A FEW MORE NOTES FROM THE FESTIVAL

Getting back to my brief foray at the 2010 CIWF Trade tasting, I stopped by the Marc de Grazia table (one of my favorite Italian importers) where old friend Margaret Scholz of Vintner Select was pouring. I tried the Domenico Clerico Barbera Trevigne 2006, which was an amazing Piedmont red, and the Piaggia Carmignano Riserva 2004, a massive Sangiovese/Cabernet blend from Tuscany. My next stop was at Vintner Select’s French Import table, helmed by VS French buyer Katie Schoeny, where I tried a couple of incredible hidden gems being poured by . I tried the Clos du Mont Olivet Cotes du Rhone Varene 2007, a 100% Syrah that was just incredible. Also really good was the Gerard Raphet Bourgogne Rouge 2007, a delicious red Burgundy.

One thing I have to say is that the trade event is more like an industry party, with cohorts and competitors gathering amidst a decadent orgy of grape juice and cheap nosh, basically to talk shop. Sometimes when I go to these things, I have the intent to be “all-business” and just taste new things, but as I said before, it never fails; you fall into conversation and the wine tasting goes by the wayside.

And that is fine, but then, as I was talking to Mike Rosenberg (from The Naked Vine) at the store Saturday morning, there are those individuals at these types of events that just sort of shove you out of the way and with all their swagger and bravado, claim to be “King of the Mountain” and force all comers to look elsewhere. It is their world and you simply have the good fortune of taking up space in it. They are rude not only to their fellow wine geeks, but to the hosts and the guest pourers, who have given up a helluva lot of their time and energy to be here in Cincinnati to share their wines with us. The whole nobody-cares-shut-up-and-pour-the-damn-wine mentality is one of the real reasons I have grown jaded with the event.

Moving on, I stopped by the Fosters Wine table to say hello to old friend Jim Diana was pouring some great stuff. The Etude Pinot Noir Rose Carneros 2009, which was simply stunning, and the really nice yet limited St. Clement Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley 2008 were both a great way to get into the swing of things. I also tried the Taz Pinot Gris Santa Barbara 2008, Souverain Chardonnay Alexander Valley 2008, Etude Pinot Noir Carneros Estate 2007 (one of my favorites for the day), and the Chateau St. Jean Merlot Sonoma County 2006. I was even there long enough to get a picture taken with Jim.

Stumbling around through the crowd, I made it over to the Ste. Michelle table where another old friend, Lisa Sweeney was hanging out and pouring Nicolas Feuillatte, Erath and Antinori wines alongside some great stuff from Columbia Crest and Chateau Ste. Michelle. I tried the Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rosé NV, which was stunning, as well as the absolutely amazing Columbia Crest Reserve Walter Clore Red 2005 (another favorite) and the Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Reserva 2005.

My last stop was at the Riondo USA table, where good friend Jill Leslie was showing off the new Riondo Pinot Grigio 2009, Riondo Pianello Rosso 2008 and the Riondo Amarone 2005 – all phenomenal values in Venetian wines. The Riondo Pinot Grigio is half-the-price of Santa Margherita and just kicks its ass in taste. Dropping by the table was another good friend John Erickson, the man the myth the legend, my pimp for all things Hahn Family Estates, who had another close brush with the other side last summer. It was good to see him up-and-around and as crazy as ever.

I managed to get all this in within two hours before creeping back to the store. I was just looking for some nappy time, so I heeded the call of Starbucks and drowned in a tall cup of coffee before making it back to the store in time for our own in-store wine tasting. It is funny how after so many years of all these trade events, I can seemingly skip the buzz and go straight to ready-for-bed.

The final destination was to a good friend’s gig at a little dive bar in Northern Kentucky, but upon my arrival at the homestead, my comfortable couch took me unbeknownst into dreamland – the pratfalls of the job I guess.

My overall view of the CIWF is still a bit jaded, though I heard some good things from several of my staff who also went, and some friends in the biz. Most certainly, good friends Mike Rosenberg of The Naked Vine and Michelle Lentz and Kevin Gerl of My Wine Education, should have some great posts regarding the event as well.

I definitely wouldn’t be paying the big price tag for the Grand Tastings runs around $70, so I guess I can be thankful for being part of the trade, but I still feel there are many things the committee could do to improve the event, like incorporate our local restaurants into the show somehow, and include more of the small distributor houses. But that is just me. And who am I really? Right? That’s the feeling I am left with every year, and every year, like some twisted masochist, I go back for more. Oh well, maybe next year it will be better. And maybe I will get to taste a bit more. Groan groan bitch moan.