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Steamboat Springs — "It takes a wine festival to make you realize you'll never be an alcoholic," Rowland Edwards of Dallas said near the end of the Steamboat Wine Festival's events Friday. "I can't last that long."

Edwards, who sat outside at the Steamboat Yacht Club restaurant during the festival's Stroll of Steamboat Grand Tasting, was taking it easy after a day filled with seminars and tastings took its toll on him.

Edwards was one of about 2,500 people whom organizers expected to attend the fourth annual festival, which featured about 800 wines from more than 100 wineries worldwide. Doug Larson, co-owner of Team Sage Productions, which puts on the festival, said three-quarters of the people who attend the festival, such as Edwards, come from outside the Steamboat Springs area.

Drinking and learning

At Thursday's opening event on Thunderhead, the Wine on the Mountain Kickoff Celebration, Roland Blauer of Denver said he was visiting the festival for the second time after enjoying it so much the first time.

"It was very relaxing, and we enjoyed the wine and the education," Blauer said.

Visitors to the festival ranged from the connoisseur to the uninitiated.

"If the label is pretty and very unique, I will try it," said Kera Vo, of Denver, who was celebrating her 31st birthday at the festival with her friend Nadine Hernandez. Vo said she had never been to a wine festival before and was enjoying the opportunity to not just drink, but also learn about wine.

Most of the learning at the festival took place during a dozen seminars held Friday and Saturday at the Steamboat Grand Resort Hotel. At the Rocky Horror Riesling Show seminar Saturday afternoon, Brian Harlan, national sales manager for Loosen Bros. U.S.A., offered samples of six different Rieslings ranging in price from $12 to $35 a bottle.

Harlan spoke about many issues facing the wine industry.

"Global warming is definitely playing a role in wine making in Europe," Harlan said. "They're starting to plant grapes in England."

For Harlan, whose Rieslings are made at a relatively high latitude in Germany, the warmth has been a boon. Harlan said the region used to have about three warm years per decade that resulted in better vintages, but that now, almost every year is great. Vineyards not on the cool fringes of wine country, however, are not faring as well.

"It's almost too hot now to make grapes in the Central Valley" of California, Harlan said.

Another issue Harlan spoke about was the increasing use of screw caps to seal wine bottles instead of corks. Harlan said the industry estimates only 5 to 7 percent of wines still are corked.

Harlan tried to comfort those in the audience who despise the screw cap - he called them "cork dorks" - saying screw cap wines are "remarkably fresher."

"Don't be afraid of the screw cap," Harlan said. "It's here to stay."

'Only half working'

Harlan and representatives from the other wineries at the festival said the event is fun for them as well.

"That's what this industry's all about," said Jennifer Bouman, a representative of Washington's J. Bookwalter Winery who participated in Thursday's grand tasting. "We're only half working."

Jeff Lott, of New York's Pasternak Wine Imports, said he looks forward to wine festivals and the opportunity to get out of the office and away from spreadsheets.

"This is what got me into the business to begin with," Lott said at Thursday's tasting.

Festivals such as Steamboat's are a great opportunity to get his product in front of a lot of people, Lott said, but he was unsure how much his efforts actually helped business, noting at the end of a tasting, people are just looking for the shortest line to get some wine.

"The question is whether at the end of the event people are going to remember your wine," Lott said.

Widening the focus

While wine clearly is the focus of the festival, Larson said there has been an effort to broaden the focus of the festival, which has doubled in length and size in its four years.

Rick Monkarsh, who poured samples of Glenrothes Scotch whisky at the festival's tastings, said the festival has become much more food-oriented and that there now is room for other drinks such as Scotch.

"The same people who enjoy a glass of wine with dinner would probably finish the meal with a glass of single malt," Monkarsh said.

Joe Caltigirone, a part-time Steamboat resident, participated in Friday's stroll and said the festival has been "a great addition" to Steamboat's slate of summer activities. He said he was thrilled to see there were drinks available beyond wine.

"Scotch make me happy," he said.

Al Tyler, of Breckenridge Brewery, served beer at Colorado Group Realty on Yampa Street during Friday's downtown stroll. He said men, in particular, appreciated his inclusion in the festival.

"Girls love the wine, and guys are like, 'Oh, beer too!'" Tyler said.

- To reach Brandon Gee, call 871-4210

or e-mail bgee@steamboatpilot.com