I took a look at what I’ve published on this blog over the past few months and realized that that other than this piece, I’ve been very unproductive. First and foremost, I’ve missed both July and August with my “Pick of the Month”. I go to great pains to make my decision as to which wine deserves the honor of being my pick and by writing an article about it, I’m able to remind myself what I chose for each month. I had to dig deep into my memory and realized what they were and are. For July, I chose a white blend from South Africa which consisted of mostly Chenin Blanc and Viognier. It was well received, and people have been coming back for more. This month, I chose a Viognier from the Rhone Valley that goes for a whopping thirteen bucks. It has also been very popular. I think I’ll do a quick wrap-up of both near the end of this month before I reveal my pick for September which will be a red wine for sure. I’m hoping to find a great value to feature for the month that kicks off Fall.
It has been an incredibly busy summer this year. Not only at the store, but also in my personal life. I’ve had special tasting events as well as fulfilling private events that were auctioned off to raise money for specific organizations, schools or fundraisers for someone in need. I volunteer my time and resources to help them out. I’ve had three that I’ve organized in the past six months. They are very fun and interesting. It’s somewhat fascinating that some of these groups think that the company I work for pays me to do these. To make things clear, I donate my time and most of the wines to pull these private events off. I have a boatload of wine at my house that need to be drunk, and I enjoy sharing what I have. I have different formats that I use for each of these private tasting events, and they are all quite educational and entertaining. What a great way to share my knowledge of wine and have people walking away knowing just a bit more about the wine world.
My wife Susie and I are less than two months away from taking off to Londan and Greece. The trip is all planned out, thanks to my wife. We have a lot to look forward to. I’m super stoked to visit some of the wineries there and check out what they up to. Actually, wine had a huge influence on Greek culture. They make some fantastic wines from varietals most of us are not familiar with. Of course, we will soak in the ancient Greek culture that will be all around us, as well as dive into their cuisine. Susie has planned the trip so that we have some relaxation at the beach near the end of our visit to the country. These trips take quite a bit of planning and I’m very thankful that Susie is so good at putting all the pieces together. I’m bringing my recording device along to shoot some material for my YouTube channel. I’ll have lots to share on this platform as well. We are so excited.
Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man
