Alex on the Road: Week of Wine Festivals

Monday kicked off a week of wine festivals and trade events for Cornerstone Cellars. If our FourSquare account had a way to keep track of them, I'd be unlocking badges left and right. It has all started in midtown Manhattan, at the Lauber Imports Grand Annual Tasting (or GAT as they all call it). This is the premier trade show for New York . 1000 customers come through the ballroom at the Hilton Hotel to visit over 100 different wineries, each showcasing their best and brightest wines. I would estimate that close to 800 wines (and just a handful of spirits) were being shown to eager sommeliers, owners, chefs, and servers. If you or your friends are in the restaurant scene in New York, this is the show to check out!

And with so many great restaurants throughout the area, its hard to choose where to dine. Having one heck of a time making my way out from San Francisco, I found myself in a dire situation upon checking into the hotel. It was 10:45 pm, on Mother’s day and I was famished. With Per Se and Dorsia (impossible to get a res) out of the question I embarked on a journey to find something equally delicious in Hell's Kitchen. It was found in a nondescript hole-in-the-wall Mediterranean restaurant. Hummus, followed by braised chicken in a sauce featuring raisins and squash was what my waitress suggested. Her two favorite dishes. It was exactly what I was wanting in a meal but likely would not have realized it.
 
Now I am back in the Bay Area, if only for a few weeks. Friday I will be pouring at the Mutineer Magazine Wine Circus, put together by my friend Harry Oranges. This symposium features the who’s who of beverage social media. I am looking forward to introducing the attendees to our 2011 Stepping Stone Corallina Rosé. Friday will prove to be a warm spring day, calling for this crisp refreshing wine to eases our palates. The weekend illicit a trip into San Francisco, with the Uncorked Wine Festival being held Saturday at Ghirardelli Square and Cochon 555 Sunday evening. Oh yes, Bay to Breakers will be sandwiched in between the two events. See you there!

-Alex Crown