Main Street welcomes season with Saturday Wine Walk

Summer’s nearly here, and Benicia Main Street is welcoming the new season Saturday with a Wine Walk.

Participants will get 15 tastings, available from 22 different stores and offices along First Street, where employees will be pouring one-ounce samples into their glasses.

Deborah Housman, event coordinator, called the event an opportunity “to sip, walk and shop with friends.”

Executive Director Nancy Martinez said some new wines will be introduced at this wine walk, the 11th organized by Main Street.

“We go through Henry Wine Group,” Martinez said. The Benicia Industrial Park company provides a list of suggested wines, Martinez said, then she and her staff narrow the list down to 22.

Downtown businesses then get a turn to select the wines they will pour.

Because summer is a warmer season, among the selections Saturday will be refreshing, crisp white wines, Martinez said.

But Benicia has dedicated fanciers of red wines, who prefer them no matter the season. They’ll have an array of wines to sample, too, she assured.

“That’s why it’s nice to go with friends,” Martinez said, because someone in the group is likely to enjoy what’s being offered at each stop.

She said the number of places offering wine tastings, the limit of tastings per person to 15 and the single-ounce tastings help make the event palatable not only to Benicia Police Department but also to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which licenses each of the participating businesses.

Merchants are given a diagram of the free glass wine walkers will be carrying, and on the diagram is a line that marks the one-ounce level.

In short order, the merchants get skilled at measuring out a single ounce, Martinez said.

Many of the participating stores and offices will have appetizer pairings for the wines they’re serving, she added.

Tickets are being sold at Benicia Main Street, 90 First St., and also are available by calling the organization at 707-745-9791 or visiting its website, www.beniciamainstreet.org.

In advance, tickets are $25, and will be sold only to those 21 and older. Only 300 tickets will be sold. Prices increase to $35 per person the day of the event.

The price covers one complimentary Benicia Main Street wine glass and 15 wine tastes.

Those taking the wine walk may check in at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Benicia Main Street, 90 First St., where they will pick up their glass, map of tasting locations and wristband identifying them as wine walkers.