It’s been quite the spring so far. It started off with good weather and then it went the opposite direction; cool and wet. Memorial Day weekend was a bit of a wash as far as business goes due to the weather. And, as I’m writing, the forecast is for more rain over the next couple of days. However, things are looking up for the end of the week. I have a full endcap of Rose’ in the wine department, and no one is even giving it a glance. Why you ask? The weather. As much as I scream from the rooftops that Rose’ should be a year-round drink, the weather rules in this category. As soon as the sun comes out, the Rose’ starts flowing. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a streak of poor weather (cool no less) this time of year.
My wife Susie is diligently planning our trip to Greece this fall. She has booked the flight to London (our first stop) and two of the hotels in Crete. I’ve contacted one of my suppliers to set up a winery tour at Lyrarakis. The pieces are falling together. Our first stop will be in Chania, Crete’s second largest town. After that it will be a few nights in Heraklion (named after the Greek God Hercules), the capital of Crete. From there, we will visit wineries that we’ve made appointments with. There will be lots to do in both towns, including street tours and excursions to the countryside. The Venetians had a huge influence in Crete so it will be cool to see the historic sights that will be all around us. Our last few days in Crete will be spent relaxing in a resort town yet to be determined. Susie and I are getting very excited!
I’m starting a short series on my YouTube channel featuring the top three selling wines under twenty bucks at Kings Market in each category of wine. I posted my first episode where I review three Pinot Noirs all under that twenty-dollar price point. After that will be Zinfandel, then Pinot Gris, then… Well, you get the picture. I’m super excited about this theme, mainly because I want to find out for myself what it is about these wines that brings people back for more. The Pinot Noir episode had me worried, because under twenty bucks is tough with this varietal. I was pleasantly surprised by the results.
I’m super excited for another summer season. I love my homies, but it is so interesting to meet new people and observe their buying habits when it comes to wine. It will be interesting to see how the ferry system operates this summer. They have built a terrible track record over the last couple of years. I hope it means that people plan a longer stay so that they don’t have to be too affected by cancellations and other disruptions to our only highway system to the islands. Don’t get me wrong, it is much better now than it was a year ago. However, there is a ton of room for improvement and I can only hope that the powers to be, are looking into solutions rather than acceptance. Fingers crossed.
Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man
