Do You Know About This Tuscan Fail Safe Practice?
[PHOTO of Castello di Meleto, Tuscany: Jo Diaz. All photos were taken by Jo Diaz, unless otherwise noted.] This practice is one that I had no idea existed, until I was the guest of Castello di Meleto. Located in Gaiole in the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany, this past October. I was travelling with Michael […]
Exclusively Yours ~ Square Peg ~ Once in a Lifetime Winery
Travel with me on the Graton Road, in Green Valley of Russian River Valley. We’re heading toward the Forest Primeval. And, we’re feeling pretty much the way Yegor Chernykh must have felt, in 1836. Who was Yegor, you ask? An excellent question… Yegor was a Russian Agronomist, sent from his homeland to the new world. […]
What NOT to do if you’re a writer ~ A True Juicy Tale
The statement below (on Facebook within a private group) inspired the following blog story… It’s a secret that I’ve long held; and, it’s “What NOT to do if you’re a writer.” This became the title, when I thought about how to position this memory. I’ve held it too long, I need to just let it […]
Bordeaux ~ Mirror of Water ~ partie neuf
Bordeaux, the pearl of Aquitaine… the fascination continues. Millesima
If I were to travel to Bordeaux, where is one place I would definitely want to visit, based on what I’ve now learned?
The Miroir d’eau (Water Mirror)
Sara Matthews ~ A photographer with an extraordinary eye for beauty
Sara Matthews is going to be in California shooting in both May and September. If you’d like to have her photograph your wine world, because you might benefit from her eye and perspective, let her know. She normally spends a day or two at a winery to create a whole portfolio of images, which you […]
Yes, I’m “that one”
Being fussy isn’t easy, especially when you’ve written about that one yourself. In my story, it’s called Road Warrior Survival Guide. In the air, it’s probably called Air Warrior Survival Guide… Or, at least it should be, because flight attendant service seems to be a very difficult job, these days… Having to put up with […]
Tasting Wines of Turkey for the Very First Time
There’s a first for everything, I know. Never, in my wildest dreams, did I even think of Turkey as a county producing wines, which just shows how naive I am, even after 20+ years in the wine business, learning everything one step at a time. I guess after 20 years, I deserve to know more […]
Customer service PR lessons; the good, bad, and the ugly ~ Part 2
Today’s part of this two part story is about the good…. Culinary customer service at its worst… Yesterday’s blog post was about customer service at its best. RECAP Jose and I recently went to the Asheville, North Carolina, area to visit my daughter Katie, son-in-law Ray, and our two grandsons; Jonathan (14 years old) and Nate […]
Customer service PR lessons; the good, bad, and the ugly ~ Part 1
Today’s part of this two part story is about the good…. Culinary customer service at its best… Who thought when I’d visit my kids I’d end up with a customer service story. Proving… you can take the wine PR person out of wine country, but you can’t take the PR out of the wine person. And […]
Lisboa ~ While visiting a monastery a play broke out
The culture of wine transcends what’s in the vineyard, in the wine cellar, and what’s in the glass. It takes all of that into account, and it also the people, the customs (including foods) and the arts. When I study wine, I immerse myself in every single aspect of it, most especially if I’m traveling. […]
