The Grape Escape

WE'RE HUBBIN' IT, HUBBIN' IT, HUBBIN' IT
Your first stop is obligatory — Hotel du Vin's where you swap your ticket for the wristband you're going to need all weekend. And while you're there, probably try the Passori, an international wine of mystery, with no indication as to whether the name is the producer or the wine, and with no grape variety stated. Pretty cool, no? 

CHANGE FROM A CRISP FIVER
Each of the more than 20 venues marked on your map will be offering two different pours throughout the weekend for £4 a glass (125ml). And as you're starting at Hotel du Vin, Opus strikes us as just making good plain sense in terms of next stop. Try their Cretian Vidiano (2016) from Idaia winery, a delicate white with aromatic character. You can talk about its acidity, rich flavour and aftertaste once you've given it a try. Click the map to have a gander at all of the venues.

QUAFFY IN THE OFFY
If you're taking part in an event dedicated to vin, it would seem remiss to exclude an actual real-life wine merchant. Loki and Connollys are both taking part. Ask for the wine that's been named after an extinct mammal at the latter — that's the Ampelomeryx 2014 to you, to me, and the dinos

SOME WINESKY? 
Events open only to the keepers of the wristbands are also occurring. The JQ's Whisky Club is educating in the ways of wine-finished whiskies. The one-hour masterclass includes four different whiskies, and is happening twice, at 7pm Friday, and 3pm Saturday.

AFTER-HOURS CHAMPERS
BMAG's opening up the Round Room once the doors have closed to Jose Publico, and there'll be Piper-Heidsieck flowing in the Edwardian Tearooms for its £4 taster. On Saturday from 5pm til8pm, there's also music and popcorn and art. Lots of very good, very old art.

NEXT ON THE MIC: COCKTAILS
And if this is all sounding a bit familiar, but substitute the word 'wine' for 'cocktail', that's because it's from the makers of that right rollicking good timeBirmingham Cocktail Weekend (July 13 to 15). For which, early bird wristbands are now on sale for 800 pence.