Wine Spectator's 36th Annual New York Wine Experience Coming To Times Square This Weekend
Wine is big business, and few publications have their finger on the pulse of the world of wine better than Wine Spectator, which is celebrating its 40th year in operation and will be hosting their 36th annual New York Wine Experience this weekend, from October 20-22, at New York's Marriott Marquis. Wine lovers, producers, vinters, and distributors will all be on hand. There will be a slew of grand tastings, seminars, a Chef's Challenge, and the Grand Award banquet on Saturday.
During the walk-around Critic's Choice Grand Tastings, which will be held on Thursday and Friday evenings, more than 250 wineries and châteaus will be pouring their wines (with more than 15 countries represented); all wineries and châteaus have won the magazine's Critics' Choice Award, and all of the wines have been rated 90 points or higher. In many cases, the owners and winemakers will be pouring their own wines. This is an opportunity to sample some of the best wines on earth: We're talking about some seriously heavy hitters here, like Dom Pérignon, Château Haut-Brion, Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Margaux, and Château d'Yquem (and those are just the French ones!).
Seminars during the festival include tastings of Champagne, Brunello di Montalcino, California cabernet, global pinot noir, and Château Lafite Rothschild. During the Chef's Challenge on Saturday morning, legendary chefs José Andrés, Emeril Lagasse, and Michael Lomonaco will be competing in a top-secret showdown, and at the black-tie Grand Award Banquet that evening a special performance will be given by Huey Lewis and the News.
You can register for the full weekend here for $2,495 per person, but if you'd only like to attend one of the Grand Tastings (which we really suggest you do if you love wine and can spring for it), tickets can be purchased here for $365 per person.