Italian wines seduce New Yorkers

“Wine is an Emotion”

James Suckling, the noted wine critic, did not know that wine would become his passion during his college years; at Utah State University he studied political science at Utah State and at the University of Wisconsin (Madison) he focused on journalism.

Thanks to his father he developed an interest in wine and joined the Wine Spectator and began to engage in blind tastings of the wines of Bordeaux with Alexis Lichine, visiting wineries in Italy and traveling through Europe.

In 1985 he started the European office for Wine Spectator and lived in Paris reviewing all European wines, with a focus on the wines of Italy, Bordeaux and Port Wine, publishing his first book, Vintage Port. In 2010 he left M. Shanken Communications to pursue his own interests in media, and special events marketing.

As a member of Wine Spectator, Suckling tasted an average of 4000 wines annually with 50 percent from Italy. Suckling approaches wines, “…on what I taste in the mouth; I find concentration of fruit, of the tannins, the alcohol and the acid. The most revealing element is the persistence of the taste in the mouth, the aftertaste…It should be an emotion, not something scientific. Fine wine is harmony…” (Toscana regina di armonia, Corriere della Sera).

The Venue

Frank Gehry’s first structure in New York (completed in 2007), was the venue for this celebrated wine event.

James Suckling Great Wines of Italy. Curated

The Suckling wine event in Manhattan showcases Italy’s popular wines from prestigious and renowned brands selected from boutique wineries. Suckling personally selects the Italian wines that run from Brunello’s and Barolos to Super Tuscans, Barbaresco’s to Amarone’s and Chianti Classico’s. All wines have been rated top scores of 90 points and higher and many are included in Suckling’s list of the Top 100 Italian Wines of 2018.READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT WINES.TRAVEL.