Opinions on the Boston Wine Expo?

01/12/2006 John O. says:

Joe,
the Expo is an on again off again experience.  I've been going on a fairly regular basis for the past 9 or 10 years.  In all cases the wine does flow freely, so there are no concerns that you won't get your money's worth from a volume perspective.

What tends to change are:
- the exhibitors.  The good years there is a large number of wine makers present who are passionate about their wines and are interested in talking to you.  In the bad years, it's weighted more towards wine distributors who, while often knowledgable, aren't quite so passionate.

- the crowds.  There have been some years where it's just so packed (and hot!) that it's simply unpleasent.

- the seminars.  More often than not, there are at least 3 seminars on each day that are interesting.  I've never sat in on one that wasn't well done and interesting.

I'm trying to round up a group to go this year as it's more fun to go with at lease one or two other people so that you can compare notes on the fly.

01/19/2006 Julie S. says:

You might want to check with the folks on this site about their opinions on it: http://www.localwineev... I've never been, but my parents liked it.  My mother said it did get kind of busy, but it was nice trying everything.  She also laughed saying: They expect you to spit it out after.  HA!  =)

01/26/2006 Sara "The Worm" H. says:

I have been to the wine expo on and off for the past several years and have always had a great experience.  I agree with some of the comments - it gets crowded and hot mid-day.  Dress in layers.  Some years special vintners (like Jed Steele - Steele winery) spent twenty minutes talking to us and shared special "under the table" wines from their new releases. Other years it's been much more informal with the sellers sharing whatever they had the most of.  We loved both experiences.  I think it's definitely worth going - and do the following:  1.  Wear a light-weight jacket.  You do have to stand outside in line to get in --get there early!!--but DO NOT check your coat. It's a nightmare getting it back if you want to get your money's worth and stay til the end.  Tie jacket around the waist or bring a small backpack to put it in. 2.  Take time out for the cooking demonstrations - take a seat and get to taste test the eats. 3.  Bring a little snack. While they also feature cheeses, it is tough to get to the tables with food - and it's not always enough to sustain the long day of tasting (if you swallow - which you should!).  Finally, if you want to spring for the extra cash, take a seminar earlier in the day. You can avoid waiting in line and learn a lot!  It may be sold out now, so all of this is moot - but there is always next year! Enjoy.

01/29/2008 j m. says:

I'm supposed to be going to the expo this year with my boyfriend. I'm from out of state. How strict are they about IDs? Do they even card?

01/29/2008 julie S. says:

I went last year. GET THERE EARLY. I got there nice and early, so I was able to sample plenty of wine before the crowd came.

And coat check sucks. If it's warm enough, I'd recommend not bringing a coat at all.

It's pretty expensive, so I'm not going again this year, but it's worth one visit.

01/29/2008 Lynda "My Gangsta Name is Supa-Hard Crack Baby" B. says:

I used to be a regular but stopped going last year. Its a great way to sample wines, and there are plenty to choose from. Plan on getting loaded on reserve bottles! The downside, too crowded. The lines to get to some of the tables are crazy, the coatcheck, forget about it. The lines to use the bathroom are also a pain, so you have to really time it right. Plus the price, it has steadily risen over the years. I figure now if I want to spend $70 on wine I will do that at a restaurant or a wine store.
And yes, they do card everyone.