The annual Winter Parrot Head Festival is held the last weekend in February at the La Belle Amie Vineyard in Little River, SC, six miles north of Myrtle Beach. The vines are still bare but it's not hard to imagine that in a few months they'll be bursting with new growth of muscadine grapes.
The Caribbean-style festival creates an atmosphere of warmth and fun meant to eclipse winter doldrums. A tour of the vineyard on a cool Saturday afternoon includes island music and food plus excellent wine from last season's crop. La Belle Amie's samplings include wines produced on the property, and at the owner's family-run wineries in the Languedoc region of France.
Artists and crafters participate in the event, providing original artwork for viewing and sale. Visitors may purchase wine at the gift shop, along with all necessary wine accessories like glasses, coasters, corkscrews, and wine racks. The shop also offers gift items like fine soap, gourmet sauces and relishes, and candles.
There's an admission fee for the festival, and wine samplings can be purchased in groups of five. Half-price coupons and special discount pricing are available online. Hours are noon to 6 p.m. Groups and tours are welcome.
La Belle Amie, a working vineyard open to the public year-round, is part of a former tobacco plantation that has been in the Bellamy family since the 1800s. The French origin of the family name, La Belle Amie, means 'the beautiful friend.' The Bellamy philosophy of wine is that, foremost, it should be enjoyed and if you prefer your red wine chilled, then that's how you should drink it, regardless of tradition.
