Sun. Jan. 24

 Foodies and wine aficianados – I guess we don’t call them winos – will converge upon the Seaport Trade Center for two days, concluding Sunday Jan. 24 for the 19th Annual Boston Wine Expo. Saturday sold out, but tix are available Sunday. It’s $85.
What do you get? We can tell you that there are more than 450 wine producers represented, pouring more than 1800 wines. That there will be live cooking demos with 15 celebrity chefs. (Again, we wonder about the “celebrity chef” term and its expansion to seemingly include everyone but the guys who cook our pizza at Pizzeria Regina – although they do a damn fine job!)

We asked the Wine Expo's Jim Carmody, one of co-founders, about the event. (He's also the G.M at the Seaport Hotel and President of the Guild of Oenopholists.) "It started when I was at Boston Harbor Hotel, the manager at the time. We had some success with the Wine Festival [still going, run by Daniel Bruce, see other wine item] and we wanted to do a regional fair like they did in France where producers came in and set up in town square, like a trade show." At the time the Anthony Spinazzola Wine Festival was going, but, says Carmody, starting to wane. "I didn't want to be known as the bullet that killed Spinazzola, and I thought why not work with them to create a weeked? They'd lead off Friday and we'd do Saturday and Sunday."
The proposal flew. And the first Wine Expo was launched at the World Trade Center. The first year they did 1700 people, then next 2500, and then, says Carmody, it became a case of "capping ticket sales. We max out at about 10,000."

In the early days, Carmody says they wrote "a charter for ourselves." First, they brought four of the top Boston wine distributors. They devloped, what he says, is "an economic intiative in depths of winter. We wanted to develop the next generation of wine conusmers, create an opportunity where they could experiment, try different things at not too great a cost. Ane we wanted to have a wine seminar program with some substantial academic rigor, and yet to keep it accesible to everybody. I think we hit a grand slam."

A charitable component came about, partly because what the Wine Expo was doing - all you can drink for a price - would have run up against the anti-Happy Hour laws so championed by Gov. Michael Dukakis. A law was drafted by the legislature, saying, essentially that an event like this had to have a charitable component, which was just fine with Carmody and pals. "Since inception," he says, "we've donated in excess of $1 million to local charities." One primary recepient has been the New England Medical Center Summer Camp Program, where about 225 children with various diseases go to camp to develop life-coping skills." Carmody had been V.P. of general services at the Medical Center. The Summer Camp program had lost its funding, so ... Another 25 local organizations also benefit.

What's the main consumer appeal? "The average consumer is somewhat intimidated by the wine shopping experience," says Carmody. "Where else can you walk in where you already have an interest in wine?" and get so much information and experience. "People walk in a liquor store and have to spend 20 dollars. They want to share the wine with friends and don't want to look like a dummy. The range of wines here is incredible. The price points, the quality, the variety - like no other wine show anywhere, Producers say 'Please let me in and get a push-pull demand going for my wine.'"

There are two big stages, and there's a cooking demo happening every 30 minutes. The seating is for 75-100 people. You meet and greet winemakers. And you mix and mingle and meet like-minded folks.

Among the well-known presenters you will find Tim Mondavi, Co-Founder, Proprietor and Winemaker of Continuum Estate, Leonardo LoCascio, President, CEO and Founder of Winebow, Inc., Marilisa Allegrini, Proprietor Allegrini, San Polo and Co-Founder of Poggio al Tesoro wineries, Paul Hobbs, Owner/Winemaker at Paul Hobbs Winery and Vina Cobos, Bernard Retornaz, President of Louis Latour Inc., Scott McCleod, Winemaker at Rubicon Estate, Katarina Prüm of J.J. Prüm, Wilhelm Steifensand of Kloster Liebfrauenstift,  Gary Vaynerchuk of WineLibraryTV.com, Gloria Maroti Frazee, Wine Spectator, Leslie Sbrocco, Award-Winning Author, "Adventures of a Thirsty Girl" (in photo) and Christian Tietje, Founder of Four Vines.
Seminars – and there are 26 during the two day run - and the Grand Tasting goes 1-5 p.m.

1 Seaport Lane, 1-877-946-3976. www.wine-expos.com/wine/boston