Showing posts with label wine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wine. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Educating children on wine making and vines
Today I just heard that two of my friends of OpenWineConsortium were new parents. Congratulations are in order and I send them heartily and happily!
This happy event started me thinking on educating children and young ones about wine, wine making and vines. It is a recurrent theme around wine lovers and professionals. There was a very interesting thread in Eric Asimov's blog, "The Pour", a few weeks ago and it generated a LOT of comments. Instead of debating on how appropriate it is to have children have a drop or a taste of wine or champagne at the family table, I'd like to share with you some other ideas - as a wine educator.
Wine is not only about drinking: it is also about culture, agriculture, nature and technology. Imagine you're a little kid born and raised in a major city: what would you know about vines, seasons, the weather influencing the maturing of the grapes, grapes themselves? Not much, I assume! Imagine you're a little kid born and raised in the countryside far away from vineyards: you wouldn't know much more than your city friend. I'd like to reconcile every kid wherever they come from and have them share what is at the heart of the wine industry: teach them what vines are about, how they're tended by people all year around, how they're harvested and transformed over weeks and/or months to become our precious wine. I'd like to tell them you can make wine by just following nature's course or adding technology. I'd like to walk them in vineyards and wineries. I'd like to have them talk to grape growers, wine makers and wine lovers of different countries and cultural backgrounds. I'd like to let them discover that wine, like music, is a great link between people, wherever they come from. I'd like them to understand that wine is a product of civilization and a sign of culture common to many - worldwide.
How could this translate in reality? Every country should have a national program to teach kids about wine and food. But let's start small, local: my friends, the Greek Women in Wine, are building a program, with their own Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Education, to teach children about vines, agriculture and grapes. Let's all follow their example!
Monday, June 9, 2008
Gary Vaynerchuk's 101 wines
That's it! I got it and I read it! I just couldn't believe my luck when the post office delivered Gary's book on Friday. (My skepticism is just the result of a lost book package, actually MY own book, by... DHL.)
Last week, Gary was concerned about his book not being available in some stores. He Twittered the question to the world. Randulo saw this Tweet and invited him to call in live to the podcast he was doing at the time, which Gary did. You can listen to the short phone chat with him about the book, and his interest in tea, which he finds very similar to wine in many ways.
Anyway, Gary's book is on my desk and I carried it along with me all weekend to read it. Funnily enough, on the cover Gary's name is subtitled "star of winelibrarytv.com". Fortunately, Gary is much more than a star: he's witty, bright, funny, sincere and honest. He writes as he talks: with energy and passion. Do you know a lot of "stars" with those qualities?
Gary worked very hard to give us his opinion on 101 wines he really enjoyed and brought thunder to his world, as he put it in the title. The book is not a guide, it's not the wines Gary recommends you to drink: "buy wines that are true to themselves and true to you", Gary recommends. Why is that? Because "that's how we're going to change the wine world": forget the ratings, forget the critics, forget the marketing strategies, the commercials and the ads. Buy a bottle because you think you'll like it: if you don't, you'll have learned something about yourself and wine.
How did he select his 101 wines? They are "the 101 wines that I am most excited about and want to recommend to anyone interested in wine", "wines that break down barriers, create new styles, and ooze charisma". The program sounds intriguing. Should we get in a little more details about the wines? From #101 to #1, every wine is reviewed with the same info: winery name, price, origin, grapes, ABV (alcohol by volume), production and web site.
First Gary's titles: "Making Mom Proud" for 2 Brothers, Cabernet Sauvignon reserve 2005; "It's in the mail" for Ambulineo Vineyards, Big Paw Chardonnay 2006 or "Wine for your two-year-old" for Taylor Fladgate, Quinta de Vargellas, 2005. There is the humor and the odd comparisons. When Gary wants his reader to imagine how a wine tastes, here is what he advises to do: "I need you to take some pigs-in-a-blanket - you know, those mini hot dogs. Now you're going to take a strawberry Fruit Roll-Up and wrap it on one more layer. That's right! We're going one more layer! Now bite it. Eat. Sprinkle some black pepper on it! That is this wine". What is he talking about? a Languedoc wine, Mas de la Barben, Les Calices 2003 selling for $44! And in case you have some doubt about what a fruit roll-up is, there is a foot note on the subject.
Is Gary not taking wine seriously by any chance? Not at all. Gary is certainly one of the more erudite people I read on the subject: he'll tell you everything on the most obscure grape, like Kekfrankos or about a label, like Ceago Vinegarden. Ceago is a Pomo Indian word, meaning "grass seed valley". He will give you insights on the winery and the winemaker, tell you what he felt and smelled and tasted in the wine.
You can agree or disagree with whatever Gary says but there is something you have to agree about: Gary's book is easy to read, gives you an in-depth appreciation of the wines he tasted, plenty of information on almost everything related to wine, taste, aroma and flavors. The book is informative, easy to read and you'll get a good laugh out of Gary's comments and remarks. How many wine books make you laugh?
Last week, Gary was concerned about his book not being available in some stores. He Twittered the question to the world. Randulo saw this Tweet and invited him to call in live to the podcast he was doing at the time, which Gary did. You can listen to the short phone chat with him about the book, and his interest in tea, which he finds very similar to wine in many ways.
Anyway, Gary's book is on my desk and I carried it along with me all weekend to read it. Funnily enough, on the cover Gary's name is subtitled "star of winelibrarytv.com". Fortunately, Gary is much more than a star: he's witty, bright, funny, sincere and honest. He writes as he talks: with energy and passion. Do you know a lot of "stars" with those qualities?
Gary worked very hard to give us his opinion on 101 wines he really enjoyed and brought thunder to his world, as he put it in the title. The book is not a guide, it's not the wines Gary recommends you to drink: "buy wines that are true to themselves and true to you", Gary recommends. Why is that? Because "that's how we're going to change the wine world": forget the ratings, forget the critics, forget the marketing strategies, the commercials and the ads. Buy a bottle because you think you'll like it: if you don't, you'll have learned something about yourself and wine.
How did he select his 101 wines? They are "the 101 wines that I am most excited about and want to recommend to anyone interested in wine", "wines that break down barriers, create new styles, and ooze charisma". The program sounds intriguing. Should we get in a little more details about the wines? From #101 to #1, every wine is reviewed with the same info: winery name, price, origin, grapes, ABV (alcohol by volume), production and web site.
First Gary's titles: "Making Mom Proud" for 2 Brothers, Cabernet Sauvignon reserve 2005; "It's in the mail" for Ambulineo Vineyards, Big Paw Chardonnay 2006 or "Wine for your two-year-old" for Taylor Fladgate, Quinta de Vargellas, 2005. There is the humor and the odd comparisons. When Gary wants his reader to imagine how a wine tastes, here is what he advises to do: "I need you to take some pigs-in-a-blanket - you know, those mini hot dogs. Now you're going to take a strawberry Fruit Roll-Up and wrap it on one more layer. That's right! We're going one more layer! Now bite it. Eat. Sprinkle some black pepper on it! That is this wine". What is he talking about? a Languedoc wine, Mas de la Barben, Les Calices 2003 selling for $44! And in case you have some doubt about what a fruit roll-up is, there is a foot note on the subject.
Is Gary not taking wine seriously by any chance? Not at all. Gary is certainly one of the more erudite people I read on the subject: he'll tell you everything on the most obscure grape, like Kekfrankos or about a label, like Ceago Vinegarden. Ceago is a Pomo Indian word, meaning "grass seed valley". He will give you insights on the winery and the winemaker, tell you what he felt and smelled and tasted in the wine.
You can agree or disagree with whatever Gary says but there is something you have to agree about: Gary's book is easy to read, gives you an in-depth appreciation of the wines he tasted, plenty of information on almost everything related to wine, taste, aroma and flavors. The book is informative, easy to read and you'll get a good laugh out of Gary's comments and remarks. How many wine books make you laugh?
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Why do we write about wine?
Did you ever ask yourself this question? Or did anybody ask you this question? To tell you the truth, I'm a little in trouble to answer it. Since our tomorrow's podcast is on this very subject, I might as well try to start thinking about it today!
As far as I remember - even as a young child - I always loved and enjoyed writing. If I tell you I wrote very long letters to friends and family during my school vacation when a child, I'm afraid you'll easily figure out how old I am! Then growing up as a teenager and a young woman, I kept writing - for pleasure and for work. I became one of those academics publishing articles and books on various subjects. Let's explain the situation: I already had several careers - the first one as a visiting Professor at UCLA and then as a teacher in France, the second one as a writer, an editorial consultant and a publisher; an other one as an academic and researcher and the current one as an international wine consultant, writer and educator. Writing is the only activity I never quit.
Why do I write? Because I love sharing my passion for whatever is my topic of the moment: wine, lifestyle, food, travel, cross-cultures, history. Because I'm an educator at heart: nothing makes me happier than facing a young (or older) crowd of people sharing my passion, agreeing or disagreeing with what I just said and exchanging ideas and tips. Because I'm lucky to have two languages to express myself and several cultures to share and explore.
What do I write about? I don't enjoy writing tasting notes, for example: tasting is a personal experience, happening at a certain time and for a certain occasion. Taste the same wine with different people, at a different place and for a different occasion: you won't have the same feeling. I like writing about wine and food cultures in the world, about people I met and what they brought me as human beings, about history of wine and food all around the world. I enjoy sharing addresses of places I discovered while traveling and talk with people I don't know.
I feel a little self conscious talking so much about myself! I look forward to hearing what others have to say on why, what and how they write about wine.
As far as I remember - even as a young child - I always loved and enjoyed writing. If I tell you I wrote very long letters to friends and family during my school vacation when a child, I'm afraid you'll easily figure out how old I am! Then growing up as a teenager and a young woman, I kept writing - for pleasure and for work. I became one of those academics publishing articles and books on various subjects. Let's explain the situation: I already had several careers - the first one as a visiting Professor at UCLA and then as a teacher in France, the second one as a writer, an editorial consultant and a publisher; an other one as an academic and researcher and the current one as an international wine consultant, writer and educator. Writing is the only activity I never quit.
Why do I write? Because I love sharing my passion for whatever is my topic of the moment: wine, lifestyle, food, travel, cross-cultures, history. Because I'm an educator at heart: nothing makes me happier than facing a young (or older) crowd of people sharing my passion, agreeing or disagreeing with what I just said and exchanging ideas and tips. Because I'm lucky to have two languages to express myself and several cultures to share and explore.
What do I write about? I don't enjoy writing tasting notes, for example: tasting is a personal experience, happening at a certain time and for a certain occasion. Taste the same wine with different people, at a different place and for a different occasion: you won't have the same feeling. I like writing about wine and food cultures in the world, about people I met and what they brought me as human beings, about history of wine and food all around the world. I enjoy sharing addresses of places I discovered while traveling and talk with people I don't know.
I feel a little self conscious talking so much about myself! I look forward to hearing what others have to say on why, what and how they write about wine.
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