A Riesling show in London was open to trade in the day (Monday 16 May) and then to the public in the evening for a charge. I wasn't able to attend but a friend of mine went and told me about it. I asked if there were any sweet wines.
http://www.winesofgermany.co.uk/blog/german-grape-time-london-embraces-31-days-of-riesling-by-lopa-1
A Cava tasting was open to the public in the evening. at the wonderful Oxo building by the riverside.
After a wine tasting where do you go to eat?
Oxo Tower
My family once held a joint birthday meal at the smarter of the two restaurants, fulfilling my dream. (Years ago somebody had said they might take me there but never did.
We wanted a window seat for this special occasion and eventually got moved when a table became free. You get wonderful photos. If your camera is able to take in dark lighting and get distant shots even better.
Oxo Tower For Birthdays
The Brasserie is slightly cheaper. If you arrive at the tower and they don't have your booking you may have gone up in the nearest lift to the entrance where you arrived and emerged at the wrong restaurant.
Time
Allow extra time. Five minutes goes as until you've got to the front of the queue. You, wait five minutes whilst you say you have a booking and they can't find it. They or you realise you must have booked the other restaurant. Another five minutes to gather your group, one from the toilets, another wandering around taking photos, reclaim coats. Then five minutes to get directions and find your way to the other restaurant and queue up again.
By now your fifteen minute window for arrival to claim your booking is is danger of being recorded as a no-show and allocated to other hopefuls. Or your window table, requested and confirmed, has been given to another group. By now you have changed restaurants once and tables twice, so the desert with the candles been forgotten or gone to the wrong people or sent back.
Birthdays
The Oxo Towers great for a well-organised group enjoying a birthday. If you have been to a wine tasting and you are a solo diner looking for something quick and cheap before catching the train home, head towards a station and you might pass several Indian restaurants.
Alternative Restaurants
If you are a fitness freak, you might think it's a good idea to walk off all the calories from that wine, even if you were spitting, to clear your head, to get the energy to travel home.
With luck your phone will send you some advertisements for restaurants nearby and offers. My friend was sent an ad for a Portuguese restaurant in a large hotel and was able to order one main course, which he declared delicious, before catching the train home.
Business Opportunities
Some of the people at trade shows are looking for distributors so your wine won't appear in the shops until a distributor is found. If you are in the trade and entrepreneurial, or run any kind of business, or have an extended family in business, people who are looking for idea for a new business, or a second business on the side can find opportunities.
Mixers and Tourism
If you are not into alcohol, there's usually something else on show, such as an olive oil, a low alcohol wine, a mixer or syrup, wine holidays, wine tours for tourists, either on show in a leaflet, or information available if you ask.If the sponsors include something not wine related, such as an airline or tourist board, you may be able to make useful contacts with them.
Tutored Tastings
If you are in the business and want to be admitted to the tutored tastings run by the Masters of Wine, arrive early, when the doors open, to be first on the list.
Wine drinking, like trying new foods, is a voyage of discovery.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, researcher, author and speaker.
http://www.winesofgermany.co.uk/blog/german-grape-time-london-embraces-31-days-of-riesling-by-lopa-1
A Cava tasting was open to the public in the evening. at the wonderful Oxo building by the riverside.
After a wine tasting where do you go to eat?
Oxo Tower
My family once held a joint birthday meal at the smarter of the two restaurants, fulfilling my dream. (Years ago somebody had said they might take me there but never did.
We wanted a window seat for this special occasion and eventually got moved when a table became free. You get wonderful photos. If your camera is able to take in dark lighting and get distant shots even better.
Oxo Tower For Birthdays
The Brasserie is slightly cheaper. If you arrive at the tower and they don't have your booking you may have gone up in the nearest lift to the entrance where you arrived and emerged at the wrong restaurant.
Time
Allow extra time. Five minutes goes as until you've got to the front of the queue. You, wait five minutes whilst you say you have a booking and they can't find it. They or you realise you must have booked the other restaurant. Another five minutes to gather your group, one from the toilets, another wandering around taking photos, reclaim coats. Then five minutes to get directions and find your way to the other restaurant and queue up again.
By now your fifteen minute window for arrival to claim your booking is is danger of being recorded as a no-show and allocated to other hopefuls. Or your window table, requested and confirmed, has been given to another group. By now you have changed restaurants once and tables twice, so the desert with the candles been forgotten or gone to the wrong people or sent back.
Birthdays
The Oxo Towers great for a well-organised group enjoying a birthday. If you have been to a wine tasting and you are a solo diner looking for something quick and cheap before catching the train home, head towards a station and you might pass several Indian restaurants.
Alternative Restaurants
If you are a fitness freak, you might think it's a good idea to walk off all the calories from that wine, even if you were spitting, to clear your head, to get the energy to travel home.
With luck your phone will send you some advertisements for restaurants nearby and offers. My friend was sent an ad for a Portuguese restaurant in a large hotel and was able to order one main course, which he declared delicious, before catching the train home.
Business Opportunities
Some of the people at trade shows are looking for distributors so your wine won't appear in the shops until a distributor is found. If you are in the trade and entrepreneurial, or run any kind of business, or have an extended family in business, people who are looking for idea for a new business, or a second business on the side can find opportunities.
Mixers and Tourism
If you are not into alcohol, there's usually something else on show, such as an olive oil, a low alcohol wine, a mixer or syrup, wine holidays, wine tours for tourists, either on show in a leaflet, or information available if you ask.If the sponsors include something not wine related, such as an airline or tourist board, you may be able to make useful contacts with them.
Tutored Tastings
If you are in the business and want to be admitted to the tutored tastings run by the Masters of Wine, arrive early, when the doors open, to be first on the list.
Wine drinking, like trying new foods, is a voyage of discovery.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, researcher, author and speaker.
No comments:
Post a Comment