Sipping in Science Class – The Uncorked Wine Festival in Detroit, MI

When I am not out galavanting around the globe, I enjoy spending time exploring my home state, Michigan, USA, and all that it has to offer. One of the best cities to visit in Michigan is Detroit. Home of the Detroit Lions, the rapper Eminem, and historic Motown music, there is always something going on in the “D.” This year, I promised myself I would frequent Detroit more and attend some of the city’s unique events, with my first one being the annual Uncorked Wine Festival.

The Uncorked Wine Festival is a traveling wine festival that pops up in major cities around the United States throughout the year. At the festival, guests can enjoy unlimited pours from some of the best wineries and vineyards across their state. The festivals are always held in unique venues that allow guests to sip, chat, and enjoy an entertaining atmosphere. This year’s festival was held in May at the Michigan Science Center in Downtown Detroit.

My best friend and I purchased general admission tickets online for ~$65 USD and secured our slots for the 7pm tasting. On the day of the festival, we made our way to the Science Center and were greeted with big smiles from the festival staff. They gave us each a tasting glass and a punch card and told us to enjoy!

We grabbed our glasses and began wandering around the various floors of the Science Center, stopping at each tasting booth for a wine sample and some brief info about the wine. As we sipped our samples, we were able to interact with some of the science exhibits – my favorites were the light tunnel, the tornado simulator, and the Mackinac Bridge replica (a famous bridge in Michigan that connects the upper and lower peninsulas of the state).

Our punch cards granted us 25 tastings, and best believe we used every single one of them – just kidding we didn’t! I am a light weight, so I only managed to have about 7 samples before I was done for the night, but they were all delicious! The festival ran until 10pm and time flew as we walked, talked and sipped our way around the Science Center.

We enjoyed our final drinks in the Science Center’s show room, where the science staff did some interactive experiments with dry ice and even launched a plastic rocket with a sodium bicarbonate mixture under pressure. We giggled as we watched some of the more indulgent wine drinkers shout and jump around in amazement at the rocket’s launch. Who knew sipping wine in science class could be so fun!

Visit the Uncorked Wine Festival website to find out when this festival will be in your area.