Goans wined, dined and made merry at this festival

It’s a season of fests, and amid the others, Panaji rolled out the carpet for the wine fest as well.

Grape

Escapade, the annual food and lifestyle

festival

by the Department of

Tourism

delighted the crowd with the finest wines, gourmet food and entertainment from February 26 to March 4.
Stalls by international, national and local wine producers lined the DB Grounds that was decorated for the four-day festival. In addition to it, local restaurateurs and home chefs showcased their culinary offerings to complement the wines. “I particularly loved the chocolate liqueur shop where I could taste so many different kind of liqueur chocolates,” says Dr Kuheli Bhattacharya from Panaji.
Wine lovers were in for a treat — not just because they could go on a wine drinking spree, but because they could take part in the traditional grape stomping and exclusive tasting session with certified sommelier and connoisseur, John D’Souza. “I enjoyed my evening by tasting varieties of wine samples from most of the outlets. Another exhibit that stood out was the liquer infused chocolate which was a pure delight,” says Navami Prakash from Porvorim.
The main stage was always lit — with live music, dance performances and fashion events to keep the audience entertained as they devoured the wines and food. Dance acts by Goa Institute of Performing Arts and Dance-o-Philia, and live music by Goa’s favourite bands like The Coffee Cats, Alcatrazz, Crimson Tide, Raggas 2 Riches, Band Wagon, Pure Magic, Carlos and Friends and Shine On duo – Sidney and Silvina.
Models strutted the ramp showcasing Goan designer wear on Saturday, while Sunday saw an interesting pageant, which saw the crowning of the Grape Escapade Queen. “I went to the

event

on the last day because some of my friends were taking part in the pageant. They had a stellar lineup of wine and food stalls and we had sangrias and wines. I also tried some local Goan food — xacuti and rawa fried fish, from two of the stalls,” says Isha Hiroji, from Porvorim.