Wine, the ultimate weekend accessory

The Wine Walk, jokingly called the “Wine Stumble,” is happening Saturday, July 15. For $15 you receive a wine glass and a map. Every location marked on the map is a local business in downtown Reno. They will happily supply you with a glass of wine, stamp your map and send you on your way careening to the next location. This is a great way to explore the city and browse shops. The journey has the unmistakable appeal of a treasure hunt. You may end up visiting theaters, antique clothing stores, and shops selling locally-produced art work. Women can shop and their husbands won’t mind. At the end of the event, Wine Walk organizers hold a raffle with prizes from the different business sponsors.

Everyone I know has attested it’s a long list of locations. Even people with the highest alcohol tolerance will generally admit defeat and quit filling their glass before they reach the last location. My friends and I avoided wasting wine (or ourselves) by taking turns having our glasses filled. Many of the participants’ faces become as rosy as their rosé, but they don’t become drunk. The vast majority stop far short of blotto. In the late afternoons, the lines become longer. This is a blessing in disguise because it gracefully slows down consumption. This event is held the third Saturday of every month.

Wine Walk tips:
1. Each taste may be small but they can add up. Don’t try to finish the map.
2. Enjoy yourself. It’s an unusual way to see the city and it will bring you into shops you wouldn’t have visited otherwise. Explore.
3. This is a great chance to socialize. Chat as you meander.
4. Lines are shorter the earlier you go.
5. Hold onto your wine map because that’s how you enter the drawing at the end.
6. Stay sober enough to make it to the drawing at the end.
7. Wine snobs will be disappointed. Few locations offer great wine, but the quantity will make up for it, eventually.

More wine please

Here are all the other wine tastings I could find in the area. If you know of more, please post them below.

The Cheese Board and Wine Seller Offers free tastings of wine and cheeses to customers waiting in line to order during Splash Saturdays Details: 323-3115 Cost: Free
Vino 100 Offers daily complimentary wine tastings. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Vino is at 748 South Meadows Parkway. Details: 851-8466 Cost: Free

Enoteca Located in the basement of the Siena and offers wine tasting with appetizers from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Live jazz begins at 6 p.m. Details: 327-4362 Cost: $14

Jungle Vino Offering wine tasting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays at 248 W. First St. Details: 329-4484 Cost: $15 and includes four wines and appetizers

Tour of Italy Andreotti Italian Restaurant presents a weekly wine tasting from 5-7 p.m. on Fridays inside Harrah's Reno, 219 N. Center St. Includes appetizers paired with a flight of four regional wines. Details: 788-2908 or www.harrahsreno.com Cost: $20

Wine Tasting at Murphy's Murphy's of Reno offers wine tasting from 4:30-6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 3127 S. Virginia St. Details: 827-4111 Cost: $19.95, $14.95 for Wine Club members

Wine Tasting at Orozko's Restaurante Orozko at John Ascuaga's Nugget offers wine tastings from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursdays. Includes flight of four wines and appetizer. Details: 356-3300 Cost: $18