Matteo

I attended the inaugural Wine Riot this past Saturday held at the Cyclorama in the South End of Boston.  The event was organized by the progressive wine group The Second Glass, headed by Tyler Balliet, and Dig Publishing with support from important local Boston wine retailers, like The Wine Bottega!  The Wine Riot aimed at breaking down barriers and pretentious intimidations that are often associated with the wine world.  The concept was simple but novel and in my opinion something that cultivates the still burgeoning wine scene in Boston.  There were three “riots” beginning with a VIP tasting on Friday evening, for which we quickly sold out of tickets for here at the Wine Bottega.  I was able to attend the early afternoon session on Saturday and was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd and a well organized venue.  The wines on display had been gathered via the team at The Second Glass, and you could tell they worked hard to showcase as many regions and wine styles possible.  In most cases there were wine distributors on hand with representatives from wineries or certain producers but between the music they would also announce “Crash Course” sessions for more in-depth panel discussions. I found the crowd to be mostly young people, about 21-35 years old, the next generation of wine drinkers and a very influential demographic indeed.  Most were eager to learn and listen while they tasted the wines and I took in some the exchanges they had with the exhibitors.  I think the underlying thing that I got from it was that there IS a very engaged audience and that they are not only ready but eager to try as many new things as they can.  This is a huge shift that I am constantly refreshed by here at the Bottega.  My peers seem to have a true thirst for exploration through wine and they are not afraid of trying something new-this was proven at the Wine Riot.  As a whole I enjoyed the experience, talked to some colleagues in the industry and was very pleasantly surprised by the local wines especially from Westport Rivers and Turtle Creek; be on the look-out for these at the Bottega!  So I give major props to Tyler and his crew for their ability to organize and execute a successful event, I am looking forward to seeing another Wine Riot in the future, meanwhile if you’re looking for some ways to enjoy these pleasure full little wine adventures come stop by The Wine Bottega.
A dopo,
Matteo