’re excited to be back at the California Science Center this summer. The aquarium will be open, and it’ll be a really fun experience. People will be able to walk around the museum and experience all these exhibits, all these interactive things, while they try a bunch of delicious wine.”
Uncorked: LA Summer Wine Fest is a 21-and-over event.
Instagram: @uncorkedwinefestivals