I’m on the Vinitaly train and tomorrow we are going to Philadelphia. It’s the first time they have held an event in Philadelphia. I’m excited to see some old friends and to meet some new ones. I’m hoping to meet Scott McDuff of McDuff’s Food and Wine Trail, a great wine blog. I’m also hoping to see Brian Freedman. I’m sorry that Eric V. Orange of LocalWineEvents.com will be absent on account of an injury. I’ll toast to you EVO!
The event will surely be different than the one at Eataly yesterday and I think producers will find the juxtaposition of the Union League and Eataly an interesting mix.
Today I took 60 producers to see Astor Wines, Total Wine and the Wine Library.
It was very useful for producers I believe to see different types of stores, who used ratings, who shuns them, what price points work and how stores are set up. I think there was a lot of surprise among small producers to see a supermarket of wine like Total Wine. I know I am overwhelmed in a store like that too.
Onward to Pennsylvania and a control state. I look forward to further investigations. Soon or later though, I would like to taste some wine :)….
avvinare.com 
maybe someday they’ll actually discover how to get to Texas, and lend us a hand here too
Sorry I missed you, Susannah. I was there from 6:00 until about 8:00. It was nice to catch up with the Comelli family, and particularly good to see an event of this type making its way to the Philadelphia market.
Next time around, be sure to let me know you’re headed to town.