NEW YORK, NY -
On Friday, February 25th, I attended The 4th Annual New York Wine Expo hosted at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. ResourcePlus Shows & Events produced this event and was sponsored by many sponsors like Time Out Magazine, Travelocity, & Acura. There was several wine seminars offered as well as “Meet & Greet” events with top wine connoisseurs, best-selling authors and sommeliers like Leslie Sbrocco, Gloria Maroti Frazee to name a few.
This annual event was the biggest wine show thus far with a selection of 760 wines from over 190 wineries all around the world. There were an assortment of wines to be sampled from countries of the old world like France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain, and Portugal as well as the new world, South America, Canada, Australia and United States.
Upon entering the Wine Expo, I was given a souvenir glass to start on my 3-Star adventure. [3-Star: Swirl, Sip, Stroll]. I began in the country of Argentina and found that many of the white wines were fermented in steel barrels, which means many of the wines will be light in flavor with a clean finish. Mallea 62, Torrontes, I favored most thus far. The aroma was of a bouquet of citrus and flowers and flavors were of peach and pear with a delicate, smooth finish.
As I continue to stroll down the aisles, I saw BRIX Chocolate for Wine, a company that specializes in creating chocolate that pairs with red wines. I thought this was a very unique and trendy idea. The chocolate flavors were milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and extra dark. Myself being a milk chocolate fan, I tried it and as every chocolate should, it melted in mouth and coated my palatte with a creamy, decadent richness. It was followed by an elegant port wine that cleansed my palette, gently, subtle, leaving me in awe. After tasting this “Death By Chocolate” duo, I couldn’t imagine how I had ever lived without it.
My adventure continued through the old world countries of France, Argentina, Spain, and Portugal. There were an array of various wines that I proceeded to taste with distinctive flavors. I came across a Portugal wine vendor who was showcasing “sexy” wine. No really the name of their bottled wines were Sexy White, Sexy Rose, and Sexy Red. I was curious to know what “sexy” might taste like and out of the three varietals I favored Sexy Rose. Although the flavors were fruity, it was also full-bodied with a balance of sweetness and acidity. This wine would be great for the summer season.
As I entered the new world, more locally the U.S., there were many creative and unique wine companies. OneHope Wine was one of them, based out of Newport Beach, CA has created a unique way to give back while still enjoying a glass of wine. They have created five wine varietals that all support different causes. These causes include Breast Cancer, Aids Awareness, Autism, Enviornment, & Our Troops. 50% of their profits are given to the partner charities. To date it has raised $300,000 by promoting it at events like the Grammy’s, VH1 Save The Music, amongst other organizations. If you want to enjoy great wine and make a difference in one sitting, contribute to OneHope Wine.
After visiting so many wine vendors, it was impossible to speak about so many great wines that I encountered. Dr. Konstantin Frank Wine Cellars, of Hammonsport, NY left a lasting impression with me. They have a large variety of different wines like Riesling, Rose, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, etc. When selecting wines, I primarily drink white wines but after speaking with the saleswoman I was compelled to try their Merlot. My past experience are that most red wines are full-bodied with a dry, oaky finish. To my satisfaction, the Merlot was medium-bodied with aromas of oranges and plums. The flavors were of plump cherries and decadent chocolate with a smooth finish. The Merlot changed my opinion on red wines all together.
My wine adventure was a very gratifying and educational adventure. I entered this expo with a good knowledge base of wine but left with a better understanding and learned to “not to judge a wine bottle by its color” because they are all made uniquely. I look forward to 5th Annual New York Wine Expo.
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Quick Wine Facts:
- “Wine drinkers are more likely to believe that women (58 percent) drink wine more often (at least two times per week) than men (9 percent).”
- “Being thrifty with a bottle of wine does not create a favorable first date impression. Half (50 percent) of those surveyed believe that $15 or more should be spent on a bottle of wine on the first date, while more men (32 percent) than women (18 percent) believe $20 or more should be spent on a bottle on a first date.”
To see more facts, visit www.onlinedatingmazine.com
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