Whether you plan ahead or go with the flow, a few simple rules help keep things on track...
January 27, 2006
There are essentially two ways to approach such an awesome wine tasting opportunity. One, go with the flow, wander from table to table and allow serendipity to lead you to great wine. This strategy works pretty well at the Boston Wine Expo -- you'll be surrounded by great wine, and odds are you'll trip over something delicious even if you aren't trying.But life is short, and sometimes a little planning is in order to get the most out of our experiences and opportunities. I've tried to do a little of both with my "Floor Plan" that I hope gives wine lovers at least a place to start. Either way, here are some rules you have to follow for a successful Expo experience.
See you there!
Rules To Sip By
Always Wear Black
Or brown, or burgundy, or navy blue. ANYTHING but khakis and a crisp white shirt. That's like a blank canvas just waiting for an abstract expressionist to come along. Even under the best of circumstances, there is inevitable sloshing, spilling, and splashing of wine all over the place.
I've noticed some of the French wine makers solve this problem by wearing sport coats with tremendously elaborate prints and patterns. They're so intense you could spill an egg on one and you'd never see it. After the tasting, they fold up the crazy wine coat and put on something more appropriate for evening, and everyone's happy.Dress code this year: darkly casual elegance.
Nutrition
Rule number one in The Great Big Book Of Wine is "first food, then wine." Eat lunch in preparation for the Boston Wine Expo as if you are preparing for a road race -- a very delicious road race perhaps -- but a grueling one all the same. Have plenty of fluids; eat some carbohydrates, which are always good for energy; and get in some protein (meat and/or cheese) as well, for endurance.
While you're tasting at the Expo, it's important to keep yourself hydrated. Bit by bit, you are consuming small amounts of wine, but they do add up. Rule of thumb is one big glass of water per glass of wine. Considering you shouldn't really drink more than three whole glasses of wine in a day and hope to do much constructive, find a way to take at least three water breaks in the course of the four-hour Expo.
Spit To Survive
There are things in this world called necessary evils, and spitting out delicious wine almost qualifies. Maybe we can compromise and call it a necessary waste.
Truth is, if you swallowed every taste of wine you were offered in the four hours of the Expo, your blood stream would be more alcohol than blood in no time. People may giggle if they see you spit, but nobody's giggling two hours later when someone is drunk and crying out for mommy in a loud voice.Start With White, Red At Night
The idea here is that by starting with lighter easier whites and then slowly moving to more massive reds, the whole tasting experience is like a gentle uphill slope. White wine gets your palate primed and alive, and by the time you switch over, you've got enough momentum to plow through the reds.
Transport
Drunk driving limits in Europe are much stricter than here. They kick in when people are about half drunk, which makes sense when you think about how you'd feel loaning your car to someone you knew to be half drunk.
Between the shuttle busses and taxis, T and rail connections at Boston's South Station, almost everybody should be able to get in and out without getting behind the wheel of a car.
Typically, I recommend parking at Braintree, Riverside, or Alewife and taking the T into South Station. Plan to go for a little low-key supper after the Expo, and you'll be ready to hopt the T and drive home later.
Expo Ticket Winners
Congratulations to the winners of our Expo ticket giveaway!
Roberta Bowen
Meg McCarthy
Jeffrey Mitchell
Michael Schammas
Megan Trask
They're all going Sunday, which is my own personal favorite day of the Expo. The mad crush of Friday and Saturday is behind us then, and the wine makers are relaxed, available and easy to get to.
Have a great time everyone!
Floor Plan
Tables 201-219: Australia
Australian Wine Bureau anchors this set of tables. Make sure you try Jacob's Creek Riesling (and Steingarten Riesling, if they have it) and excellent McWilliam's cabernet sauvignon.
Tables 237-255: South America
Salentein (243) and Clos de los Siete (249) should be on the list. This whole region if going to be full of great bargains.
Table 315: Abundance
I have loved the Abundance Pinot Noir since discovering it this year. Very interested to see what else they bring.
Table 320: Thorn-Clarke
More awesome Aussies. Park yourself here for a while and taste through the whole line.
Table 341: Going Natural
Bonterra is working hard to change people's perceptions of organic/natural wines.
Tables 414-418: Wild Man Business
Frederick Wildman is one of the finest importers in the world. I hope they bring some of their new wines from central and eastern Europe.
Table 464: Yes, Virginia
Michel Roland is their consulting wine maker, and it tastes like an authentically balanced French red. Grown and produced in Virginia.
Table 520: Alain Junguenet
One of my favorite Rhone wine makers of all. Whatever he's pouring, I'm tasting.
Table 530: My Three Wines
Take time out to taste all three MacMurray Ranch wines: pinot gris, chardonnay, and pinot noir. The land was originally owned by actor Fred MacMurray.
Table 540: Sonoma Valley
If you need me, this is probably where I will be. Murphy-Goode, Pedroncelli, Trentadue, Merriam, and others... I hardly know where to begin.
Table 600: Guigal
Superb Rhone negotiant. Absolutely worth tasting everything: white, pink, or red.
Table 610: Father and Son
Kysela Pere et Fils is a small importer of unique country wines from Europe.
Table 640: Under the Italian Sun
The Italian Trade Commission is always a highlight. Look for George Schwartz and do what he tells you.
Photographs by Jay Fedigan Video, and courtesy of the Boston Wine Expo.
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