I was happy to join the crowd at Eataly in NY for Vinitaly Day 2010. This first Vinitaly Day in NY was also my first visit at Eataly. I was there early and was not able to check in until around 1:40 PM (tasting official start time was 2 PM).
I used the 20 or so minutes I had to walk around Eataly, big space, a bit noisy, blame it on high ceilings I guess.
The store is well organized, good signage, easy to navigate. If Whole Foods was not already nicknamed 'whole paycheck' I am sure Eataly could claim it. I did not have time to sit down and eat in one of the various 'cafes' dotting the store so I headed to the Pizza area only to find that they don't serve slices. I was advised to try Foccacia and declined. I was also trying to find a home for my heavy enough messenger bag (no coat check available) and was in the end able to leave it with the nice lady from Wine Enthusiast.
Getting back to Vinitaly Day, the primary reason I was there, 50 or so producers were scattered around the store which was open during event so we had to share the space with the lunch crowd.
In the 90 minutes I could spend there, I was able to sample around 15 producers.
A tasting is not complete if you don't discover grape varietals unknown to you.
I will cover only white wines today (except for 'Bombino Nero').
I had my first encounter as far as I remember with Pecorino (yes you read well) on the second table manned by Domodimonditi founded in 2002 in Montefiore dell'Aso (Le Marche). Their easy drinking Deja V (09) was 100% Passerina and the 'not cheesy' Li Coste (09), 100% Pecorino, displayed elegant fruit, not too rich, great mouth fill.
I was pleased by refreshing Feudo del Selvago DOGC (09), 100% Cortese.
The Greco di Tufo (09) from Donnachiara definitely is a palate pleaser.
Also worth trying, I suggest is the Ruah Salento IGT Fiano (09), 100% Fiano.
Another first was the Maniero di Federico 'Bombino Nero' IGT Murgia (09), 100% Bombino Nero, a grape I learned is only used for Rosé wines like this one. The producer Cantina Vignuolo noted that the locals often drink it as an aperitif.
I finished my visit with the Silbanis (09), 100% Vermentino di Sardegna by Tema, only 5000 bottles produced.
Tema stands for Terra e Mare (Earth & Sea). It also houses a Spa, an Equestrian Center and a Country Resort, not a bad place to drop your bags on a visit to the island of Sardinia.
Hope you enjoyed the quick tour.
I will bring you back to Eataly and Vinitaly Day 2010 in a couple of days for Red Red Wine.