Cupcake Vineyards – Making Today the Occasion at Lollapalooza
Wine is not what people usually associate with music festivals, but the Cupcake Vineyards Wine Lounge stole the alcohol show this year at Lollapalooza.
Cupcake knows how to entertain a music festival. They offered bottles of wine that they poured into little plastic travel carafes, so you could stop by the booth and be set for hours. You could buy a bottle or two and then pitch up in front of the main stage and wait for the headliners. The carafes had sealing lids for backpack storage or dancing.
My favorite part was their creative wine concoctions. The first time I stopped by the booth I got one of their “Poptails,” which is a popsicle in wine. The popsicle keeps the wine cold while infusing it with tasty flavor. The wine came in a can for ease of use. I enjoyed the Sauvignon Blanc with the hibiscus margarita popsicle. The combination was scrumptious! The popsicles came from Front Porch Pops, and experts provide flavor combination recommendations (although you can choose whatever combination you want!)
The last day of the festival I stopped by for their Frosé, which is basically a raspberry-Rosé Slushie. It also may be the most delicious thing I have ever tasted. Although not usually a fan of sweet drinks, the raspberries provided the perfect amount of tartness, while the drink was large enough (and alcohol-enough) to give me a satisfying buzz. The only bad part was that it is only available at festivals, and I cannot drink it at my house.
Even if you don’t drink wine, you would enjoy the Cupcake Lounge. It had a huge dedicated area with plenty of couches and standing bar tables. In front there was a bean bag toss and a giant beer-pong-like game that involved throwing volleyballs into six trash cans in a pyramid shape.
This was Cupcake Vineyard’s third year at Lollapalooza, and after their success this year, it would be shocked if they did not return in 2019. They are also regulars at Coachella. They source their grapes from all over the world, but they are headquartered in the lovely little town of Livermore, CA. (I grew up in Livermore, so I’m biased, but it really is lovely). They do not have a tasting room, but if you’re checking out the Livermore Valley vineyards (as you should—it’s way less crowded and pretentious than Napa), you can enjoy a tasting at Concannon Winery, Cupcake’s parent winery.
Until festival season next year, you will just have to enjoy Cupcake wines at home with your own popsicles, all while dreaming of Frosé.
Cupcake Vinyards Where warm days give way to cool nights, and grapes hang on the vines slowly soaking in the sun, there’s no better way to celebrate the small moments of joy, every day. Inspired by the indulgent treat that evokes joy and anticipation, Cupcake Vineyards offers an extensive portfolio of finely-crafted wines to help you celebrate your everyday moments of joy. Our winemaker, Jessica Tomei, explores vineyards all over the world – including in our backyard, California’s Central Coast – to source some of the best grapes possible for Cupcake wines.
After introducing a small selection of fruit-forward, creamy wines in 2008, we’ve grown our portfolio to include a wide variety of delicious red, white, rosé and sparkling wines. From California classics to favorites from some of the world’s preeminent grape-growing regions, our wines all share a balanced style that makes it easy for you to switch from one Cupcake wine to the next, celebrating the small moments of joy.
Cheers!
Links:
Official: https://www.cupcakevineyards.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CupcakeVineyards/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CupcakeVineyard
Lollapalooza:
Official: http://www.lollapalooza.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lollapalooza
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lollapalooza
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lollapalooza/