Making Difficult Choices is a Lot Easier These Days

The wine industry has evolved, and its production of quality wines at lower price points has significantly improved, more in the past decade than perhaps in the previous century.

The introduction of new technology and new techniques has raised the overall quality, quantity and diversity of wines available to consumers. The profile of many of today’s wines is dramatically different from the mass-produced, mass-marketed wines of yesteryear. There been a sea change in winemakers’ approaches to making wine, utilizing recent developments to enhance the quality of their wines.

The phenomenon of high quality wines at value prices once again came home to me for a recent event. Over the 20-plus years I have been conducting wine tastings, I have honed my skill at selecting crowd pleasers, yet for each event I labor considerably over matching wines with guests.

One of the events I support is a networking gathering near Grand Central Terminal organized by Chapin Hill Advisors (www.chapinhill.com). Kathy Boyle, the energetic founder and president, for years has been bringing together professionals from numerous industries to meet and greet.

Several few weeks ago, I assisted her at one such event. My role was to select, purchase and present 15 wines to the 100 professional guests that had signed up, as well as offer my comments on each wine. The challenge for me was to select wines that would satisfy the divergent tastes and preferences of a large group.

On the (very) snowy day of the event, midway on my train ride, I received a frantic call from Kathy.

“I’m here at the wine shop to pick up the eight cases of wine. The store is closed because of the snow!” she frantically exclaimed. “What should we do?”

I thought for a second and anxiously responded: “We’ll resort to Plan B.”

“Plan B?” Kathy shot back, with tinges of relief and anxiety in her voice. “And what is Plan B?”

Here was my moment of truth. All of my planning and selection was on the line.

“I’ll call you right back,” was all I could muster, trying to sound comforting and in control.

Plan B? There was no Plan B. There was never a need for a Plan B. Pick up the wines and bring them to the event; a simple task that requires no Plan B. Except it did.

Trying to stay calm and clear-headed, I called Kathy right back. “Trust me. I’ll find alternative wines near the venue and will get them to the event in plenty of time.” “Whew,” she exclaimed, confident from the reassuring tone of my voice.

Now what do I do? In two hours, 100 guests would be arriving to sample wines that were locked in a storeroom in Westchester.

When situations arise that require acute problem-solving skills and innovative solutions, what is the increasingly logical course of action? Google it.

So I did. “Wine shops in Grand Central area,” I frantically typed. I found three shops. I chose the closest.

Racing to the store, I ran up and down the aisles seeking out familiar regions and producers. The selection was sparse and the producers unfamiliar. The wine shop staff was of no help; their manager had stepped out.

Furtively checking my watch (90 minutes to showtime), I drew upon my accumulated years of wine knowledge. I scanned the shelves for regions with excellent reputations that embraced modern technology and techniques. I then checked the back labels for the name of the importer/distributor, confident that selections from reputable companies would be of high quality and value.

About 15 minutes later, my 15 selections were complete, and I was ready to transport the eight cases of wine, none of which I had tasted before.

Mission accomplished. Plan B implemented and successfully executed. And all with five minutes to spare before guests were scheduled to arrive.

And the wines? A big hit, every one of them eliciting favorable comments.

More anecdotal proof that the wine industry has evolved, and significantly improved, more in the past decade than perhaps in the previous century. Now we just need to work on Mother Nature’s whims.

Nick Antonaccio is a 40-year Pleasantville resident. For over 20 years he has conducted wine tastings and lectures. Nick, a member of the Wine Media Guild of wine writers, also offers personalized wine tastings and wine travel services. Nick’s credo: continuous experimenting results in instinctive behavior. You can reach him at nantonaccio@theexaminernews.com or on Twitter @sharingwine.