Arête Wines

Wine as Art

When I look out at the wine industry today, I have to say, I am saddened. Gigantic conglomerates and greedy men now control a vast majority of our domestic wine. They have three major publications they need to win over in order to sell their wine and fatten their shareholders pockets. These publications have unknowingly set up a system in which it becomes very easy to pass off an imitation as a master piece.

Wine is art and like fine art in order to properly appreciate it you must enjoy it relative to context. Without context it loses its beauty and meaning. Imagine trying to appreciate and understand a Rembrandt or a Picasso if you are only allowed to look at it for 15 seconds. Not understanding the painter, the period, or the circumstances all you have is a glimpse. Now imagine looking at 200 pieces of art from different artist in a single day, all that way. How could you even begin to see the differences and similarities? You could not even begin to comprehend the beauty behind what you saw. All the while, you are jotting notes from what you can grasp in those few moments reducing everything to a score. What if someone slipped in a fake? Would you be able to tell? In that short time span would you miss the important features that would tell you this is not a work of art, but simply a copy? It would be impossible to tell; and what of the score? It is meaningless.

Art is subjective, as is wine. What I taste you may not, what you taste I may not. How can you reduce something to a number after spending 15 seconds with it? How would I score your personality when we meet for the first time? First impressions are most often awkward and horrible. It does not work with art. It does not work with wine. We need to learn to appreciate and understand wine. We need to fall in love with its beauty and mystery. Great wine is an ethereal experience. It gladdens the heart and brings us to a story of the land. It possesses personality, uniqueness, and beauty. How can grapes produce all these beautiful seamless flavors that have nothing to do with the grape itself? How does it enhance and bring out new flavors of itself and its partner when enjoyed with food? How can it change so dramatically and age so gracefully over time? It is the land, grapes, yeasts, and a storage vessel, that is all. Working to create something beautiful. Anything else becomes a fake.

Greed is the Root of All Evil

As we sit and watch our financial system unravel it makes me think about the greed that has led our markets into disaster. How much does one person really need? Why is everyone in our society scrambling to be the richest, most successful person no matter what the cost? Why can we not just be satisfied with what we do have and strive to do our best to make this world a better place for all?

As with everything in life there seems to me to be a direct parallel between the world of wine and the rest of the world. The California wine industry seems to be following the same path as Wall Street. Most wineries just come up with a price because they can, and they are steadily creeping up with many debut wines listing for upwards of $100. Just the other day I received a call from the winery of one of the wines that I carry at Zooker's. They make an outstanding, unique Syrah that I discovered over a year ago. Restrained and very well balanced it was a fresh reminder of what Syrah should be. The call was to inform me that they only had three cases left of the current vintage and the next vintage was going to double in price. I was shocked. I ordered the three cases, but will not be ordering their wine again.

There is no such thing as Winemaking

I am now convinced that I should never use the term winemaker...There is no such thing. Possibly winehelper, but not winemaker. I think we need to step back and see everything for what it really is. I purchased half a ton of Cabernet grapes from Paso this vintage. I destemmed them, put them in a barrel and let nature take its course. 10 days later I pressed the fermented juice into barrel and innoculated witha a bacteria to start the malolactic fermentation. Now it is sitting in barrel becoming a very balanced drinkable Cabernet. Time will tell just how well it turns out, but I really did nothing, but the manual labor. Everything else was accomplished naturally and I really can not take credit and call myself a winemaker. I guess I will stick with vintner.

I am still Here

Sorry for the lapse in writing. I am working on several different posts right now as well as getting ready to experience my first vintage of personal wine. I am just going to crush the grapes, stick them in neutral barrels and see what happens. All my theories will soon be put to the test and I will let you all know how they fit in the frame of actual wine making. Right now I am going to the beach to try and clear my head.

The Allegory of the Cave

I stumbled upon the concept of Arete while I was studying Greek Tragedy in one of my College Literature courses. I was instantly drawn to this ideal and while I have often fallen short of its realities I am diligently pursuing perfection in my own life. Drawn also to their beliefs and the relative similarities I found existing between the philosophers and scripture, I subsequently began studying more of the Greek philosophers and stumbled on to this great illustration given by Plato. While this illustration and concept can be applied to many things in life, I think it is a perfect example of where we are in regards to points, scores, and relying on someone else's palate to be our guide to understanding wine.

 

Truth in Advertising

My hope is that one day winemakers will be convicted of all the lies they are spewing forth to the consumers who are buying their wine. It is true that the truth lies in the bottle, and that truth is taste, but it takes years of training to understand what wine should taste like. If you are lied to your entire life and think that spoofulated wine is the way wine should taste, then you would never question said wine as being "real". This is the problem we are facing today in regard to domestic wine. The following excerpt is taken from a winery's website and I know for a fact that it is complete bull-shit. I will not name names but if anyone can tell me which winery this is from I will send a bottle of wine to the first correct answer.

Mark Twain on Wine

"There are no standards of taste in wine, cigars, poetry, prose, etc. Each man's own taste is the standard, and a majority vote cannot decide for him or in any slightest degree affect the supremacy of his own standard."  -Mark Twain

I believe this to be true and desperately want to see people set free from the shackles of points as their guide to understanding wine. You must trust your own palate and you must learn to enjoy wine for yourself. This is why I put such an emphasis on what is being done to the wine we drink. The reason there is so much confusion among consumers, and the reason no one can learn which wines they prefer is because nothing is as it should be. When I was first learning about wine 10 years ago there was a standard I was taught. Cabernet should have a certain flavor profile. Syrah should have a certain flavor profile. Sauvignon Blanc should have a certain flavor profile. Chardonnay should have a certain flavor profile. This is what we call varietal correctness.

It is my belief that this varietal correctness has gone out the window the last few years. With all the things that are being done to wine it is impossible anymore to buy a Cabernet from a certain region and expect it to taste a certain way. The same is true for any varietal and any appelation. This, in turn, is causing mass confusion to the consumer and leading to the reliance of points. It is also taking the fun and enjoyment out of learning about wine. Please, for the sake of consumer sanity and for the sake of future generations of wine lovers be true to your wine. Pick at balanced levels of sugar and acid and just let the wine be what it is. Strive to make it better in the vineyard, not in the laboratory or winery.

Wisdom From Kermit Lynch

First I want to say that Kermit is the man! Of any one in the wine trade, past or present, there is no one I strive to be like more than him. This is a little insight from his book Adventures on the Wine Route, which if you have never read, I implore you to buy a copy today. This is just a taste of what I am trying to convey when I talk about the way we view wine and how it needs to change from chasing scores to truly enjoying and understanding wine. Kermit has a keen understanding and grasp on this truth and his book is filled with interesting tidbits on wine and winemakers as well as much wisdom. The following is in reference to the 1982 Gautiere's vin de pays wine from the Southern Rhone that retailed for $2.50.

Eat and Drink Local! Zookers Philosophy

I believe the greatest expression of the beautiful partnership between food and wine is that of local food and local wine enjoyed together. To me this seems fundamental, and yet I am constantly blown away by people who just do not see this dynamic. Living in Santa Barbara I am blessed to have great local produce, cheese, fish, and meat to create endless dishes as well as wine that will pair wonderfully with those dishes. I love to cook, and on my days off I want nothing more than to spend my morning at the farmers market wandering and thinking of what to cook for my lovely wife that night. Once I decide what will be for dinner I often go hunt for the perfect wine. Sometimes I take the opposite approach and let the wine choice serve as the inspiration for the menu. 

The chef at Zookers , Brent Monsour, who is also the owners son, takes this same approach with our menu and his nightly specials. Incorporating local organic produce from both Shephard's and Coleman's Farms, he also buys from local fisherman and the farmers markets. His food is fabulous and is why I began working at Zookers in the first place. The wine list was not "bad" when I started, but by no means was it diverse. In an effort to bring the wine philosophy along side of the menu philosophy, I have been focusing on local wines that are above all food friendly and also a joy to drink.

Longoria 2000 Bien Nacido Pinot Noir

Washington Square Park is one of my favorite spots in New York. Located in the heart of Greenwich Village it has long been a haven for poets, painters, musicians, and even dancers. Strolling through on a lazy saturday afternoon you are likely to find various artists diligently pursuing the perfection of their craft. I love the artistic community and wish there were more places with the same attitude of shared creativity.

Music, Food, Wine, Literature, Art, God, and Family are the passions in my life and while I enjoy them all at different times and in different ways they are all intrinsically interconnected and I often enjoy more than one, if not all, of them together. It is no wonder to me that after enjoying an impromptu jazz session in Washington Square Park, I would wander into a random wine shop and stumble upon this Longoria 2000 Bien Nacido Pinot Noir from the Santa Maria Valley.

Revelation on Wall Street

We all know that wine was meant to be enjoyed in conjunction with food. We have heard it over and over and while wine can and should be enjoyable on its own, something happens when it is allowed to partner with its soul mate. I have always been aware of this and loved the interaction and dance that ensues when enjoying food and wine together. The problem today is that most wines are not destined to be enjoyed on the table. If you have read much of my blog, you will see a couple themes that remain constant and are threaded into almost every post that I write. I prefer my wines to be low in alcohol, but not just for the sake of being low in alcohol. I believe that grapes picked at the perfect balance point between sugar and acid are not only essential for expressing terroir, but also for the ability to age gracefully and to properly interact with food. I am also adamantly opposed to any additions that are foreign to wine or to the use of technology to alter wine in any way.

New York, New York

My arms are tired from beating this dead horse, but I feel like I must continue to voice my opinions and stick to my guns. For now I will rest my weary arms and talk about something else. Tomorrow morning I leave for New York. I am traveling there to meet my Father and two younger Brothers. I am a fourth generation Yankees fan and as this is the last year to see Yankee Stadium in all of its glory we decided to all fly out and catch a game for my Dad's birthday. It should be a great time, even though the Yanks are now all but out of contention for the post-season. My one mission other than the game is to get to Chambers Street Wines as I believe they are what a retail wine shop should be. Have a great weekend everyone. Try not to miss me too much!

My Preferences

My wife, Rebekah, is my biggest fan and biggest critic at the same time. When I bounce ideas and thoughts off of her she is always honest and quick to point out how I can sometimes be perceived by those around me. While I have a tendency to appear arrogant and at times can be a self-righteous "preacher" when it comes to the things I believe it is because my belief is firmly embedded. I am also very open and want other people to see things the way I do. I really am not an arrogant know-it-all, in fact the only way I have learned as much as I have is by being humble and asking thousands of questions of people who know much more than I.

That being said, they are just my beliefs and my preferences. I understand that not many people see things the way I do, and that is alright. There are many different palates and taste preferences and my thoughts are among many out there. I do think that my way of thinking is unique and has a lot of insight to offer when trying to discover your own tastes and that is my aim. To help people understand wine for themselves and to promote the wines I love. If you read my blog in its entirety  and not just one post I think that you will see my heart and if anyone has any questions about anything please do not hesitate to ask.

What Good is Experience? (The Greatest Salseman in the World)

I was given the book, The Greatest Salesman in the World written by, Og Mandino , when I took on my first management position 4 years ago. My boss said it was one of the greatest books he had ever read, and I have come to reach the same mindset. Over the course of the last 4 years I have read it several times and every time I read it I find some new nugget of wisdom. The story is great and the book is not very long at all. Although an easy read, the treasures you will find are priceless and it has given me much inspiration and fortitude to continue down the road even when it seems there is no one following.

My favorite quote in the book appears when the young salesman is just beginning his journey. He had received a treasure chest filled with scrolls of wisdom which were to help him become the Greatest Salesman in the World. The first scroll he opened has been very influential to me and is a source of comfort when I begin to question my own direction in life. This excerpt is taken from Chapter 8...

Things you will never find on this Blog

• Spoofulated Wines
• Any mention of Global Warming
• The Boston Red Sox
• Corporate Owned Wineries
• Mass Produced Swill
• Scores of any kind
• Wine I would not personally drink
• Vintage Charts
• Wines that are overpriced for no reason
• Carnies

Wine and the Olympics

As the Olympics begin today I have to say that I will be watching with much anticipation and a little bit of skepticism. Gold medals have become sought after more and more and are even redeeming a cash value for those who bring them home this year. With the increased pressure to win athletes have turned to performance enhancing drugs to give them that little extra edge. Every year we hear of multiple athletes who are stripped of their medals because of these actions. I do not believe this is the spirit of the Olympics. Founded in ancient Greece I firmly believe that they all held the attitude and philosophy of Arete. Striving to be the best you can possibly be with the virtue of diligently pursuing perfection in your life, without cutting corners to get there. It is not always easy to be the best and it requires much sacrifice and patience.

Mutineer Magazine

If you have been reading my blog since its inception just three weeks ago, then you will know of the detest I feel towards wine publications. If not, shame on you, and before you continue reading this post you should read My Story, and Convictions to gain a better understanding of the root of this detest. I should stop right here and say this only pertains to the magazines that focus on wine and spirits. I have no quarrel with food magazines who also cover wine, because they have not been corrupted by the blind tasting sniff, swirl, spit, and score with no clue what is in the glass(it may not even be wine) that has bastardized the wine industry.

For those of you who share my thoughts and the number of you that I am sure will have your eyes opened to this truth over the course of the next few years it is time to embrace the revolution that is Mutineer Magazine. A new wine and beverage magazine set in the world that we live in, brought to you with no pretense rather the intention to inform and empower.

I DO NOT want to be a wine critic

I have to say that a recent post by Steve Heimoff confirmed my desire to never be called or considered a wine critic. His attitude and the attitude of his fellow "journalists", such as Jancis Robinson  and others are that of spoiled, insecure, arrogant children.  Furthermore anyone who is trying to follow in their footsteps is disillusioned and simply trying to imitate a flawed system whether they know it or not. A point system is a point system is a point system. It matters not whether that point system is made up of 100 points, 89 points, 29 points, or 5 points, it is still useless to properly describe and help people understand wine. There are so many wonderful drinkable wines to be discovered that it seems useless to rank and quibble over scores.

La Fenetre of Timeless Palates Wines

 

This project all began with a book idea, and one of the first vintner to respond and take the time to meet with me was Josh Klapper.  He started making wine under the La Fenetre label in 2005 and has been building a very solid lineup of wines. La Fenetre is french for the window and Josh believes that artistic expression is the window to a person's soul. Winemaking is his art and his window and a great reason to raise another glass. 

  While working as a Sommelier, Josh was exposed to many great Central Coast wines and decided that it was time to make the move from selling wine to making wine. Following the tradition of a Burgundian Negociant, La Fenetre wine grapes are sourced from only the choicest vineyards in and around Santa Barbara County. By working with great sites and buying only the highest quality fruit Josh is able to craft wines that are pure and seamless. His goal is to maintain balance and always present a wine that will pair well with food.

Importance of Balance...

I talk a lot about balance when refering to wine, but without a proper definition it can lose all of its meaning. In my opinion it is the most important aspect of winemaking. Grapes must be picked at the point of perfect balance between sugar and acid or the wines will not have balance between acid and alcohol. Wines without balance will not speak of the land and do not have a place at the table, which is where the real beauty of wine is revealed. That being true, it is much easier said than done. I do not know the perfect number when talking of degrees brix or potential alcohol( I have been told that the sweet spot is between 23-23.5 brix), but I can definitely taste it in the wine, and I am certain that a seasoned winemaker can taste it in the grapes.

The latest trend in California winemaking is to let the grapes hang on the vine as long as possible in an effort to get super concentrated flavors and then add water or use reverse osmosis to bring down the alcohol levels. The grapes become raisins and more often than not winemakers have to add acid as well as the water. Call me crazy, but this does not sound like a way to let the land speak or a path to understanding the terroir of California. Not only are you watering down the wine or separating molecules, which in itself is a travesty, you are adding FAKE acid. How is this being true to the soul of the vine?

Balance is what I seek most in a wine, but if the grapes are not picked at the point of perfect balance than the wine will never be balanced and it will not speak of the land, no matter what you add or take away.

Chanin Wine Co.

I know your probably tired of reading about me at this point so I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to start talking about what really matters. Part of what I hope to accomplish with this blog and future web site is to present to you the winemakers who are doing things the right way. Following the path forged by Kermit Lynch, Joe Dressner, Alice Feiring, Terry Theise and others I am searching for wines that posses what I call Arete. Over the course of the last 18 months in preparation to launch this blog I have had the pleasure of talking with many winemakers in the area, searching for those who are allowing the land to speak through their wines.

I talked a little about "fake wines" in my first post Sink or Swim, but did not go into much detail. Also known as frakenwines or spoofulated wines, these are wines that have been technologically altered or have been added to in someway or are simply just too excessive.

I am a purist and I do not want to drink a wine that has been altered or added to in any way. Nor do I want to drink a wine that is so over-ripe, over-exctracted, and over-oaked that it taste like grape juice spiked with vodka garnished with an oak chip. It is impossible to get a true sense of the land and the people, terrior if you will, from wines which are being tampered with and are overblown. In my opinion we as a wine drinking community are allowing the soul of wine to be robbed by supporting these people. Let us take a stand against this adulteration and vow to only drink wines being made the right way.

Chapter 6: Lessons from the Valley

I finally found a job at the Wine Cask located in Los Olivos, Ca. I had heard good things about it from people I had talked to in the area, and knew this would be a great chance for me to get to know more about the wines of Santa Barbara County. When I was working in Florida I was fortunate enough to be exposed to quite a few Central Valley wines. I poured Qupe Syrah by the glass and also sold Lane Tanner, Andrew Murray, Talley, Alban, Foxen, Au Bon Climat, as well as quite a few Bien Nacido offerings. So far I had really enjoyed the wines from this emerging appellation.

We found a place to live in Solvang, just in the nick of time, and began to start a life in California. My goal was to learn as much as I could about the wines around me so I began visiting all the tasting rooms in the valley. My tastes were beginning to evolve and the more I drank the more I began to see that most of the wines I tasted fell short of my expectations. It was here that I started to do more research about the wines that I really enjoyed to see what the difference was. Obviously soil and climate has a lot to do with creating a great wine, but this was a great climate with great soils. Every once in a while I tasted a wine that was close to what I was seeking, but very few were really speaking to me.

Chapter 5: California Bound

I have gotten a little off track the last couple days with my writing. There are so many thoughts and ideas bouncing around in this crazy head of mine that its hard to categorize and find a fluent order of content. Then again this is a blog and it should be for off the cuff writing. I guess I should just write...

A quick summary for those who are new. The year was 2005 and I was living in Palm Coast, Fl with my wife and son. The last 10 years had been a journey that saw stints in Florida, California, Oregon, Washington, and Tennessee. I now had experience as a buss-boy, expo, server, bartender, bar manager, food and beverage manager, wine steward, and a cook. I had sworn off wine publications, but turned to books and the internet to continue my learning and obsession with wine.

Even though I was not reading Spectator or E-Bob, my evolution of tastes and measure of great wine would take a little more time and a lot more drinking. One of the greatest things about wine, and why you and I should endeavor to learn as much as possible, is because to learn is to drink. Of course it has to be drinking with the purpose of learning and not just enjoyment. You should ALWAYS enjoy, but you should make it a purpose to add learning to the enjoyment.

Its not about YOU Jancis

I came across this article the other day and it floored me. Here is a link to SF Gate if you would like to read the full article. This was written by Jancis Robinson who is an English wine critic.

On my last trip to California, I was given a lift by Screaming Eagle's
vivacious vineyard manager Annie Favia. She had already told me with
some pride that she also made her own range of wines, Favia Wines,
presumably advised by her winemaker husband Andy Erickson, who happens
to be the winemaker at Screaming Eagle.

This sounded like a pretty tempting background for a label that was new
to me, so I asked whether there was any chance of tasting them or
reading any reviews of them. Annie looked almost shocked, and explained
that she hadn't sent out samples. "I wouldn't dream of letting someone
taste my wines unless I was there to tell them about them," she
explained, "and anyway we seem to be able to sell everything without
reviews anyway."

I probably looked a bit shocked at that point, too. The idea that I
could taste a wine only with its maker at my elbow fills me with dismay,
not to say incredulity. If I adopted this approach I couldn't possibly
sustain my current tasting average of several hundreds of wines a week.
It would be a physical impossibility to ship myself to the makers or to
invite the makers over my doorstep in London in time for their (five
minute?) rendezvous with me.

Chapter 4: Making lemonade out of lemons

I had been working at the Resort that will remain nameless for 6 months and had taken on all the responsibilities of a Wine Director. The resort was too big for its own good and management was inept. Coming from the most efficiently run restaurant I had ever seen to this chaos did not sit well with me. I tried everything I could to get costs in order, accuracy with inventory, updated wine lists, stocking, ordering, wine pairings for all the chef tasting menus but with no help from my boss or his boss all this proved to be an uphill battle for which I was not being compensated. After months of taking on all the work and responsibility I approached the Food and Beverage Director about giving me a raise and promoting me to Wine Director of the resort. He agreed and said that  he thought it was time I took over the wine program and starting the following week I would be on the floor two nights a week as the Wine Steward.

Chapter 3: The Learning Years

There I was, 24 years old and back to my roots with 9 years restaurant experience under my belt, but still no direction in life. I was working as a waiter and bartender at the very popular Brett's Waterway Cafe when I was struck by an epiphany. Late one night after work I was hanging out with some buddies and we were drinking a bottle of McCallen's 25 year old Scotch. Out of no where  I had the brilliant idea to become a Manager. I did not want to wait tables for the rest of my life, but I had fallen in love with restaurants.

One of our managers had just quit and I knew there was an opening. I went to the General Manager the next day and told him I was interested in training to take the position. I beat out two other people who were jockeying for the same spot and was promoted to Food and Beverage Manager. My responsibilities included overseeing the wine list, inventory, ordering all beverages as well as pricing. Needless to say I had now jumped into the deep end of the pool while trying to read a book on swimming at the same time. It would be there my love affair and obsession with wine would begin. 

Chapter 2: The Wandering Years

I had been at the Plantation for 4 years now and I was about to get my first bitter taste of what I would later come to know as CORPORATE. The higher ups decided that we were not making enough money operating as a Fine Dining restaurant. They decided to change our theme. We were now going to be a family steakhouse. Needless to say this did not go over well with the middle management, our chefs, or the FOH employees. We fought tooth and nail, but to no avail. Our manager was ousted and I decided it was time for a change.

I had grown up skiing and always wanted to live in a ski town. I did some research and found Mammoth Mountain, Ca. I sent off a resume to human resources and the next day had a phone interview. I left three days later to drive across the country, ready for a new adventure. Although I enjoyed waiting tables I was tired of trying to always make people happy. I decided to take a little break from the food service industry. I worked for 6 months selling skis. It was then I realized that not only was the money better, but I really missed waiting tables. It fit, and even though it was tough, stressful work, at the end of the day it was what I enjoyed.

What is Arête?

 

More than just a word, Arête is a philosophical ideal. In ancient Greece Arête meant a fulfillment of purpose or living up to ones potential. It also meant the excellence of something; the Arête of man or in this case the Arête of wine. Another interpretation suggests diligence in the pursuit of perfection. I am looking for wines possessing all of these traits. A truly great wine is one that expresses the soul of the vine from whence it came, not only the clone, the soil, the climate, but the growing environment as a whole. These are the wines that move me. I am seeking passionate wine makers and growers who are allowing vineyard sites and vines live up to their true potential. When crafting the wine they allow it to choose its own course, carefully watching, but never interfering, diligently pursuing perfection.

 

Chapter 1: The Early Years

I was introduced to this glorious industry we call service at the ripe age of 15. I landed a job as a busboy at Pompeo's Italian Restaurant located in historic downtown Fernandina Beach. This resort Island off the coast of Florida is where I would unknowingly be drawn in to a lifetime of service in the restaurant business.  I only worked there for 5 months, but it was a great insight to the craziness of this work.

Next came the real breakthrough. When I was 17 I was hired as a busboy for the Amelia Inn, a fine dining restaurant located on the Amelia Island Plantation resort. Here my interest in wine began, although be it very innocent. I remember being shown a bottle of Pierre Jouet Fleur and I was fascinated; not even tasting it, the beauty moved me. (it would coincidently be the bottle I drank when I lost my virginity) After working there for a few months we found out the Amelia Inn was going to be closed. They were going to re-model and instead of letting us all go we were dispersed to the other various restaurants on the resort property. I was placed at the newly opened Veranda Grill.

Sink or Swim

I have been planning this for months! Why the apprehension? Putting myself out there to fail or succeed I am now completely exposed. That is a scary thing. I wonder what Tom will think of my blog. Here goes nothing...

What would I be without a story?  Simply another wine blog taking up space on this vast new frontier. I guess I should start with a little bit about myself. My name is Adam and I am a husband, father, writer, musician, and a 15 year veteran of the service industry. I am also a minimalist, idealist, amateur philosopher, and a bit of a cynic. Currently I wait tables, manage, and oversee the wine list at Zooker's Cafe in Carpinteria, California. I love all things wine and food related and  have been dedicating myself to learning, loving, understanding, appreciating, and enjoying the dynamic that they bring to the table. While I do love food, I am not writing a food blog for a reason. Wine is my passion! Wine is my love! I believe strongly that God has given us wine to enjoy, and to make this life more enjoyable.