Wine Spectator’s
Wine Spectator’s
Critic’s Choice Grand Tasting 2011
Critic’s Choice Grand Tasting 2011
“30th Anniversary”
Marriott Marquis, Times Square, New York
October 21, 2011
When the New York Wine Experience arrives each fall season, I try to go to the Grand Tasting event as it brings together some of the best names in wine from all over the world. The price of the ticket is steep, but for the high quality of wine you have access to taste the experience is bar none for a consumer. Trade shows happen all the time for the pros where they can taste many wines, but nothing like this at one event.
Under one roof one can taste all of the Bordeaux First Growths, the major Super Tuscans, the best Sauternes, many a cult level Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, many of the top Rioja from Spain, Barolo and Barbaresco from Italy, Chianti from Tuscany, some of the best Pinot Noir from all over the world, Riesling from Germany, as well as many, many other stellar wines from Argentina, Chile, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. In the 2.5 hours one person cannot get to all of the wines so a “careful study the day prior to map out a strategy is necessary. A little discipline is needed to not ‘go back to the well” too many times – I was guilty of this at Chateau Latour’s 2003 second wine Les Forts de Latour this time around and Paul Hobbs’ 2004 Dr. Crane Cabernet. You may even want to practice spitting a few days before, maybe at home in a big sink or in the shower. If you don’t spit you won
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