THE New York Wine Expo -
Well, took the A train to 42nd street -off at the 40th exit. Walked three
blocks south to 37th street and over to 12th Avenue getting there at 12:15pm.
It was at Javits Center – 12 Noon to 4pm were the hours.
Waited on a long line (30 minutes) to get our badges and my hospital bracelet. Then directed along a pre-determined route -round about-
(I could see one of the entrance but not permitted to go to it) – by an
"airport-like" security officier – "Do as I tell you" I was commended.
Arrived at the first check-point showing my H-bracelet and allowed in.
Finally got my glass "embroided/stenciled NY Wine Expo glass … looked at
the sparseness of the "wine tasters" of the "great" hall and thought -an
advertized 600 wines ? Bet there were less than HALF that amount. There
were twelve "islands" of tables creating two isles in the middle -16 small
manned (women too!) tables over to one wall -with a few cheese samples
to munch on -
- No big fruit, cheese, finger food or bread tables – What a downer -
nothing to wash down the piss pour wines !
The other side six tables -mainly PR no food -
The tables consisted of – WINES from
Argentina -50wines/15 suppliers-
Brazil – 6 tables/8 wineries
California – Rutherford Wine Compny
Naked Grape from Madera
Four Vines Winery
A small table -unmanned- with two
open bottles of Ravenswood Zin 2007 -15.5/
Clos du Bois Cab 2007 – 16.2/
France -all Rhone wines -set up by AOC
three tables -did not taste any since I
could not find them !
Greece- Stellar Importing – terrible
Italy – five tables stattered around -all terrible wines
including Terre di San Rocco Vineyards
New York State Wines – 12 suppliers including
Barbara Frank/Dr. Konstantin Frank
Portugal – including Dow 10 & 20 years -Dry/5 tables
South Africa -20 suppliers-tasted all the pinotages!
Met Mariette Power of Robinson & Sinclair
Spain – By far the biggest presenter of wines-
13 suppliers from Navarro alone, Rioja, Castilla-
La Mancha, Don Quixote and other regions
Vermont – Eden Ice Cider -Apple and Pear
Windfall Orchard Ice Cider
And that was it -