Complicated Situation in the American Wine Market, by Michael Yurch of The Bluest Sky Group
Wine marketer Michael (Mick) Yurch, of The Bluest Sky Group, has shared the following with me, in his circle of friends and colleagues. It’s a fascinating reading, from someone with international relationships in wine. It’s Mick’s job to prepare wine brands for the United States market. He’s been doing this since leaving his career, as […]
Italian Passeggiata ~ Still a Cultural Phenomenon and it Includes Foods and Wines
Honestly, our American culture, in this May of 2019, has so drastically changed from when I was, say, 5-years old, in Maine. This seems unreal to me, now, but I do remember the first TV that came into my home. My dad was an early adopter of electronic gadgets. We had the first TV in […]
When It’s Traditional and It’s in Tuscany ~ Day 2
I was the guest of Castello di Meleto in Gaiole ~ In the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany. Hosted by Antonia Caserta (sales manager), their winemaker Matteo Menicacci, and their agronomist Giovanni Maria Farina. Antonia translated, and I was also in the company of Michael Yurch (Bluest Sky Group) and Michael Apstein from Apstein On […]
Pairing Tuscan Wines with Tuscan Cuisine ~ Day 1
GUEST: I was a guest at Castello di Meleto, in Gaiole (the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany), as orchestrated by Michael Yurch, of The Bluest Sky Group. When we, as Americans, think of Italian cuisine, pasta immediately comes to mind, right? In a word association game, I say Italian food, and most people respond with […]
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 […]
Kevin Zraly ~ Windows on the World Complete Wine Course’s Latest Edition
[IMAGE to the right: purchased] Wine is infinitely more intriguing than most other balls in the air we juggle during life, especially for the curious. Much of our inquisitiveness will be addressed within the pages of Kevin Zraly‘s 2018 edition of his Windows on the World Complete Wine Course. This is most especially true for […]
