There are a million and one wine events to go to out there, so I try to restrict my postings to basically just the largest public tastings or those events that offer the most impressive opportunities for wine lovers. Every once in a while, though, an event comes along that doesn’t quite fit well into any category, yet represents an intriguing opportunity for those interested in experiencing something less mainstream in the world of wine.

The Elevation of Wine bills itself as the first ever symposium dedicated to high-altitude viticulture and winemaking. This is as surprising as it is intriguing, for some of the top wines of the world often offer altitude as one of their distinguishing characteristics, yet it seems there has never been any event focusing on high altitude winemaking before. From Argentina to Italy to Austria to New Zealand, not to mention Napa, high altitude is often synonymous with significant diurnal shifts in temperature that are generally accepted to positively influence the flavor and complexity of grapes.

So the idea of spending a couple of days listening, thinking, and talking about the relationship and impact of elevation on wine is an alluring opportunity. It certainly makes me wish my day job were a lot less demanding. Alas, I can’t just truck up to Lake County for the day in the middle of the week, even if they are offering helicopter rides over the vineyards.

But perhaps you can. The event consists of a full day of seminars and tastings covering various aspects of “elevation” from its impact on grape growing to the chemistry of the finished wine to marketing. If you can get yourself to Lake County next week, it’s bound to be a very interesting day.

The Elevation of Wine Symposium
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Snows Lake Vineyard
11545 Perini Road,
Lower Lake County
Middletown, CA 95461

Tickets are $275 per person for the full day seminar and can be purchased online.