Monday, October 11, 2010

Wine Riot: October 22 & 23

It is time once again for the Wine Riot, an expo-style grand wine tasting run by the Second Glass. On Friday, October 22, and Saturday, October 23, the Wine Riot will once again be held at the Boston Center for the Arts (The Cyclorama).

One intriguing new event at this Wine Riot will involve 90 + Cellars, a Boston-based winery known for sourcing wines of critical acclaim then bottling them under the 90+ Cellars label and selling at a discounted price. Along with their own wines, 90+ Cellars will also be pouring blind sample bottles for an upcoming “Wine Riot” bottling. Attendees will be able to sample all of the bottles and then cast their vote via the Second Glass mobile site (m.secondglass.com). The votes will be tallied and the most popular wine of the blind tasting will be bottled and sold next season under the Second Glass Wine Riot name in shops throughout the city.

The Riot will also feature approximately 250 wines from around the globe, a DJ, photobooth and Crash Course seminars where local experts drop in-depth knowledge about grape varietals and regions in a light and humorous setting. You will also be able to buy some food, for $5-$10, from Redbones, Upper Crust as well as the premiere of KO Catering who will be featuring their Australian street food, and EAT, a new pop-up restaurant concept from Will Gilson and EatBoston.

Wine Riot Schedule
Friday, October 22nd
Opening Night Riot 7-11pm, $55, 500 tickets on sale
* Including free Taza Chocolate and champagne soaked Kickass Cupcakes

Saturday, October 23rd
Riot One 1-5pm, $45, 1000 tickets on sale
Riot Two 7-11pm, $45, 1000 tickets on sale

Buy Tickets: http://www.thewineriot.com/tickets.

I have been to a couple of the last Wine Riots, and will be attending this one as well, and there has been an excellent selection of wines available to sample. I recommend that you get there early as it can get crowded in the latter part of each session. Plus, make sure you eat as with over 200 wines to sample, the alcohol could hit you hard on an empty stomach. Don't be afraid to spit, as no one expects you to swallow and finish every sample you receive.

Let me also offer a suggestion for your tasting strategy, for which wines you should taste. Try some types of wines that are new to you. It might be safe to only drink the types of wines you normally enjoy, like Cabernet or Chardonnay, but it won't be as fun. Take a risk and try something different, like a Sherry, a Greek Xynomavro or a Portuguese Touriga Nacional. Experiment with your palate, and hopefully you will be surprised and find something exciting that you really enjoy.

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