The Riot Review

What a night. Thanks to the amazing folks at Second Glass, The Wine Riot was by far one of the most enjoyable evenings I have had in Boston yet. You can be sure I'll be back for more in October. 

Accompanied by my brother and two friends, we soaked up the reds and the whites, some pinks and even a few bubbles. The more we drank, the more we learned. I have a whole new appreciation for organic wine after sitting in the "Wines with a Conscience" crash course, hosted by Mendocino Wine Company. After, I went right over to booth #21 to try Yellow + Blue's cabernet. This environmentally friendly boxed-wine (aka, Tetra Pak) reduces their carbon footprint by eliminating gas emission from costly distribution. 

There were 250 wines at the riot and I was determined to try as many as possible. In order to keep pace with the tasting, we hydrated with bottles of Smart Water and nourished with pizza slices from Upper Crust. I even tried some gazpacho soup from Masa, a spicy South End restaurant. 

Second Glass brought more than just food and wine to the table last night. We dressed up in hats and purple boas and held signs to take pictures in their hilarious photo booth. 

We also got tattoos! Don't worry Mom, they're fake. 

 

It was really hard to decide, but I've created a list of my top five reds and whites to help you out with your next wine purchase. 

The Reds:

5. Inman Family Wines: 2007 OGV Estate $52

4. Yellow + Blue: 2009 Torrontes $12

3. Gilbert Distributors: 2006 Women of the Vine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon $18

2. Elite Wine Imports: 2008 Carelli 34' Malbec $9

1. Vintage Point: 2007 Joseph Carr Cabernet $20

The Whites:

5. Underdog Wine Merchants: 2006 Helfrich Grand Cru Riesling $22

4. Travessia: 2008 UnOaked Chardonnay $14

3. Terroir Imports: 2008 Calvet Sauvignon Blanc $12 (limited release)

2. Esporao: 2008 Herdade do Esporao Reserva White $20

1. Mionetto: Extra Dry Prosecco $12

Things I learned:

5. I do not like Sherry and I never will.

4. Move over Cabernet, here comes Syrah, Noir, and most definitely, Malbec.

3. I still do not like Merlot and it has nothing to do with Sideways.

2. I like "New World" wines from California best.

(New World refers to countries that recently started making wine, like US, Argentina and Australia)

1. I'm considering a tattoo on my left, non-existent bicep. Probably won't say Wine Riot.

Happy Sipping!