Monday, January 25, 2010

In a French state of mind

I recently attended the Wine Entrepreneur Conference (WEC) in Washington DC - in a word, WOW!  Laurent Guinand and his team at GiraMondo Ventures put on a fantastic event that spoke to vintners and wine professionals alike.  From the panelists to the participants, I was impressed with the caliber of people who chose to attend and with the advice they chose to impart.  GiraMondo is in the process of planning next year's event - I highly recommend it as a worthwhile investment in yourself and in your career.

The recurring theme?  The wine business isn't about cultivating ROI, it's about pursuing a passion.  That message was reiterated by those who came from a family of growers to those who made a recent transition.  I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that many successful wine entrepreneurs (vintners, distributors, writers) started with a business background and at some point gave up security to pursue something they really enjoyed.  Boy did that make me feel good ... I'm not crazy after all!

The keynote speaker on the first day was Jean-Charles Boisset, President of Boisset Family Estates.  He was eloquent, charismatic and engaging.  Monsieur Boisset stressed "the importance of paying attention to what's below the earth as much as the vine above it.  It's not just the grape."  This resonated with me and is something I continue to think about.  All at once the phrase speaks of nature, tradition, innovation, recycling, and sustainability - much like the company's business practices.

Laurent, Jean-Charles, a couple of panelists, and one of the moderators were all French.  Heck, my hotel concierge was French!  On my last day, I walked around DC thinking of the events over the last few days and noted how many of the historical buildings favored French architecture.  I daydreamed back to my first transformative experience with wine - it was with a bottle of Bordeaux in a small fishing village in the South of France where no one spoke English.  It was the first time I had wine with everything, the first time I had wine with an array of cheeses, and the first time I really paid attention to the taste vs the effect.  Even my favorite dog breed, the French Bulldog, has French ancestry.  Perhaps all these French signs were telling me something ---> it seems all things point to WINE!

And then today I came across the ultimate event for the Burgundy wine connoisseur.  Why not drop a few grand and spend a posh few days at the St. Francis Hotel to attend La Paulée de San Francisco (Mar11-13).  This fabulous dinner party will bring together the top winemakers from the Domaines of Burgundy who will share a range of vintages poured by the top sommeliers in the country.  The event program includes a Collector's Lunch, a Rare Wine Dinner, a Grand Tasting, a seminar in the "Study of Terroir" and a charity auction.  I'd love a video of the Rare Wine Dinner so I can play it back the way a football player studies game moves.  Incidentally, La Paulée is an old Burgundian tradition whereby various vineyard owners would bring their bottles to share with workers and friends and break bread as they celebrate the end of the grape harvest ... a long way from its humble beginnings to the riches of today.

And speaking of wine ... it's been quite some time since I ran into a Burgundy under $25 that blew my socks off.  Any recommendations?  Up until a few days ago, I also said that I haven't had a Malbec I really liked, that is until Day 2 of the WEC, which was hosted by the Argentine Embassy.  Now Malbecs are a new fav and I'm dreaming of Mendoza ... but that's a whole other story!

Until then,
A Votre Santé!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Sustainable Winegrowing from the folks at SWP

Monday, January 11, 2010

A little wine is healthy ... really

I've always heard a glass of wine a day is good for you.  I never saw a need to question this factoid, I just happily went with it.  Given how many of us renew our dedication to health in the month of January, I sat down with a trusted M.D., who incidentally happens to be both an oenophile and my uncle, and discovered some very interesting things about how wine affects our health.

First, it's all about portion control.  Apparently one glass means 4 ounces NOT the full pours I tend to enjoy.  Oh.  Second, drinking a moderate amount of wine (4 to 8 ounces) on a daily basis is much better than saving my wine craving and over-indulging during Happy Hour on Thursday.  Followed by date night Friday.  And then girl's night Saturday.  Third, taken in moderation, wine has been known to help relax the blood vessels, raise HDL cholesterol (the good kind), and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's and diabetes.  Dr. Dave/Uncle Wino was quick to clarify - wine isn't a replacement for good health practices, but if we do partake, there are proven benefits.

So I decided to do some research. I gave myself a moderate pour of Estancia Pinot Noir (cuz I like it spicy with a long finish) while 50 Cent and I asked 21 Questions.  Here's what I found:
  • UCLA and New York's Mt. Sinai School of Medicine teamed up to produce studies demonstrating how compounds found in red wine help to reduce cognitive deterioration. While a cure for Alzheimer's hasn't been found, the team has taken research an "important step forward."
  • The American Heart Association takes the stance that wine does in fact contribute towards lower levels of heart disease. 
  • And the American Diabetes Association, along with various independent studies, indicates red wine helps to improve insulin sensitivity.
Antioxidants - it's a good thing.
    But what if red wine gives you a headache?  The advice Uncle Dave gave to my Dad ... try an older vintage.  Makes sense to me.  I find that older wine, like men, gets more mellow and much smoother over time.  I always thought it was because older wines contained less tannin but recent studies have shown that age doesn't necessarily correlate to tannin levels.  Good tip nonetheless.

    So there you have it, I learn something new everyday!  Wine is indeed good for you.

    Until next time,
    Here's to your healh ~ Salud!

    Saturday, January 2, 2010

    The world of wine is more welcoming than I anticipated

    WOW!  Is it already Jan 2?

    First and foremost, let me just say the world of wine is more welcoming than I anticipated.  What a pleasant surprise to have well-established vintners, writers, and industry rockstars readily accept my friendship and questions.  Given that I'm a novice in the field, I've been absolutely delighted by the support I've received in embarking on my new path.

    Starting anything new is concurrently daunting and exciting - like the knot at the pit of my stomach at the top of a REALLY high roller coaster kind of exciting.  Knocking at the door of this beloved industry and hearing, "C'mon in!" has been really encouraging, so thank you!

    Each interaction has led to some great findings!  Like what?  Glad you asked!  Here's a few that really churned by butter ...

    2010 Wine Entrepreneur Conference in Washington DC (Jan21-22) - Oh my, was this event created just for me?!  I couldn't scrounge the bread so I'm envious for those going.  What a tremendous opportunity for people, ideas and funding to come together.

    International Wine Tourism Conference in Barcelona (Feb1-4) - This event will be held near the mountains of Montserrat which is a beautiful, magical place.  Over 300 wine and travel professionals from over 30 countries!  I get starry eyed just thinking about it.  If you're going, please send a daily update, RSS feed, tweet ... email even!

    All things Wine 2.0 - Yeah, I'm a tech geek, I've accepted that and I embrace it.  Two spring events I'm really excited about are coming up in my city by the bay.  Please!  I beseech you, not Frisco, not San Fran, just plain 'ol SF or San Francisco will do, but I digress.  There's the SF Wine Expo at Crushpad and The Vintner's Market at Fort Mason - both in April.  Hope to see y'all there!  Perhaps get a wine tip or two from you in person?

    And speaking of Crushpad!  I signed up for a wine blending session in February that combines my two favorite red varietals - Cabs & Bordeaux (excuse my ignorance, the plural form would be Bordeauxs?  Bordeaus?) mmm, I'm salivating at the thought!

    Lodi's Wine and Chocolate Weekend held appropriately enough during Valentine's.  Truly, could there be better a pairing than wine and chocolate?

    And finally, the 2010 North American Wine Bloggers Conference in Walla Walla, WA (June 25-27).  I will likely be wrapping up my sommelier program and prepping for the exam but if the dates & stars align, I see a northern road trip in my future.

    Exciting, no?  So many events, so little time.  And thanks to Social Networking, it's easier than ever to keep up and stay connected.  I've got to get the bare bones of my website set-up next week so I'm hoping to enlist the help of a web-developer fairy.  Working on my new endeavor has been a blast thus far!

    My shipment of Cambria 2006 Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir (stocked on no shelf that I've perused!) is coming next week and I can't wait!  I tried the 2007 and it was so good the 2nd bottle was half-way empty before we realized what happened.

    Till next time,
    Salud!