Second Glass Wine Riot

I had an AMAZING time at the wine riot! Can’t wait for the next time they’re in NYC!

With over 250 wines to sample what’s not to love about wine riot. Shoutouts to boo and Unilocal for hooking a girl up.
Entering the venue was a breeze since we arrived an hour later when the doors opened. We breezed past the check in and grabbed a plastic wine glass (perfect, because you know someone’s bound to have a mishap). The venue was split up into regions, clever right? We started our tour in Eastern Europe and ended up in Cali. This was my second wine event and I can honestly say the selection here is top notch compared to the previous wine tasting event I attended this year.

Wine riot, what an awesome event. Very well organized especially with so many people. I can’t wait for the next one

Wine Riot is a super fun and well organized event where folks can try some delicious wines from all over the world. Italy, Spain, Australia, California (obvi), France — you name it and there was wine present to represent.
This year was my first time attending Wine Riot even though I’ve wanted to attend in years past. Tickets are $ 65 but after tax and service charges, they’re more like $ 70ish. I found volunteering opportunities online and seeing how this year’s venue (69^th Armory) is located right across the street (and a little up the block) from where I work, I decided to go the philanthropic route (and also score some sweet free passes for all my hard work… and work hard I did — my shift was about 5.5 hours.
I scanned tickets into their database as part of the «Front of the House» team, helped pour wine during the «Crash Course» wine classes, gave directions to people about where the bathroom, mercy booth, photo booth and food vendors were and then decided help out at the tattoo booth because I’m always up for being helpful… aaaaaaand I really enjoy temporary tats. Seriously. I easily had like 20 on me by the time I wrapped up Wine Riot the next day with my free [hard earned] pass.
While I had a really great time here, after awhile it all began to feel like a blur (not when I was volunteering, but when I got to check it out the next day as a consumer) and some of the wines started to all kind of taste the same (blame it on the wine buzz, haha!).
The food vendors were cool — Melt Shoppe was there and so was an empanada place based in LIC, Queens. I couldn’t help feeling like all of the food present though was super overpriced. I ended up getting a mac n’ cheese empanada and it was oooookay… but certainly not $ 5 okay for something my people can make in 5 minutes with their eyes closed.
Would I return next year? Sure, it was fun. Would I pay? Probably not… I love wine, but I’m definitely more of a craft beer connoisseur and I feel like personally for me, Wine Riot is one of those things that I’m happy with having tried once.
Salute!

Fun time. Lots of wine. But I was really disappointed that I couldn’t get the app to work/​let me sign in.

This was my first wine event I have ever attended and it was SO worth it! Tickets are around $ 60 – 80, depending on when you purchase them (earlier the better). I had actually found out that I could volunteer through my hard working services for a shift to attend another one as a thank you. I’m glad I got to experience both aspects. When I came to actually attend the event I was running late due to the F train being a worthless piece of shit in Brooklyn on weekends. Line was wrapped around the building upon arrival but it moved with lightning speed. Yay Second Glass volunteers for their speedy checking in process! I was off to booze and schmooze for close to 4 freaking hours!
Interesting and exciting things to take note of other than all the copious amounts of wines:
–Photobooths and Selfie Booths — Always fun
–Free beautiful WineRiot postcards to send out in a little mailbox to loved ones or not loved ones. Lol.
–Temporary Tattoos and Decorate Your Own Wine Glass with markers and paints
–A various assortment of wine educational classes that both inform and let you sample close to 8 different wines per session. They aren’t too long either! Just roughly 15 – 20 minutes.
–The Bubble bar in the back for sampling a variety of champagnes and prosecco
–The CHEESE STATION because CHEESE! EVERYONE LOVES CHEESE! Especially if it involves TRUFFLE INFUSED CHEESE. Ahhhhh. (From Cypress Grove)
–The Wine Cocktail Station. Something I am not used to but very innovative and interesting drinks.
–There is food everywhere. Some a bit pricier than others but really good options: Dos Toros, Luke’s Lobster, Jessi’s Empanadas, Beechers (Who kept giving us cheese while working. I love them and they are my new heroes), Brooklyn Oyster, Tipsy Scoop, and Melt Shop.
–The giveaway swag. Ranging from bottle openers to stickers to key chains to tote bags. Or Über discounts. Sweet!
They probably change things up a little bit each year but I was thoroughly impressed. No table got too insanely crowded at any point. The crowd was pretty controlled and not too unruly. There were enough wine tables that there was no way in any physical capability or state of mind that I could sample every single thing offered there which made me state in my glory of consumption: «THIS IS WINE DISNEYWORLD!»

I had great time here last weekend!
It was a great decision to volunteer. Tickets are $ 65 and $ 70 with the processing fee, as broke college student I was surely willing to give a few hours of my time to not have to throw in that kind of money. That’s ramen/​textbook money. lol
It was a very well organized event — every volunteer actually had something to do already listed for them. Everything had its place. Each winery had its booth and informed people, as well as each type of wine had its own booth and informed people. The photo booths were placed opposite of each other. The organizers were very outgoing people and they seemed very passionate and excited about their jobs.
hmmmm, make sure to write your name on your cup/“glass,” at some point a lot of people start leaving them behind and dropping them. haha
The bubbly bar was fun and festive-​looking, but people were clinging wayyy too hard onto it.
I wanted champagne, but so did everyone else, so I fled to the next and most girly thing that I could find — Moscato!
There was Moscato everywhereeee and I’m not complaining.
Don’t worry, Wine Riot did not make a Prosecco drinker out of me.
There was a booth serving quick wine cocktails that was awesome and creative.
Wow, there were so many options! Tried some pretty good stuff. The wineries were giving out lots of knick knacks. I came home with lots and lots of reusable bags — and lots of fun crap that I don’t really need. What can I say? Drunk me looooooves free stuff. lol I got a little wine shaped USB thing that is dope asf tho.
The people pouring were nice and most of them tried to explain what to expect from each sip.
The crash courses were pretty interesting and went on for most of the night.
It was hard to pick one because they filled up fast and were happening simultaneously. The people teaching you were very passionate about their wine.
Didn’t like the venue very much.
The DJ was working hard but I couldn’t really hear the music. I also wish there were more food options and that the ones that were there actually took cards. I was about to go for a $ 10 grilled cheese but my dreams were shattered.
There was a booth offering some AMAZING goat cheese samples that saved me. lol
Yes, unfortunately after a few hours everything starts tasting the same and you are drunk, so you head to the Photo Booth and type in the wrong email — only to head to the tattoo booth to get yourself a gold tattoo but not any tattoo — a tramp stamp — but that’s fine because it’ll come out in the next day or two, just like that Photo Booth picture that is gone forever.

I’m so happy I went to Wine Riot! It’s a fun event dedicated to day drinking… and who doesn’t love day drinking… while still being classy… because…WINE!
Yeah, the line to get in may be long but it moves quickly and you get your own [plastic] glass to decorate and sip from. The wines vary by type and by region which is awesome because you can travel the wonderful world of vino. There are mini seminar-​type classes, photo booths, free samples, and food you can buy (which is a bit pricey for what it is but you know how these events could be).
I recommend buying tickets early when the prices are a solid $ 15 cheaper, but either way it’s a good deal for four hours of nonstop wine tasting!

Wine Riot is a pretty cool event to sample all different types of wine and learn more about them. I went to all the past three events in NYC, and must say that it’s gets more crowded over the years. The first year they hosted the event out in Chelsea over three floors which was probably the best venue thus far. Each winery had their own booth and you can use the second glass app to look up your favorite one. There was enough space for everyone to move around and it didn’t feel crowded. The past two events were located at the 69^th regiment armory. It seemed like they downsized with less wineries but had a lot more people. The booths were organized by winery and types this time (pinot noir, cabernet, riesling, etc). I guess it was nicer if you had a favorite type of wine to check them out at one booth.
This past event in March, I arrived maybe 10 minutes after 7pm and the line was literally around the whole block. There was a security guard sort of checking IDs in the front but skipping people here and there to keep the line moving. Once we made it to front after about 15 minutes of waiting, the huge line was split into four. The scanning of the tickets was seamless and we grabbed our cups and made our way to the wines. My favorite booth of all time is Quadry winery because of their fabulous concoctions. I’m glad I visited them first to have their electra sangria because they were gone towards the end of the night.
So wine riot had different classes going on throughout the night to teach you more about wine. They had three separate areas with three classes going on simultaneously. I went to the one about the differences between cabernet sauvignon and merlot. It was pretty informative and now know that cabs have more tannin which is why they taste bolder. The classes fill up fast so I guess come 5 – 10 minutes prior.
There’s also an nice large photo booth with plenty of props. There’s an instagram printer too if you post your photos with the appropriate hashtag. I noticed that this year had an extra selfie photo booth. The lines for photos grew longer as the night went on. They’ve got a bubble bar which I didn’t bother checking out this year since it was really packed. The tattoo area was improved with gold tattoos. The workers were really patient with everyone especially those that wanted a million of tattoos while everyone was crowding around. Maybe a line next time instead of everyone toppling over each other to get a tat.
This year they added Melt shop and Beecher’s to their food options. They had Luke’s lobster, Brooklyn Oyster party, Dos Toros, and Tipsy Scoop for their past events. The lines for food can get pretty crazy so I’d recommend either eating prior or braving the line. I only shared a cheese platter with the bf and that itself was 10 $ for few pieces of cheese.
Also, the line for coat check and the bathroom can get pretty crazy. The girls line was so long that a lot of them went to the men’s bathroom. Overall, this past event was okay and the earlier events were a lot better. The crowds were less crazy and there was more room and order. I still had a good time, but guess I’m just wining about the venue.

Complete waste of time. Way overpriced for just tasting, no food included. Venue (armory) was not in line with the $ 60 ticket cost. Line to get in was ridiculous. People pouring not knowledgeable about wine at all. Couldn’t buy any on the spot either or place orders. App did not work.

We went to Wine Riot over the weekend (at a different location — the armory at lexington and 26^th street). We got there about 20 minutes after and a huge line of people were just being let in. Surprisingly, no one was checking ID’s so that was one less hassle and made the lines move a little faster.
I didn’t pay but tickets were $ 60 and the event lasted from 1pm to 5pm. Basically, there’s a huge open space with wine booths set up. In the back of the venue there were 4 or 5 classes where you could be educated on different wines (we opted out of these but they seemed to be well attended).
There were 2 tattoo stations in the front, and 2 photo booths in the back. There was also a standalone photo op where you stick your head in a beauty queen’s body — you know, the stuff you’d see at carnivals -, a cocktail /​mixed drinks station where you could get a decent sized glass of one of four cocktails, and a bubbly booth specifically for champagne.
Food vendors were on the periphery and included Melt grilled cheese sandwiches, empanadas from jessy’s baked goods, ice cream, jerky, lobster, mexican food, cake in a jar, and I might be forgetting one other vendor. The food was not included in the cost of the ticket and most vendors gave very small portions for a lot of money. For example 2 small veggie empanadas were $ 7, my boyfriend’s sandwich from melt was $ 8, the cake in a jar was $ 9.
There was a DJ paying on the second level but the sound system was really bad. The doors were also opened so it was brick cold inside the space. We didn’t use the bathroom or check our coats so we didn’t have to deal with long lines there, but the food lines were a little ridiculous — we’re talking 20+ minutes of waiting for a sandwich.
One guy proposed to his girlfriend at the start of the event… which I thought was a weird and not very romantic.
The crowd all seemed to be in their early to mid 30’s, the majority being in the mid 20’s. There were lots of big groups of friends as well as couples or smaller groups (2 girl friends). People were generally happy (of course, we were all drinking wine) but getting a taste was a bit of a hassle since there was no real order… people were just clumped in groups and inching their way towards the pourer so they could be next in line.
Of course, you also had those who would park themselves at the front trying to taste everything at the bar while others waited behind them (inconsiderate people everywhere you go).
We enjoyed our time there but if we had to pay $ 60 to attend we definitely would not have gone. The show was sold out though so apparently people are digging this event. I think they should pick a classier venue, consider the sound

I’m glad I had a chance to try it but it was not quite as grand as I expected. The venue space was big enough to hold everyone but the DJ could barely be heard, the food should be at least discounted, the wine vendors were all very friendly but the stations were packed sometimes 5 people deep so it wasn’t always easy to get a tasting, and even though the event ended at 11pm, many booths were closing shortly after 10. Coat check and bathroom lines were extremely long which also are into the 4 hour event. I had fun with my friends but would not attend again in the future.

I don’t get it. The venue is shabby. The people introducing the wines aren’t from the vineyard or a distributor (none that I met). The pours are tiny. Lots of the wines are pretty shabby quality. There is no real order to how the tasting works or the knowledge sharing by wine works. Almost all of the white wine was sitting out at room temperature. There was a dj with a terrible amp and speaker setup that might as well have been itunes piped music. No food is included. It is $ 60+ and the bathrooms etc are pretty manky/​in need of an update. I do not recommend doing this if you like wine. Ever. It is only fun if you are hanging out with a big group of buddies but I suggest you recreate by each of you and your buds bring a specific bottle of wine for $ 30 to one apartment, you each bring some shareable food or order out and then do your own taste test with some tunes. THEN go out for the night!

Wine riot was a VERY cool and unique way to try ALLLLL of those wines that I see in my staple shops, but never have the heart, liver or wallet to try. If you’re a serious wine drinker, this is like Christmas!
I will ABSOLUTELY be going to the next one (in September) and bringing a large group with me!
I went solo this trip and met up with tons of nice people at the event. I mean, if you can’t make friends over free wine, there’s something wrong with that situation. Arrive hungry so you can gorge yourself on tacos, lobster rolls, & charcuterie platters!
The only criticism I have about the event was the venue. Center 548 is very far west and a multi-​floor space is less than ideal for hundreds of people trying to navigate narrow stairwells. The lack of coat check on opening night was very inconvenient, but these things do happen.
GO! Buy your tickets now! Tell your friends– MAKE THEM COMMIT! They’ll thank you later!

I went a few years ago when the event was in Brooklyn (at 1 Hanson Pl.) and was so happy to have scored a couple tickets to this years’ event. There were three floors full of various wineries: on the 2^nd floor: Dry vs. Sweet, Oaked vs. Unoaked, Old World vs. New World. The 3^rd floor was comprised of Local wineries (Brooklyn Winery, Finger Lakes, etc.) and some World wineries. And, on the 4^th floor there were more World wines and Californian wineries. I did try a number of wines that I hadn’t heard of, particularly some from Argentina and Chile: Crios Rose of Malbec, La Posta Tinto Red Blend and a Casa Silva Carmenere. The bubbly bar on the 4^th floor with Champagnes and Proseccos was fun too. I also enjoyed the cheese samples from Cypress Grove Chevre.
However, there were some things that made the experience not so enjoyable. There were DJ’s on every floor and the music was so loud that one could hardly hear a thing. For me, going to a wine tasting is an opportunity to learn about the vineyard and the wines produced there. I like to be able to peruse the wines being offered at each booth and then be able to hear the reps from the wineries talk about the different offerings. This wasn’t possible to do on account of the blaring music. Many of the reps were yelling in order to be heard. The other thing that was irritating – and I know this has nothing to do with the Second Glass group – was the fact that the crowds were so pushy. I felt like I was at a happy hour with a bunch of pushy, self entitled idiots. People were shoving their way to the front and asking for pours, totally oblivious to anyone else around them who also might have wanted to try some wines. Come on now, the event was four hours, stop being a jerk who just wants to get drunk. I also think that perhaps the space was a bit too small for Wine Riot. Bring it back to Brooklyn next time around.

If you’re a wine drinker, you HAVE to go to a Wine Riot event. It was one of the most well-​run events I’ve ever gone to. Let’s set the scene — three floors of wine booths. I’m not talking about 2 floors and then one half floor; all three floors had wine flowing for 4 full hours. There was a sparkling wine section as well, and some 20 minute classes. I took the sake tasting class, where you were able to learn about how sake is made and what makes a good rice wine. They also let us sample 4 different sakes (two of which were supposedly high-​end ones). That alone was worth the price of admission. Also, it got me and my friend pretty, pretty drunk. There was also a ton of other goodies, like a photo booth, temporary tattoos, and… FOOD! A bunch of food vendors were around. Familiar names like Luke’s Lobster, Dos Toros, Beecher’s Handmade Cheese and some others I hadn’t heard of before, like Tipsy Scoop (liquor infused ice cream… as if all the wine wasn’t enough), Brooklyn Oyster Party, and Kaia Wine Bar (South African wieners).
Again, I can’t express again how well-​run this event was. The booths were stocked full of wine. You were able to wash your glass out at any of the stations. There were prize stations. There were bathrooms on every floor, and the staff made sure the guys could go to the men’s bathroom. Security made sure everyone was safe walking up and down the stairs. And best of all, everyone looked like they were having a great time.
Some notable mentions of my favorite wines:
–Great American Wine Co — Red Blend (2012) and Cabernet (2012)
–The Seeker — Malbec (2011)
–Zin — Your Face (2011)
–Cameron Hughes — Cabernet Suvignon (2012)
–Oyster Bay — Chardonnay (2013)
–Zipz — Merlot (2010) and Cabernet (2010)
–Alkoomi — Cabernet Merlot (2010) and Riesling (2012)
–Wits End — 2013
–Stella Bella — Skuttlebutt Savignon Blanc (2012)
–Custom Wine Company — Asto Pino Noir (2011)
–O Wines — Red Blend (2010)
–Château Ste. Michelle — Syrah (2011)
–Villa Maria — Savignong Blanc (2013)
–Bandit — Cabernet and Pinot Grigio
–Las Rocas — Viñas Viejas Garnacha (2009)
And that’s just the wines I liked. I tasted at least twice as many. Second Glass also has a very useful mobile app for rating the wines and making notes. The also had a running scoreboard of the top wines (for both men and women), which was pretty cool. By the end, the app was pretty laggy though. Not sure if it was my phone or just traffic volume.
Anyway, Wine Riot was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Can’t say I learned too much (if you want a wine class, go to a wine class), but I found some new favorite wines and got considerably tipsy. So there’s that.
Full disclosure: I won tickets to this event through Unilocal,but I would highly recommend shelling out the $ 60 ticket price for it in the future.