May 26th is the 2nd annual global #Chardonnay Day. This is a 24-hour worldwide event, where anyone and everyone who loves wine, especially Chardonnay, can get together personally and virtually to swirl, sniff, sip and share insights, photos and tasting notes with anyone in the world. If there is anything you wanted to know about this famous white grape or perhaps “talk” with someone in other Chardonnay-growing regions around the world, here is your chance.
Follow this checklist to determine if you can and should participate:
You like LOVE Chardonnay… CHECK!
You like to share wine with friends… CHECK!
It’s super easy to join in the fun and like my friend and event coordinator, Rick Bakas, likes to say, “it’s like a giant dining room table where everyone can pull up a chair and join the conversation.”
The Wine
Chardonnay is one of the most popular grapes in the world and was made famous by the great white wines of the Burgundy region in France. Look for new world Chardonnay, White Burgundy (including Chablis) or even Blanc de Blancs, which is sparkling wine made from Chardonnay. Stop by your favorite local wine shop, host a party, or if you’re lucky enough to live near a wine region, look up a winery who is hosting a #Chardonnay Day event and go! Some wineries will be offering serious discounts and specials leading up to the event, including Windsor Vineyards, so take advantage of the opportunity to taste something new!
Check out the Chardonnays available from Windsor Vineyards – Click HERE
What to Say and Where to Say It
Even if you are hosting or attending an event follow along with and add to the online conversation by searching for the “hashtag” created for this event on Twitter, which is “#Chardonnay” (without the quotes) or on the Facebook Page of your favorite winery, assuming they are participating too. Check out the Windsor Vineyards page and Twitter account on May 26th for updates throughout the day. If you’re savvy enough, connect your PC to the TV or a screen so everyone can watch the stream of conversation.
Say what you feel on any or all of these channels. Share your thoughts on how your wine smelled and tasted. Include a picture of the bottle or your friend making a goofy face while tilting the bottle back in boozy bliss. Ask questions and seek out your favorite wineries, they just may be online providing unprecedented access.
Twitter
Use the free Twitter or Tweetdeck apps on your smartphone or these free web pages: twitter.com, search.twitter.com, twitterfall.com or visibletweets.com – stay tuned in the coming days for an instructional video on how to use a couple of these sites.
Facebook
Show your friends how much fun you are having with status updates and photos being sure to use the #Chardonnay hashtag.
Foursquare & 
Yelp
If you are attending an event or just going to a restaurant and decide to sip a Chard, be sure to check it in, make a comment or provide a review using the hashtag too. Check the specials as the venue just may have something prepared for this day. You never know.
Have Fun!
Most of all have fun and enjoy tasting wine with friends old and new, physical or virtual. The wine communities on social channels like Twitter and Facebook continue to grow and is a great place for passionate wine drinkers to learn more about wine, meet new friends or casually share what’s being sipped that night. Cheers!
