www.purplefoot.org upcoming events

April Board Meeting (April 19, 2026)

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Open to all board members. Any non-board members who are interested in attending, please contact the host ahead of time.

Please RSVP to the host, and feel free to show up a little early to socialize and get situated.

See you there!

Nouveau & Rhubarb Wine Competition (May 13, 2026)

Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The May meeting features our Nouveau and Rhubarb Wine Competition. The Nouveau competition is specifically for wines made within the past year. Purple Foot competitions are a great opportunity to get excellent feedback on your wines, receive recognition, and gain experience judging. Everyone gets to enter, and everyone gets to be a judge. Please be sure to familiarize yourself with our club competition rules and our club scoring system. Please bring your wines before 7:00 PM so the wine steward has time to register them.

If you are on the fence about entering wines, we highly encourage you to do so. Many winemakers have surprised themselves in the past with how well they do, and all have learned something from the judging sheets. Whether you're an expert winemaker or a beginner, let's make this a strong showing!

Members can enter 1 wine in each category. All wines except for rhubarb must be less than 1 year old. We will have 7 tables set up for each of the different categories which include: Any Red Grape, Non-Vinifera Red Grape, Any White Grape, Non-Vinifera White Grape, Berry Fruit, Non-Berry Fruit, and Specialty. The Rhubarb competition will be held just before the meeting starts, and will be judged by a quorum of experienced judges.

All judging is done blind. Each table will have an assigned primary judge, and all members are invited to participate in judging at any of the tables where that member does not have a wine entered, nor do they know of someone else's wine at that table.

Ribbons will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place in each category, and a special award will be given for Best of Show.

Unlike other general meetings, any separate wine evaluations will be limited to AFTER the competitions versus before the meeting.

May Board Meeting (May 17, 2026)

Sun, 17 May 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Open to all board members. Any non-board members who are interested in attending, please contact the host ahead of time.

Please RSVP to the host, and feel free to show up a little early to socialize and get situated.

See you there!

Purple Foot Summer Picnic 2026 (July 19, 2026)

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 20:00:00 GMT

**DATE HAS CHANGED to July 12**

Our Annual Summer Picnic is again at Neill Park in Burnsville. We have reserved the pavilion as a private event for Purple Foot members. The picnic is always a fun time. It's a great chance to socialize, sample each others' wines, and enjoy a nice meal together on a summer afternoon at the park.

The picnic is a Potluck. Paul and Nancy Wood will be serving up pork loin for the main entree again this year, so please bring a dish to pass such as an appetizer, side, dessert, etc. Please bring your own plates/utensils, and please also bring your own non-glass wine glasses. Glass glasses are not allowed in the park.

Please also note that an air conditioned indoor space will be available as usual, connected to the pavilion.

As always, please be safe and responsible. Reference our policies as needed.

See you there!

Summer Wine Train - Wines of France (August 01, 2026)

Sat, 01 Aug 2026 20:00:00 GMT

New this year is an exciting new event for the Purple Foot Club: The Summer Wine Train! We will be hopping aboard for an afternoon on the Osceola and St. Croix Railway. During the scenic ride, our very own Wine Steward Rob Fowler will be leading a wine tasting focused on the great wines of France. Charcuterie snack boxes will also be provided. There is also an observation car where riders can take in the scenery. The train ride will last about 1.5 hours long.

Registration for the event is simple. You can register directly using this link. The cost is $85/person, and that includes the ride, wine tasting, and light bites provided. There are only 44 spots, so be sure to register sooner than later!

We're looking forward to this fun new event.