Stories / Drinks & Gatherings
Sipping, Strolling & Sisterhood: A Day at the Park City Wine Festival
Some adventures are about what’s in the glass. The best ones are about who’s standing beside you.
By Noelle Jones
Park City, Utah · 4 minute read
There’s something special about a day that brings together good wine, beautiful surroundings, and the people who make life a little more fun. That’s exactly what we found on our recent visit to the Park City Wine Festival, where my sister, a dear friend, and I spent the day tasting, exploring, laughing, and enjoying a little mountain-town magic.
For us, it wasn’t just about sampling wines. It was about taking a break from the everyday, discovering something new, and making memories together—one pour at a time.
A Festival with Mountain Charm
Park City has a way of making an ordinary afternoon feel like an occasion, and not just because it’s my hometown. With crisp mountain air, blue skies, and rows of white festival tents set against the surrounding hills, the setting was the perfect backdrop for a day devoted to wine and good company.
The festival was buzzing with energy. Guests wandered from booth to booth, glasses in hand, chatting with the people behind the bottles and discovering new favorites. Seasonal colors, beautiful displays, and the excitement of not knowing what we might taste next made the whole experience feel like a celebration of fall.
And naturally, we came prepared to do our part.
A Little of This, a Little of That
One of the best things about a wine festival is the opportunity to step outside your usual favorites. Instead of committing to a full bottle at a restaurant or opening something familiar at home, you can explore a range of wines, compare styles, and let curiosity lead the way.
We encountered some recognizable names, including Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon and Penfolds Bin 28 Shiraz, alongside other bottles and producers that gave us plenty to explore. We also wandered beyond traditional wine into the wider world of spirits, discovering interesting bottles and having conversations with the people eager to share their craft.
That’s part of what makes a tasting adventure so enjoyable: you don’t have to arrive with a list of wines you already know you love. Sometimes the most memorable part is finding something unexpected, learning a little about how it’s made, or discovering a producer you want to remember for your next bottle shop visit.
And sometimes, the fun is simply comparing notes with your tasting companions. What one person loves, another might pass on—and that’s half the conversation!
The Best Part Wasn’t in the Glass
As much as we enjoyed the tastings, the real highlight was experiencing it all together.
There were glasses raised for photos, conversations that stretched from one tasting booth to the next, and plenty of opportunities to stop and appreciate where we were and who we were with. Wine has a wonderful way of creating space for those moments. It encourages us to slow down, pay attention, ask questions, and enjoy the experience rather than rush through it.
Going with my sister and friend made the day even better. We each brought our own tastes and perspectives, and every stop offered another opportunity to share an opinion, laugh about a discovery, or decide what deserved a second look.
Those are the moments I want to remember long after the last tasting glass has been emptied.
What Wine Adventures Remind Us
The Park City Wine Festival was a reminder that exploring wine doesn’t have to be intimidating or overly serious. You don’t need to be a sommelier to enjoy a tasting, appreciate a beautiful bottle, or learn something new. You just need a little curiosity and a willingness to try.
Ask the questions. Taste something unfamiliar. Talk to the people who make and share the wines. Pay attention to what you enjoy—and don’t worry if your favorite is different from everyone else’s.
Most of all, make time to enjoy the people around you.
Because the best tasting experiences aren’t always about the rarest bottle or the highest-rated vintage. Sometimes they’re about a sunny afternoon in the mountains, a glass of something new, and the laughter shared with people who make the day memorable.
Until the Next Pour
Our day at the Park City Wine Festival was exactly the kind of adventure worth making time for: a little discovery, a little indulgence, and a lot of fun with people I love.
It’s also a reminder of why we created Distill My Heart Adventures. For me, the joy is in exploring what’s in the glass while celebrating everything around it—the stories, the places, the people, and the memories that make an experience special.
Here’s to finding new favorites, saying yes to the next adventure, and never underestimating the power of a great glass shared with good company.
Because life is better when we take the time to savor it.
Until the next pour,
Distill My Heart Adventures