April showers bring May flowers. Boy, has it started out that way! My brother claims that we need the rain. He could be correct, but after living in the Pacific NW all my life (as he has), enough rain is rarely a problem. Hopefully, the sun will break out soon and warm things up. I’ll even attempt not to complain about how much grass mowing is required in the spring. One thing I like about April is the increase in visitors to the islands, as my department starts to rev up along with the rest of the store. As much as many islanders hate to admit it, tourism is a huge part of our economy, providing jobs and an influx of money that keeps us financially healthy throughout the year.
Tourism also changes the dynamics in my department. Wines that have sat on the shelves for months start to disappear as a different type of wine drinker peruses the aisle. I adore my regulars and certainly build most of the department to cater to their needs. However, it is always interesting to observe the different buying habits of the visitors, .
On the YouTube front, I loaded up several episodes featuring Washington wines. March is the original Washington Wine Month, so I spend most of that month talking about how fortunate we are to live in such a significant wine-producing area. Some amazing wines are made here in Washington, and they are not nearly as expensive as wines of equal quality out of California. If you can, please visit my YouTube channel and check out some episodes. I think you will like what you see.
Susie and I are in the initial stages of planning a trip to Italy, Puglia specifically. Neither of us has been to this area before, so we are really looking forward to learning more about that part of the world. I am a huge fan of the wines in that region, and I’ve been talking with a good friend who imports wine from there. He’s already given us many ideas on where to go and what wineries to visit. Being the consummate wine nerd that I am, I get giddy regarding the wine side of our travels. Of course, I try to balance things so Susie doesn’t have to deal with too much wine stuff. I will say, though, that she is a good sport and interested in visiting wineries and learning about the wine world. I’m a lucky man to have such a supportive wife who is also one of the best travel planners I know. Aside from the wineries, she will find some of the best places to stay and visit.
My article on my perspective as to why wine sales are sagging in the U.S. is still in the making. I’m giving it some serious thought. It will be primarily theoretical, but I believe I have a bead on why wine sales are struggling, besides the usual things being put out there. I hope you can read it when it’s published, and I would like your thoughts.
Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man
