The New York Wine Expo, which is scheduled for March 7, 8 and 9 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City, is a three-day wine exposition open to the public with a special "trade day" for restaurateurs, retailers and other food and beverage professionals.

Consumers will have the opportunity to sample more than 600 wines from more than 170 winemakers from around the globe during the "Grand Tasting" and speak directly to winemakers and other winery principals. In addition to sampling, consumers can learn from the experts at a wide range of seminars designed for all levels of wine lovers. Topics include wine tasting, wine and food pairings, wine serving, selecting the right vintage, among others.

Mark Oldman, one of the country's leading wine educators as well as the Wine Columnist for "Every Day With Rachael Ray," will be delivering the keynote address on Saturday. Gloria Maroti Frazee, director of education at he Wine Spectator School, will also be a featured speaker. The Wine Spectator School offers wine courses for consumers as well as restaurant, retail and winery sales staff.

Tickets can be purchased in advance online at www.NewYorkWineExpo.com and at the door on the day of the event.

Up-and-coming cheeses

Ready to move beyond the obvious at the cheese counter? Here are some up-and-coming cheeses that are all the chatter on the cheese scene. You may not find them everywhere, but they are worth the hunt.

* California Crottin from Redwood Hill Farm (Sebastopol, Calif.) This goat farm has been making award-winning cheeses since the 1960s. The real gem their California Crottin, a creamy cheese that has twice won the American Cheese Society's Best in Show award. These mini wheels form a blonde wrinkly texture with age while developing an earthy robustness on par with their French counterparts. For more information visit www.redwoodhill.com

* Clothbound Cheddar from Cabot (Montpelier, Vt.) This traditional English-style cheddar is the crown jewel from an otherwise industrial cheese maker. It is handcrafted using old techniques — milk is turned into cheese paste, then bound in cheese cloth, brushed with hot lard and turned frequently for 40 days until a chalky rind forms. This astonishingly good cheese tastes more like an excellent Parmesan than a cheddar. It won a gold medal at the world cheese awards in 2004 and best in show from the American Cheese Society in 2006. For further information visit www.cabotcheese.com

* Grayson from Meadow Creek Dairy (Galax, Va.) Like an Italian tallegio, this washed rind cheese is crafted from cow's milk and washed with a brine that aids in the development of its pungent orange-red rind and semi-soft velvety texture with hints of nuts and sweet flavors. For further information visit www.meadowcreekdairy.com/

— Oregonzola from Rogue Creamery (Central Point, Ore.) This Gorgonzola-style cheese is aged 120 days in the caves of this southern Oregon farm, giving the creamy textured cow's milk curd deep blue veins and flavors that span sharp, tangy and fruity. For further information visit www.roguecreamery.com/pilot.asp.