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Archive for the ‘Events’ Category

Were my wife and I the only ones that missed the episode of Sex and the City where Carrie and the girls strolled the winter NYC streets wearing Spiderman rubber boots?  This past weekend, my wife and I took a road trip into the Big Apple to attend the New York Wine Expo and we were asking ourselves that very question after stepping down into that first slushy puddle!

Note to all you newbies that ever plan to visit New York City just after a snowstorm:  Keep your Manolo Blahniks high heels and whatever other form of footwear that you deem as being “cute” at home, because they don’t look particularly fabulous when they’re filled up with seven inches of wet sloppy gray slush.  Trust me when I tell you, even Spiderman looks great with Chanel!  To the guys - your Gore-Tex hunting boots are highly recommended in this particular situation!

With this new life lesson under our belts, we weren’t about to let some soggy socks and water-soaked shoes stand in our way of drinking some great wine – heck no!

Upon entering the Expo, my wife and I immediately took notice of one important element that had been missing from all of the other wine expos and events that we’ve attended in the past – Crowd Control.  The organizers and security company for this particular event did a terrific job of not allowing this party to get too big; which gave attendees the opportunity to make their way around to all the wonderful exhibitors’ tables.

A couple of the exhibitors that stood out at this event were Wines of Argentina and get this – Wines from Brazil.  Yup, that’s right, Brazil!  I was quite surprised to learn that over the past fifteen years the Brazilian wine industry has been investing a tremendous amount of money into equipment and vineyard management in order to one day become a player in the global wine market.  Although I tasted several outstanding Brazilian wines, the most notable were from Patricia Carraro’s family run vineyard called, Lidio Carraro.  I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with Ms. Carraro about her wines.  The thing I found most interesting and appealing about her and her family’s winemaking philosophy is that they’re extremely passionate about allowing the wines to express their true “terroir” (sense of home).  They do not believe in masking their wines’ natural flavors with unnecessary additives.  In addition to the wonderful tasting wines from Lidio Carraro, I was also impressed by a refreshing, inexpensive sparkling wine comprised of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes from the Miolo Wine Group.  Taking into consideration the quality level along with the price level of these wines from Brazil, they seem to be forming a perfect storm that is headed straight from the importers, to the distributors and onto wine retailers’ shelves.  So, if you start to see Brazilian wines showing up on the store shelf, don’t be surprised.

Sorry for the blurry pic!

Another great stop at this year’s expo was Argentina.  Argentina is making some of the most beautifully aromatic wines in the world today, and this tasting really showed off that characteristic in a big way!  We were graciously taken through several fine examples of Torrontes (white) and Malbec (red) by Ms. Nora Favelukes, President of QW Wine Experts.  Similar to our experience with the Wines from Brazil, Wines of Argentina was also very well represented by several great whites and reds that displayed unique and distinctive characteristics.  Overall, it was an outstanding showing from the Wines of Argentina, and I can’t say enough kind words about the energy, insight, and passion that Ms. Favelukes and her team shared with us and other attendees at the show.

There were a lot more great peeps and vino at the NY Wine Expo, but here’s a short list of some of the stand-outs at the show:

Lyrarakis Heraklion Cuvee Grande Colline from the Greek island of Crete.

Fulcrum Wines from California.

No pic from NY Wine Expo - this is from AC Food and Wine Festival

Brianne Fisher, Testa Wines of the World - featuring Nemea Agiorgitiko Red.

Manuel Moreno,  Vinicola de Villarrobledo - featuring a killer Syrah.

Richard Morgenstern, Creative Wines International  – featuring Mettler Wines.

All in all, the New York Wine Expo was a well organized event with a diverse representation of wines.  If you didn’t make it this year, I highly recommend marking your calendar for next year…just don’t forget to bring your boots!

To see more pictures, visit the WineLife365 Fan Page.

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Now that the hustle and bustle of the holiday season is behind you, how about treating yourself and possibly a friend or two to a Post New Year’s Eve Bash in the Big Apple!

Tickets are on sale now for the 3^rd Annual New York Wine Expo.  This 3- day wine event is taking place from February 26th-28th at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

This not-to-miss soiree is open to anyone that enjoys wine.  If you decide to go, here are some of the cool things that’ll be going on:   

• An opportunity to sample over 600 wines from over 170 winemakers from around the globe in the Grand Tasting.
• You’ll have top notch food to sample and you’ll be able to check out the latest in wine accessories.
• Winemakers and winery representatives will be on hand to answer any questions you might have about the wines you’ll be tasting.
• Gloria Maroti Frazee of Wine Spectator Magazine and award-winning author Leslie Sbrocco will be hosting seminars at this year’s event.

If you’re interested in finding out more about this event, check out the New York Wine Expo website.  You can also find them on FaceBook and Twitter.

If you’re planning on attending the expo on Friday 2/26, you can use promo code WINELIFE10 to receive $10 off of your admission price*.

Cheers!

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Love to cook?  Here’s an interesting and interactive cooking event that is going on now at Caesars in Atlantic City, NJ:

“Taste of Emeril’s” Audience Participation Cooking Challenge

Caesars Atlantic City is giving everyone the opportunity to step into Emeril Lagasse’s Kitchen.  “Taste of Emeril’s” is a fast-paced, intriguing, and often hilarious food competition and cooking demonstration, where  guests have an opportunity to win great prizes including chances to experience the finest restaurants at Caesars Atlantic City and The Pier Shops.   This culinary action, hosted by Food Network’s Marc Summers of ”Unwrapped”, pits audience members against one another, as they compete for top spots as assistant chefs. Emeril will welcome guests and assist competitors via on-screen video.

“Taste of Emeril’s” debuted at Caesars Circus Maximus Theatre on October 21^st, and will  be running to November 12th.  Just an FYI - Members of the audience will need to pay close attention because you never know… anyone may be called to the stage to see how his or her culinary skills measure up.

You can check it out on Sunday, Tuesday, or Wednesday at 2 p.m. and Thursdays at 7 p.m. There will be additional shows on Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7 at 7 p.m. Tickets for “Taste of Emeril’s Cooking Challenge” are on sale now for $35.  Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster by calling 800-736-1420 or online at TicketMaster.

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Warm, sunny, beautiful autumn weather along with great wine, food, and entertainment for the entire family are in store for folks that make their way this weekend to the charming beach town of Cape May, New Jersey.

The annual Cape May Wine Festival will be taking place on October 10^th and 11^th, from 12-5 p.m. at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal, overlooking the Cape May Canal and Delaware Bay.

More than 20 New Jersey wineries will be on hand to offer guests some of the finest locally produced Chardonnay, Chambourcin, Syrah, Marechal Foch, Viognier, Traminette, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. There will also be a large array of fruit wines such as raspberry, cherry, and blueberry to satisfy sweet wine lovers.

In addition to wine sampling, festival goers will be treated to live music, various types of vendors, and a “Kids Zone” for those who are bringing the whole family.  Festival attendees can also take advantage of “Victorian Week” which will be running through the end of Sunday.

  
Anyone interested in learning more about this particular festival can call The Garden State Wine Growers Association at 609-588-0085 or visit their website. 

With the weather in the Northeast being nearly perfect, this should be a truly relaxing and enjoyable event.  

Cheers!

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“More than two hundred years ago, London’s Royal Society of the Arts recognized two New Jersey vintners for their success in producing the first bottles of quality wine derived from colonial agriculture. Today New Jersey’s wineries continue the tradition of producing high quality wines”.

Having attended several New Jersey wine festivals so far this year, I can honestly say that the spirit and tradition of making quality wines is alive and kickin’ in the Garden State!

On Saturday, September 26^th and Sunday, September 27^th from Noon to 5 pm, the Garden State Wine Growers Association will be showcasing Jersey’s finest at the first annual SIPtember Wine Festival that will be held at Essex County Brookdale Park in Bloomfield, New Jersey.   

Guests attending this event will have an opportunity to sample more than 250 New Jersey produced wines from more than 25 New Jersey wineries. This two-day festival will not only include New Jersey state award-winning wines, but shall also include live entertainment, gourmet food vendors, crafters, and kids’ activities on both days as well.

Admission for this event is $25 a person.  Five dollars from each admission will be donated to the Essex County Parks Foundation of the Essex County Department of Parks, a key sponsor of this festival. 

For more information about this particular wine festival or other upcoming New Jersey wine events, check out the Garden State Wine Growers Association website.

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