Nothing like a 15-foot tower piercing the airspace in the American Food Fair pavilion in the North Hall of Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention center to clearly project the message of Boldly, N.Y. at this year’s National Restaurant Show.

For four action-packed days, New York’s Department of Agriculture and Markets, Apple Association, Cider Association, and NYWGF featured wines, ciders, apples, cheeses, and yogurts all showcased together in what many said was one of their favorite exhibits to visit (and revisit). Sommelier and wine educator Laura Winter Falk, representing NYWGF, shared a varied collection of wines from Boundary Breaks, Fox Run Vineyards and Wagner Vineyards, and used the easy access to so many great New York State food items to create amazing pairings for attendees when they came to the booth.

“The opportunity to showcase Finger Lakes wines with the bounty of food grown and made in New York State was huge!” described Winter Falk. “Watching people’s expression when they tasted a Finger Lakes dry Riesling paired with a fresh New York Macintosh, a bubbly Riesling with a bloomy rind, triple-cream cheese, or a semi-dry Riesling with a sweeter EverCrisp apple and an extra sharp cheddar was so much fun!” Thousands of people in the restaurant and food business walked away with a completely new discovery and appreciation for the bounty of New York, so expect to see more Finger Lakes wines on restaurant menus across the country, as a result of this show.