Opening Night of Second Glass’ Boston Wine Riot last weekend seemed to be equal parts wine and riot, using the term riot in the best possible way. For the industry professional that has yet to experience this event which was instituted in 2009, it is difficult to predict what to expect. After taking the first step inside the Boston Castle Plaza, all expectations were blown out of the water. There is a DJ pumping electric beats throughout the spacious room and lights illuminating the words ‘WINE RIOT’ overhead.
The Wine Riots host people by the hundreds and as one could imagine, it is a wine-lovers paradise. Not only is there music to get people excited about traveling the wide world of wine under just one roof, but there is a photo booth for attendees to take silly pictures that embodied the enjoyable environment and temporary tattoos to remind everyone that wine tasting can be educational and amusing at the same time. Wine events can sometimes be misinterpreted as stuffy but the Riots completely break free of that mold by taking on a trendy, enthusiastic stand point on wine.
All attendees are critics at the Wine Riots, moving from station to station trying to decipher which is their favorite pick-me-up. There are experts at each booth who tell attendees about each specific wine, the type of tastes and aromas the wine gives off, where it comes from and more. It is almost impossible to retain all the information thrown at you amongst all the rioting; this is where the mobile app comes into play. The app tracks the attendee’s favorite wines and gives the exact locations where the bottles can be purchased. The app also adds an element of competition to the Wine Riot; the amount of likes each wine received was tracked and placed on electronic lists so attendees can see the show favorites; which is extremely useful for bar owners to see what wines they can potentially sell. Here is a little information on the top products at the Wine Riot:
Madria Sangria
Madria Sangria was the favorite amongst men and women at the Boston Wine Riot. Madria Sangria is available in both Traditional and White Moscato. Both styles have refreshing characteristics with an added flair. Wine drinkers can enjoy either of these delicious wine blends straight from the bottle or in a citrusy cocktail.
2012 Giorgio & Gianni Sweet Red Lambrusco
Using carefully selected grapes from their vineyards, Giorgio & Gianni’s Sweet Red Lambrusco is a sparkling red wine. This fizzy wine is super inexpensive, low in alcohol and meant to be sipped cold. This particular wine is considered a dessert wine.
2012 Dr. L Riesling
This quintessential German Riesling was made right on the banks of the Model River. The wine has a beautiful honey aroma with a hint of peach while it has a very sweet taste with lasting acidity and hints of apple, pear and natural fruits. Dr. L Riesling’s simple tastes combined ironically making it unique.
As if there isn’t enough knowledge being thrown out on the tasting floor, there were two 20 minute wine crash courses going on at all times throughout the night. Attendees of these sessions learn basics like young wine gives off an aroma and more mature wine offers more of a bouquet. As the sessions went on, attendees learned more advanced wine information such as red wines are red because fermentation extracts color from the grape skins. Tastings are also incorporated into the sessions so attendees can get hands on experience on the type of wine they are learning about. As cliché as it sounds, the speakers actually make learning pleasant and exciting.
The Wine Riots are for people who consider themselves wine enthusiasts and fun lovers. It is awfully useful for restaurant and bar owners to attend the Wine Riots to see what the consumers want and to learn about the products they already serve. The riots continue into the fall in cities across the country such as LA, Chicago and New York. To my fellow rioters, until next time.