Wine Spectator's 2018 New York Wine Experience Coming To Times Square October 18-20

Wine is big business, and few publications have their finger on the pulse of the world of wine better than Wine Spectator, which will be hosting its 38th annual New York Wine Experience this weekend, from October 18-20, 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 in two of the hotel's ballrooms, 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 Château La Mission Haut-Brion, Château Cheval Blanc, Château Margaux, Château Mouton Rothschild, and Château d'Yquem (and those are just the French ones!).

Seminars during the festival include guided tastings of Château Haut-Brion, four of Oregon's rising stars, Australian chardonnay, Brunello di Montalcino from Tuscany's Biondi-Santi dating back to 1983, and four vintages of Burgundy Grand Cru. During the Chef's Challenge on Saturday morning, legendary chefs José Andrés, Emeril Lagasse, and Mario Carbone, along with Commander's Palace's Ti Martin, will be "matching food, wine, and wits." Other events during the weekend include wine pairing lunches on Friday and Saturday and a black tie award banquet on Saturday evening. And on Friday morning, none other than Jon Bon Jovi will be presenting a wine during the seminars.

The weekend packages are sold out, but tickets to the Friday night Grand Tasting are still available, for $375 for general admission and $475 for VIP admission, which includes an hour of early access.