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Wine Riot, a wine-tasting extravaganza of epic proportions, is taking over the Cyclorama next weekend. Hipster wine mag The Second Glass and Boston’s Weekly Dig, the event’s organizers, promise that “This Isn't Your Parents' Wine Event.” With DJ Die Young on the decks, fake tattoos galore and a photobooth on-site, the Wine Riot may have more in common with popular club events like Paper or The Pill than with the overwhelming, cougarrific Boston Wine Expo. But with far better food, of course, provided by Savant Project, Mission Hill's newest hipster bar; Ronnarong, Union Square's brand-new Thai restaurant; Garden at the Cellar, Will Gilson's Central Square locavore paradise; and Sel de la Terre, L'Espalier's accessible little sibling.
Although only in its first year, the Riot boasts a compelling mishmosh of events and vendors most area oenophiles will recognize and appreciate. It will include three mass tastings (one on Friday, two on Saturday) that aim to encourage drinkers in Boston's 21-34 demographic, from Franzia-drinking bros to prosecco-popping scenesters, to learn more about wine in general. To that end, the tastings are punctuated by “crash courses” in everything from Champagne to Chilean reds.
This Bostonist will be there volunteering and drinking on Saturday, and recommends you join her. But we understand that you may be unsure as to which tasting is your stilo, especially if you can't tell a Chardonnay from a Sauvignon blanc (yet!). So we asked Tyler Balliet and Morgan First, the power couple behind The Second Glass, to give us the scoop. Read on for our guide.
VIP NIGHT ($65)
Friday April 17, 6-10pm
What it is: Friday night is perfect for those who come to learn as well as drink. Instead of listening to each winemaker give you his/her spiel on the region and varietals of grapes they're working with -- as you jostle for space and give them the "my glass is empty" puppydog face -- you'll get to kick back and absorb a more structured discussion about sustainable wine, hosted by the Boston Wine School’s Jonathan Alsop. Panel members include the ever-charming and unpretentious Matt Reiser from Upstairs on the Square, Jayme Moffi of Sonoma Valley winery Michel-Schlumberger and Guillaume Suss of French winemaker Albert Bichot. (Enviro-minded drinkers will be happy to know that all wine will be served in GoVino glasses, which are shatter-proof, reusable and 100% recyclable.)
There will be a “Global Twitter Tasting”; where attendees will gather ‘round for a handful of wines from the Rhone region and log their thoughts into Twitter to share with tasters all around the world, and a “Crash Course” on champagne led by Bertil Jean-Chronberg, general manager and sommelier for The Beehive.
Who should go: Longtime oenophiles, tech heads, Twitter addicts, self-identified "locovores", vegans, claustrophobic people
RIOT 1 ($45)
Saturday, April 18, 1-5pm
What it is: A daytime tasting with several “Crash Courses”; available for those interested in learning about a particular region or winemaking technique. But you can leave your cravat and monocle at home for these lectures: the courses go by names like “Mendoza? I Didn’t Even Know Her!!”, “Is That a Magnum or Are You Just Happy to See Me?” and “Portugal, Old World Cool for Pennies on the Dollar”. According to Balliet, the idea behind these affordable mass tastings is to provide attendees with an opportunity to ask “dumb” questions, figure out what they like, and learn the difference between a bottle of wine that’s a steal at $20.00 and a bottle of wine that’s a waste of money at $10.00. First predicts that this tasting will be slightly more subdued and sophisticated than the one later Saturday evening, joking that Riot 1 is for "spitters" (people who go to wine expos to taste and judge the wine, spitting each sample out so they can try unlimited samples without passing out) and Riot 2 is for "swallowers" (people who go to have a good time).
Who should go: chowhounds who want to hit the South End for dinner afterwards; people who insist on maintaining some semblance of dignity; suburbanites who can't avoid driving in (we don't recommend this!)
RIOT 2 ($45)
Saturday, April 18, 6-10pm
What it is: Just like Riot 1, except for much, much crazier. You’d better plan to take the T home from this one.
Who should go: people who want to get their $45 worth by drinking every last drop of each glass; dance party groupies; scenesters; alcoholics with hearts of gold; people with a sense of humor; and everyone else who would normally balk at the idea of attending a wine tasting because they “don’t know that much about wine."
Now that you've figured out where you belong, you can pick up tickets at WineRiot.com. They're going fast, so don't sleep. (Note: you're in the food & beverage industry, you can attend the free trade tasting on Friday from 2-5pm, with food provided by industry fave Eastern Standard. Be ready to prove you're in the biz.)
More info:
Wine Riot
Boston Center for the Arts, Cyclorama Building
539 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02116
Click here for directions and parking info
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