Boston Wine Expo 2012 Preview

The Boston Wine Expo 2012 is shaping up to be an even bigger, more comprehensive event than in years past with some very exciting changes and additions. That may be hard to imagine for anyone who has attended this enormous, sprawling event but to kick things off we were invited to a special media preview recently and are ready to feature some of the new highlights for our readers.


As we sipped some of the wines that will be featured and snacked on amazing appetizers we learned, first of all, that the Expo will now include a full week of exciting events taking place from January 16-22, 2012 in the Seaport. The wines we tasted were organized into four regions: North America, Southern Hemisphere, Europe and Mediterranée. Our first sip was from North America, a 2008 Treana Red (Paso Robles). Excellent. The Expo will also be organized into these four regions.


Our Southern Hemisphere sip was a 2009 Catena Malbec, Catena Zapata, from Argentina. Also nice. Newly scheduled events for 2012 will include a Three-Day Education Series, Two-Day Grand Tastings and Special Tastings, Vintner Dinners and other special events. In addition, the Expo and the Seaport Hotel will also be the new home of TV Diner's Platinum Plate Gala, which features so many of our favorite Chefs and restaurants and will take place on Friday evening.


After sampling the European offering, 2009 Von Buhl "Maria Schneider Jazz Label" Reisling (Pfalz) we checked out the food offerings. Vintner dinners will be held throughout the week at lots of great restaurants: 606 Congress, BOKX 109, Sandrine's Bistro and Strega. The Celebrity Chef Stage will feature great friends such as Chef Patricia Yeo of OM, Chris Douglass of Ashmont Grill, Mary Ann Esposito, Andy Husbands of Tremont 647 as well as Chris Coombs of Deauxave and Vittorio Ettore of Bistro 5.


In addition to all of the new events Boston Wine Expo 2012 is stepping up the technology with a new mobile app that will be available, allowing you to track all of your wine tastings, selections, notes and even order your favorites online right away. QR codes will also be big this year. We noticed several bottles with QR codes last year and this is expanding tremendously for 2012. If you have a smartphone download any of the scanning apps now so you can scan away and get all of the information anyone could want, and more, on the vintages and wineries you want to learn more about.

I highly suggest you visit the website for full information on tickets, events, hotel offers, dinners, maps, participants and Celebrity Chef demonstration schedules. Here is the link: Boston Wine Expo 2012. Keep in mind that in the past the event has completely sold out.

We'll see you there!!!!