When Opportunity Knocked ~ Siena Italy Was at the Door
[ALL PHOTO: Jo Diaz, unless noted otherwise. Shop in Sienna, Italy] PART 1 ~ CULTURE LEADS TO WINE AND FOOD In October of 2018, a door was opened for me by Bluest Sky Group, when I was invited to join a group of wine professionals traveling in Italy. We would be exploring the central wine regions of […]
Romancing the Grape ~ Relationship Selling for Hospitality Professionals
SAMPLE COPY from Lynda R. Paulson ~ PHOTO: Jo Diaz Romancing the Grape ~ Relationship Selling for Hospitality Professionals by Lynda R. Paulson should be mandatory reading for all winery tasting room personnel. This is always how I sold wine, while working in a tasting room, because my studies and background are in PR. That said, […]
Colonnara Viticultori in Cupramontana ~ In the Castelli di Jesi region of Le Marche
[PHOTO: Jo Diaz – Cupramontana Headquarters] To understand wine, first we need understand its culture and people. The first time I wrote that was in 2009, just prior to a trip to Portugal. This thought was just reaffirmed, as I’m newly returned from an Italian adventure, in the epicenter of the Renaissance. This story is about […]
Napa Valley Vintner Stuart Smith Supporting “No On C” with a Blog Devoted to Preservation
Stuart Smith has gathered in depth background materials for “No On C and Napa County’s environment” at www.stopmeasurec.com. The Webpage opens with what’s most concerning for this measure: “Because Measure C was created in secret, the only public airing of the Measure has been mailings, street signs, ads and letters to our local newspapers. Even […]
SOMM: Into the Bottle ~ This one is a hit for wine lovers
In all fairness, I watched he original SOMM, and reviewed it as “navel gazing?” Here’s the deal, I’ve been in the wine business since 1993. Combine that with me reading the book Cork Dork Bianca Bosker’s, A Wine-Fueled Adventure,” which hit a home run, IMHO. I wasn’t alone in my assessment, of a few guys […]
Wine Etiquette 101 ~ The 10 most important things to remember
I once wrote a story called Wine Country Casual, because people are so concerned, wanting to know the best thing to wear. We’re like that as people, aren’t we? It’s also one of my most clicked onto stories. Everyone wants to know what to wear. But, what about behavior? After we dress to fit in, […]
Haydon Street Inn ~ Healdsburg, CA
Healdsburg, California has turned into quite the “wine country living” town. It’s always had the flavor, but it’s more sophisticated today than ever. With the addition of Hotel Healdsburg, along came many retail shops that have created a more stylish town to visit. The charm is evident everywhere you go. For those of us who […]
Wine of the Week ~ Kendall-Jackson 2014 Seco Highlands Pinot Noir
Getting out to visit a winery is always a rare treat. We moved to California from Maine, because of the opportunities. Once embroiled in work within those opportunities, however, visits are now mostly for appointments, in order to get more work accomplished. This past week, Jose and I segued back to my former place of […]
Adega Coop de Borba in the Alentejo Region of Portugal
Another day in the life with Enoforum Wines as my host, while enjoying The Wines of Portugal. Winemaker Óscar Gato of Adega Coop de Borba is based in the town of Borba, a municipality of the Évora District, in Portugal. As I’ve written earlier this week, to understand the people and their culture helps to […]
10 Ways to Avoid Wine Country Crowds
Not everyone loves crowds. Those who do are ultra social beings and it’s great for them. (Keep it up!) It works, because the vast majority of people love being social and in crowds. But, there are others who prefer more intimate settings, so a list of ways to avoid wine country crowds needs its place, […]
