DAY ONE Thursday, October 25, 2007
• EVENING
6:30 pm* - 10:00 pm
"Critics' Choice" Grand Tasting

The New York Wine Experience begins with the "Critics' Choice" Grand Tasting. This is the first of two nights to taste wine from more than 250 of the best wineries/chateaux in the world's great wine growing regions. All the wineries and chateaux participating have been carefully selected by the Wine Spectator board of editors and have earned our 2007 "Critics' Choice" award. Each winery/château has been asked to pour one great vintage throughout the two nights of Tasting-a wine rated 90 points or higher by Wine Spectator. This is a rare opportunity to meet the owners and winemakers who will be pouring their wines. A list of participating wineries/chateaux follows on the next page.

*6:30pm - 7:30pm is reserved for Complete Package registrants and other people in their party for whom they have purchased tickets. 7:30pm is the admission time for those who are not attending to the entire weekend and have purchased Grand Tasting tickets only.

DAY TWO Friday, October 26, 2007
• MORNING

Part I 9:00 am - 9:15 am
"Welcome and Preview of the New York Wine Experience," Marvin R. Shanken, Editor & Publisher, Wine Spectator, New York City.

Part II 9:15 am - 10:30 am
Wine Spectator's Top Ten Tasting. A tasting of the 2006 Top Ten wines as selected by the Wine Spectator board of editors and published in the December 31, 2006 issue-an annual highlight. The wines are:

  • Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova 2001
  • Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Washington 2003
  • Château Léoville Barton St.-Julien 2003
  • Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Puente Alto Don Melchor 2003
  • Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 2003
  • Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey Sauternes 2003
  • Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2004
  • Kongsgaard Chardonnay Napa Valley 2003
  • Brancaia Toscana Il Blu 2004
  • Two Hands Shiraz Barossa Valley Bella's Garden 2004

Each winery owner or winemaker will comment on his wine. The tasting will be led by Harvey Steiman, editor at large, Wine Spectator and Bruce Sanderson, senior editor, tasting director, Wine Spectator.

Part III 10:30 am - 11:00 am
In what is certain to be his most personal presentation ever, Matt Kramer, columnist, Wine Spectator will showcase what he calls "The Wines of My Heart." These are the wines that, after having tasted thousands of wines over three decades of professional tasting, Kramer prizes above all others.

Part IV 11:00 am - 12:00 noon
California Chardonnay Tasting. A salute to California Chardonnay with a tasting of eight top-rated, limited-production Chardonnays that will demonstrate the character and diversity of this great grape. James Laube, senior editor, Wine Spectator, moderates the panel of owners and/or winemakers.

• LUNCHEON 12:00 noon - 1:30 pm
Austrian Lunch. "Austrian wine makes good food shine" is the theme of this lunch sponsored by the Austrian Wine Marketing Board. The match of great wines from Austria and a menu created by Wolfgang Puck will result in a delicious food and wine pairing and a lunch you will certainly enjoy.

• AFTERNOON
Part V 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
M. Chapoutier Tasting. A once-in-a-lifetime tasting from M. Chapoutier, the legendary producer from France's Rhône Valley. Michel Chapoutier, owner and winemaker, will present eight wines-five reds and three whites. The wines are: M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon 2005, Ermitage L'Ermite 2005, Ermitage Le Méal 2005, Ermitage Les Greffieux 2005, Ermitage Le Pavillon 2000, Ermitage White de L'Orée 2005, Ermitage White Le Méal 2005, and Ermitage White de L'Orée 2003. James Molesworth, senior editor, Wine Spectator, leads the tasting.

• EVENING
6:30 pm - 10:00 pm
"Critics' Choice" Grand Tasting Your second opportunity to taste the wines and meet the owners and winemakers from more than 250 specially selected wineries and chateaux all of whom have been asked to pour a wine rated 90 points or higher by Wine Spectator.

*6:30pm - 7:30pm is reserved for Complete Package registrants and other people in their party for whom they have purchased tickets. 7:30pm is the admission time for those who are not attending the entire weekend and have purchased Grand Tasting tickets only.

DAY THREE Saturday, October 27, 2007
• MORNING

Part I 9:30 am - 10:45 am
A Blind Tasting. Each Wine Spectator senior editor has selected an exciting wine that is still "undiscovered," but rated excellent. None of them know what the others have chosen. The audience will taste blind along with the senior editors. At the end, all will be revealed. Participating Wine Spectator senior editors will be James Laube, Kim Marcus, Thomas Matthews, James Molesworth, Bruce Sanderson, Harvey Steiman and James Suckling.

Part II 10:45 am - 12:00 p.m.
Food and Wine Tasting. Once again the New York Wine Experience is the stage for our "Four Chefs"- Mario Batali (Babbo, New York), Emeril Lagasse (Emeril's, New Orleans), Wolfgang Puck (Spago, Los Angeles), and Charlie Trotter (Charlie Trotter's, Chicago). These extraordinary culinary artists will once again each prepare an exciting dish to pair with their wine selection. Thomas Matthews, executive editor, Wine Spectator, will umpire.

Mario Batali, Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck and Charlie Trotter

• LUNCHEON 12 noon - 1:30 pm
California Lunch. A gourmet lunch designed to spotlight California Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah wines. You will have an opportunity to taste and compare these wines in an informal setting. Michael Mina, Michael Mina's, San Francisco is the guest chef. He has designed a menu in his unique style to complement these varietals.

• Part III 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Italian Tasting. A tasting of eight great wines of Italy from the 1997 vintage, which is rated outstanding by Wine Spectator. Each producer will be onstage to talk about his wine. This will be an extraordinary treat. The tasting is hosted by James Suckling, European bureau chief, Wine Spectator.

• EVENING "GRAND AWARD" BANQUET
The "Grand Award" Banquet, the crowning event of the weekend, is a lavish black-tie evening with special wines, great food and star entertainment. It is the culmination of a weekend filled with new wine experiences and new wine friends.

Frankie Valli, the original "Jersey Boy," and The Four Seasons fill the stage with their memorable songs and electric performance. Get ready to hear all their rock and roll classics -"Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Walk Like A Man," "Rag Doll" as well as "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You," "My Eyes Adored You," "Let's Hang On" to name a few of their hits. "Oh What a Night" it will be.

6:30 pm Champagne Reception

7:30 pm The Annual "Grand Award" Banquet
Highlighting the evening: Distinguished Service Award. Chuck Wagner of Caymus Vineyards in Napa Valley and Jean-Michel Cazes of Château Lynch-Bages in Bordeaux are this year's Distinguished Service Award winners. They come from different regions but have much in common. Both run family-owned wineries, taking over from their fathers and training their children. Both focus on Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines. And both have earned Wine of the Year honors from Wine Spectator. While firmly rooted in their local communities, both have supported charitable causes around the world.

Wine Spectator will be recognizing the 2007 "Grand Award" winning restaurants, so honored for having the greatest wine lists in the world.

Wine Spectator will be presenting the award to the producer of the No. 1 wine from its Top 100, as announced in the December 31, 2006 issue-Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova 2001.

Tickets for the Banquet only, may be purchased by complete package registrants for their guests, and by members of the wine industry.

Water provided by:

   


Important Notice: The New York Wine Experience is sponsored by the Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation, which underwrites grants and scholarships to students pursuing careers in the wine industry. Attendance is tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Cancellation Policy: COMPLETE PACKAGE--A full refund is available until July 1, 2007. After that date, until September 15, there is a $500 per person cancellation fee. After September 15 there are no refunds. GRAND TASTING AND BANQUET TICKETS: A full refund is available until October 5, 2007. After that date there are no refunds for any tickets. Registrations, Banquet tickets, and Grand Tasting tickets may be transferred to another person at any time.

Note: Seminar sponsor reserves the right to refuse admission to any applicant.

For questions, e-mail: events@mshanken.com