My Story…

August 2023

My deeper interest in wine (beyond having an occasional glass of wine) began when I first met my wife, 27 years ago.  Up until then I was primarily a beer drinker.  My wife got us into the habit of having wine with a nice meal we would cook or order.  That then transpired into, not just having a glass of “red” or a glass of “white”, but having a specific type of red or white wine paired with the specific food.  The next evolution in the process was expanding beyond Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay to gradually start tasting other varieties.  Our horizons broadened further as we started tasting wines from regions other than California, Oregon and Washington.  Well, you get the idea where this trend is leading to.  Obviously, this evolution didn’t happen overnight; it’s been in the works for a couple of decades.  In fact, with wine, your are always learning, discovering and appreciating new things… and that is a constant!  So, at this stage of my life, I want to continue to discover and immerse myself deeper into everything wine.

When COVID-19 hit in 2020, most of us were stuck in our homes with our routines somewhat disrupted.  This interruption was the perfect segue I needed.  I decided to make wine at home.  No, not starting with the berries from vineyards, but with juice from grape growers that was commercially available to amateur wine makers.  It didn’t turn out too badly.  I went onto make six types of wine from 2 countries: Vermentino and Valpolicellla (Italy), Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc (Chile).  I made adjustments with each vintage, and I think the wines reflected that.

Fast forward to the present… I have been extended this incredible opportunity to work with and learn from an Enologist/Wine Maker in Italy for three months this Fall.  Starting with the harvest, on through to the rest of the wine making process.  What started out as a half-joking conversation with the wine maker, a year ago when we visited this particular winery, is now becoming a reality.  I will be in Puglia… land of Primitivo, Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, Fiano, Falanghina and others.  I feel extremely fortunate and I look forward to soaking in every aspect of this journey.

Final words… So there are numerous blogs and websites out there.  Anything you want to know about wine is simply a google search away.  So, you may ask, why I decided to put these pages together?  Well, I wanted to document my learning process with pictures, videos and other media, primarily for my benefit down the line.  Perhaps someone out there will also find the content interesting.

Thanks for visiting.  Cheers!

My son made these pictures for me when he was, I am guessing, between 7 and 9 years old.