This Sunday, March 19, the Opening Corks will “pop” once again to celebrate the first night of Philly Wine Week (PWW), the week-long, city-wide celebration of wine, now in its fourth year. At this signature kick-off event, over 100 sought-after, interesting varieties will be flowing, delicious bites will be enjoyed from the city’s best chefs and guests will have the chance to mingle throughout this year’s host venue,The Academy of Natural Sciences. Opening Corks will be held from 6 pm until 9 pm and tickets are now on sale! Don’t miss your chance to join us for this one-of-a-kind opening event.
“All of us at Philly Wine Week are looking to change the perception of wine as something complicated, stuffy and only to be enjoyed on special occasions. And what better place to show how unfussy something is than our very own city, where keeping things casual and unpretentious is the way of life. We’re excited to break open the bottles at Opening Corks and continue to embrace all types of wine-lovers,” says PWW co-founder Kate Moroney Miller.
For this year’s Opening Corks, guests will have the opportunity to mingle throughout the breathtaking halls of The Academy of Natural Sciences, including Dinosaur Hall with its Tyrannosaurus-rex exhibit and Butterflies!, home to flurries of beautiful butterflies from all over the world. Along with hundreds of world-class wines that will be poured, Philadelphia’s talented food scene will represent with delicious pairings. Guests may sample dishes from The Good King Tavern, Tria, Di Bruno Bros., American Sardine Bar and South Philly Taproom, cheese from Birchrun Hills Farm and The Farm at Doe Run, and a decadent dessert bar by Whole Foods Market.
Since 2014, PWW’s mission has been to unite the area’s most passionate wine experts, its best wine bars, restaurants, boutiques, and its talented winemakers. By aligning this vibrant and tight-knit community, PWW hopes to spread knowledge, grow interest and encourage more people to embrace the convivial spirit of imbibing with wine pros, novices and fans alike.
During PWW, years past have ushered in great wine related events, such as Tria’s Pét-Nat Party offering tastes of pétillant naturel, the world’s original sparkling wine; and Vintage’s Think Inside the Box, a blind boxed wine versus bottled wine tasting, as well as new and exciting events and new venues. New additions for 2017 event line-up include: Cave à Manger at The Good King Tavern, a convivial night of French small plates, cheese, charcuterie and wine pairings by guest sommelier Justin Timsit, formerly of Lacroix, now of Gramercy Tavern in NYC; Afternoon Delights at Jet Wine Bar featuring fun “day-drinking” wines and Philly’s best pastries to pair; and Tapas and Sparkling Wine at Jamonera, a 10-course tapas tasting with Spanish sparklers to sip. A full list of events will be added to PWW’s website as they are confirmed from over 60 participants including: Vernick Food + Drink, Martha, Panorama, Southwark, Kensington Quarters, V Street, Root, Amis, Hungry Pigeon, ITV, and High Street on Market.