deb293
Posts: 289
Joined: 8/24/2005 Status: offline
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Craig, I think it is only fair to assume that each person brings a bottle; if you bring a guest then another bottle would be expected. EWS did turn into a bit of a free for all, but because there was so much wine, it's not like folks didn't slow down a bit after the first few tastes, and later arriving guests kept adding wines to the mix. Each person got first dibs to taste his own wine if he chose, and was given a glass by the sommelier on arrival. After that, one basically "surrendered" one's bottle to one of the two long tables that had been set up (one for reds, one for whites/Champagne/dessert wines). You said good-bye to your wine and mingled. At the whites table there was a large bucket with ice to keep the Champagne chilled. Each table had a sommelier to do the pouring and keep the bottles organized. (They got overwhelmed eventually.) For all that, it's not as chaotic as it sounds. About 20 people arrived at the start; that's 20 bottles immediately available for sampling, and people trickled in all night. No lines for tasting, because no one knew in advance what was being brought. This avoided the "hey, let's hit the Screaming Eagle first!" syndrome. So it was nice to wander around the room and discover what had arrived throughout the evening. Besides, a bottle of wine per person is a lot of wine! It doesn't disappear instantly; rushing the tables didn't happen. The only hoarding occurred when a late-arriving guest bought a wine from the restaurant's wine list (rumor was a $500 bottle) and rather than surrendering it, found a seat in a corner and shared it with a select few. (Tribeca Bar and Grill is DeNiro's place with a noted wine list.) I've been to trade/importer tastings where one gets a list of the available wines on arrival. This leads to "targeted" tasting, and mobs at the tables of the most coveted wines. EWS was happily nothing like that. Just lots of photos of stained labels and smiling people.
< Message edited by deb293 -- 6/20/2008 7:08:26 PM >
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