BLAME IT ON RIO!
Well, where do I begin? It has been a rollercoaster of events of the past nine weeks.
But if I take a moment to step back, I don’t think I would change a thing. Boy, what I have learned and what I have done can only make what’s to come a delight and worth waiting for.
So let me start at the beginning, well sort of; not at the beginning but at the beginning of what has lead up to where I am today. As of August 1, 2017, I resigned both my ownership stake and position at Park Avenue Liquors. Believe it or not, I started as a Xmas employee 33 years ago. I felt instantly drawn to retail, and to learn all about wines and spirits. I was able to rise in the store and became a part owner and SR. VP. Like wine, much of my time there was bold and Buttery with sprinkles of Complexity and Tightness. But every moment helped mold me into the Oenophile I am today.
I cherish my ability to connect and fulfill my customer's wine and spirit needs and love the fact that all of you are worldwide. I worked tirelessly to find small growth vineyards whose products taste and appeal are often much higher than the price tag per bottle. I have tasted thousands of wines, and while I certainly haven’t enjoyed them all, I have expanded my tasting knowledge and learned from every one. More about this later!
I am looking at several exciting and varied opportunities related to Wine and Spirits, and It is fortunate that I have time to consider my next steps. But in the meantime, I have been enjoying time with my wife and children, playing tennis, though not that well, and learning to “smell the roses” or the grapes as it is in my case.
So since August, I have had the opportunity to consult on several passion projects. One such activity is working at my Brother-in-law's 5-year-old vineyard. I have been taking part in the sugar content testing, harvesting, crushing, blending, casking and bottling. I had seen all of these stages over the years, just never consecutively. I am like a proud uncle since I was there when these fledgling vines were planted; and learned so much in the process.
This past week I had the chance to visit a friend and take part in an unprecedented wine tasting. This 2-day tasting featured over 1 million dollars worth of wines that are so rare an event like this is almost impossible to duplicate. There were 50 different Bordeaux’s with vintage dates from 1900-1961. So many magnums – so hard to find. This kind of grouping took 14 years to collect. Some the highlights were:
• Chateau Margaux Magnum 1961 • Chateau La Mission Haut Brion Magnum 1959 • Chateau Haut-Brion 1953 • Chateau Latour Magnum 1945 • Chateau Latour Magnum 1961 • Chateau Cheval Blanc Magnum 1953 • Chateau Cheval Blanc Magnum 1947 • Chateau Haut-Brion Magnum 1945 • Chateau D’yquem 1921 • Chateau D’yquem 1900
Twenty four gentlemen who spoke French, Portuguese, Spanish and English were all able to communicate – because they all spoke Fine Wine. The 4-day trip was unlike anything I have ever experienced. The views, the sunsets, the company, the wine, the travel and the people blended to create the most exceptional experience and a perfect compliment to this fabulous collection of wines!
Obrigado. I will share each new experience as they come!
