The Local Time Is...

We have arrived! After a whirlwind few days in New Jersey tasting NJ wines, we flew overnight to Madrid, Spain. The side trip allowed me to be a table Captian for a first of its kind showcase evaluation of 100% New Jersey made wines. It was a stellar experience that deserves its own blog. More on that soon. 

As I exited the plane at the Madrid airport, I was greeted with the fresh, clean aroma of white florals in the air. It was a subtle tint to the environment, but a welcomed introduction to a city I was nervous to meet. It feels a lot like a blind date, I am self-conscious and shy, hoping it is a match. The airport is huge, yet artistic. The giant ceilings constructed of warm wood beams swoops and swirls overhead, like water ebbing and flowing. Giant murals show Picaso's influence and beckon you into the city for new exhibitions, shows and culture. Immigration went smoothly and we got the all to important entrance stamp for our visa submission. The officer looked like Ben Afflict and winked at me, flirting in the most warm and gentle way. Hey now, Spain IS friendly LOL!

Our taxi into the city center where hotel Espahotel Gran Via is, was made incredible with a car that had a glass roof allowing us to gaze up at the incredible architecture around us. A couple things immediately surprised me. One was the massive amount of trees incorporated into the city. Somehow with all the talk of how hot the city is, I expected it to be barren and exposed. The other thing was that it is a very European city. OK wait wait, before you start thinking I am a total moron, I did know it was a European city and that Spain is in Europe, but the feeling of the city I had somehow transferred over in my mind to feel like Mexico. Having never been here, but having travelled to Mexico many times, my mind tried to form some kind of imagination of what to expect. I envisioned the warm, vibrant, soulful well worn comfort of Mexico, but what I have found is a city reflecting back old world charm and vigor full of regal authority. With how much time I spend in Europe for work already, this was instantly familiar and I realized how silly it was that I had not imagined it more properly from home. 

Home. 

That word is carrying a lot of weight for me right now. I am currently without a home. Flying in the pilot did the "Welcome to Madrid, thanks for flying with us" bit. Us frequent flyers often stop hearing all these announcements as they sound the same everywhere you go, but this one gave me pause. Two of his sentences were haunting, "If Madrid is your home, welcome home..." and "We look forward to having you fly with us again soon". They hit me in my emotional solar plexus. Whoa, welcome HOME. Whoa, I don't have a return flight. Whoa I am not going to be flying with you any time soon. Reality swept over my forehead in a cold sweat, my breath sucked in sharply and I had a moment of dizziness.

Holy shit, I just moved to Spain. 

***I will be updating the blog regularly so all of you can track this wild adventure. Please subscribe so you get automatic updates!

And Away We Go!

View from my front porch

It is my last day in my house and I am hiding in bed. It feels like if I actually get up and start the final to do list, it will become real. For those that missed my post on Facebook from a week ago, here it is:

I’m not sure why it has taken me so long to announce this, but we are moving to Spain in 10 days. All 3 of us. NOTHING WILL CHANGE WITH THE WINERY! That has been the first concern, understandably, when I have shared this news with the few people I have so far. I work remotely already, so I will just rely on zoom a little more; that worked during the pandemic so well it changed the way we do a lot of business. Jesse will have to travel back and forth to continue to make wine with his brother, work crush (harvest), bottle, plant vines… you get the idea. He also does things like the taxes and grape order planning that he can do remotely from Spain. Denali is lucky enough to have a flexible University Professor that is putting her film classes online so that she can study from afar. And of course, we are relying on our fabulous family and business partners, Chris and Lili, to manage day to day here at the tasting room and winery. I am looking forward to being able to take advantage of more of the opportunities I previously had to decline, to teach, write, and judge in Europe. The film industry in Spain is robust including a real enthusiasm for horror; as you can imagine Denali is excited about that. And Jess will be able to work with winemakers in so many amazing regions to polish his craft.

I know many of you will have tons of questions. How did this come about? Why Spain? Where will you be? Are you selling your house? And some of the answers are too complicated for this post, but the short answer is we are planning on northern Spain, Baque area and will share more when we get settled somewhere. We will airbnb the house (so please do share info when we post about The Vineyard House once it is ready). If you want to message me for more details, please use WhatsApp or download Signal. Both are easier and more reliable when I am in Europe.

It’s big, it’s scary, and we really value your support!

It doesn't seem real. I look around at the new furniture we had to buy to spruce up our living room for Airbnb and feel out of place. Our family photos have come off the walls and our favorite keepsakes have been lovingly wrapped and tucked away. My closet is empty and my beautiful car has been sold, it is as if I'm being erased. Numbness has now replaced the heavy tears and deep pain of saying goodbye. This has been my dream life, it is very hard to let go of it.

I am hoping to embrace the adventure of this move. My immediate emotions are those of being overwhelmed, sad and scared. I have never been to Spain so the unknown is daunting. We have joked about "Spain me" in reference to what to pack. Does Spain me wear hats? Yes, I think so! Does Spain me wear that dress that has been untouched for years? Absolutely. Now the big questions are worming their way in. Does Spain me know how to navigate renting a place, finding a home, in another language in a country I know little about? Does Spain me know how to live months at a time without my husband? That is a big one. Jesse is staying back to work crush for the winery and my heart hurts thinking of being without him for so long. This move will be an incredible test of my strength and resilience. I hope Spain me is up for the task.

I have promised that I will be on top of sharing our story so stay tuned! Spain me knows it will be a wild ride, wish me luck!

Scary Movie Suggestions & Wine Pairings That Are a Scream!

One of my favorite Halloween costumes I've done, Victorian Ghost with head wound.

If you are anything like my family, it turns October 1st and the horror movie marathon hits in full force. In fact we are such big horror movie fans that we watch horror movies year round. As such, we have become many people's go to horror movie experts offering suggestions to friends and family when they feel the need to scream. Add my love of wine to the mix and it is only natural that I offer all of you my wine and horror movie pairing suggestions! 

Movie recommendations:

Movies you probably don't know: Eyes of My Mother, Mandy, The House That Jack Built

    This is probably the section I get most excited about because I LOVE turning people onto fabulous finds! Eyes of My Mother (heads up, it is in subtitles) is visually beautiful, it is truly a piece of art. It also showcases excellent cinematography and a truly horrific concept. Mandy stars Nic Cage, need I say more?!? This is a crazy movie in so many ways, but offers a vengeance story that is really unique. The House That Jack Built has an amazing cast (Matt Dillon, Uma Thurman, Riley Keough, Willem Dafoe...) and is darkly funny while being truly disturbing. This group of movies are like slow trains dragging you along for the ride with scene after scene becoming more horrific yet you can't stop watching! They are brilliant examples of acting (OK maybe not Nic Cage, but he is amazing to watch as a spectacle), writing, plot, and directing. These are the kinds of movies that you want to talk about later and you wake up in the night thinking about.

    I would pair these artistic horror suggestions with a wine that requires a bit more concentration, like a fantastic Cab Franc from the Loire Valley or NY Finger Lakes. 

Smart Horror: Gerald's Game, The Babadook, Talk to Me

    Smart horror is a sector that I feel should be allowed as a category at the Oscars. Some of the horror movies that are being made these days are absolutely incredible! Mix great acting with a well scripted, new concept that keeps you on the edge of your seat and you have a knock out movie. Let's start with Gerald's Game, an adaptation of a Stephen King novel, this movie is not the typical horror movie with jump scares and blood everywhere, but believe me it's gonna getcha! The Babadook is actually one of my favorite movies, period. Acting is key in order to make a great horror movie work and The Babadook has it in spades. It also has a clever story, has great jump scares, and a crushing truth that asks that we all look at mental health in a much more serious way. Talk to Me is a brand spanking new movie that is a possession idea, completely reinvented, and perfectly done. I mean this movie is BRILLIANT! It has superb acting and directing, a clever script, and really great jump scares. 

    This group requires you to drink a wine that has depth, like a Right Bank Bordeaux or Washington State Merlot. BUT a warning for jump scare options! Make sure to set your wine down and only pick it up when you want a sip. I learned this the hard way. As a hold-the-wine-in-your-hand-all-the-time person, I have drenched our sofa, splattered our blinds and ruined outfits.

Classic Horror: The Excercist, The Shining, Psycho

    Yeeeeeessssss the classics! I could have listed so so many in this category, but these are my top 3 that I watch over and over. The Excercist IS horror am I right? I mean even people that don't watch horror know the vomit scene reference. This movie is just so rewarding with its creepy little girl, handsome priest and dipshit mom. Good always wins...or does it? The Shinning, boy does that Stephen King know how to spin a story, doesn't he? Throw in Stanley Kubrick trying to drive Shelley Duvall crazy on set and an epic performance from Jack Nicholson and you have movie gold no matter what genre! Psycho, the definition of classic horror. If you haven't seen it, then what have you been doing in your life?!? It is slow on the build and then a fast paced spiral into madness. There is a debate about the remake staring Vince Vaughn, is it sacrilege that they even tried to make it? Did Vince do justice to Anthony Perkins' version? Maybe, maybe not, but the new one is great! I like Vince's version of campy creep, but nothing will ever match the incredible original. The original is amazing.

    Classic movies should have a classic wine don't you think? I suggest bubbly. You pick your favorite, but for me it is a classic Brut sparkling. I do recommend that you explore options outside Champagne or other than Prosecco. Cava is a great bargain option and British sparklings are my new obsession.  

Sleepover Fun: Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th

    When I was growing up, watching horror movies at sleepovers was where it was at! Do people say that anymore "where it is at" meaning what is cool? Do kids these days have sleepovers and watch horror movies? I still watch these movies with nostalgia. They are the type of movies you laugh at, throw popcorn at the TV, and yell at the characters through. In case you are not familiar with these movies, Halloween is about a psycho that escaped from an insane asylum and walks around in a scary mask with a butcher's knife killing teenagers. Nightmare on Elm Street is about a child molester come back from the dead to haunt teenagers in their dreams with a glove made of knives. Friday the 13th is about teenage camp counselors being murdered by... someone in a hockey mask (I hate to spoil the surprise). Describing these movies, they sound really disgusting, but they are actually funny with how bad they are.

    Maybe it is because I picture popcorn while watching these movies, but my go to pairing is the perfect popcorn pairing... Chardonnay. If you like your popcorn plain, go with a crisp Chablis. If you like a rounder more fruity Chard, add butter to your popcorn, and if you like your Chard big and bold, add nutritional yeast on top of the butter!

Comedy Horror: House, The Voices, What We Do in The Shadows (movie not show)

   What We Do in The Shadows is such a brilliant movie! Taika Waititi is so freaking talented, I love his movies! This little nugget of awesomeness is a mocumentary about 4 vampires from different centuries living together as roommates. Filmed like the MTV Real World show from the 1990s, they bicker about everyday issues... only in a vampire way. I still laugh out loud every time I watch it. Then I have two suggestions that I feel like may not be everyone's cup of tea. The Voices stars Ryan Reynolds and Anna Kendrick, slow down this is NOT a rom-com! It is about Ryan's character who thinks his cat and dog can talk to him which does sound cute, but I warn you, it is DARK! If you have a sick sense of humor like me, then this is a must see. And finally, House. Korean fantasy storytelling that is weird from the start, then it gets weirder. When the movie finally really gets going it becomes so outlandish you can't help but howl with laughter! I don't know what else to say about this strange, disturbing, horror feast of movies, but who doesn't love to laugh and scream simultaneously? 

    Pairings for this group are tricky because What We Do in The Shadows needs a Gin and Tonic, The Voices needs a margarita and House... House needs psilocybin mushroom tea. If I have to pick a wine, I'd say a Syrah with some funk, like a northern Rhone.

TV Shows: American Horror Story, Dahmer, Twin Peaks  

    There are SO many great murder/ crime shows out there these days! It was crazy hard to pick just a few, but at the top of the list is a classic, Twin Peaks! I can't believe there are people out there that missed seeing this series when it first came out in 1990. This cheeper of a show is strange even by today's standards, with characters that make zero sense and a plot so twisting you are left to ponder what the hell happened, yet it is still a must see. American Horror Story is epic! Each season has its own theme with a sensational cast that brings complex characters to life. The writing is poetic, captivating and poignant while propelling a twisted, strange plot that you never fully see coming, all while also being shocking, scary, and sometimes traumatizing. This show, even if you don't like every season, is pure magic. Dahmer, OK I can feel you backing away on this one. Yes it is disgusting to prop real serial killers up like stars, but hear me out. Evan Peters does a phenomenal job morphing into the character and they manage to tell the story of the victims, their families and how badly the police screwed up  which shifts it from simply glorifying the horrific deeds of a lunatic to actually understanding the stories behind the name. And nothing is more horrific than how horrible people can be in real life.

If you are going to bing watch a show, then I suggest a rose wine. Rose is a wine you can drink at any time of day and it doesn't saturate the palate so you also can drink a glass with each episode! If you want to treat yourself, my all time favorite are roses from Tavel, France. If you are looking for a cheap grab, New Zealand is actually putting out some tasty wines for bargain prices. If you are going to tease the series out with an episode per night, I recommend a wine that you can savor, look forward to having more each night... like a fantastic Sangiovese, if you can spoil yourself with a Brunello.

Serious Blood Baths: The Terrifier, The Evil Dead 1981, Martyrs 2008

    Yikes, this section comes with a warning. Let's start with the easy going one, The Evil Dead. This campy, fun, low budget miracle is one of my all time favorite movies and would easily have been in the comedy section except that it is actually listed as one of the bloodiest movies of all time soooo... here we are. It is seriously a riot of a film and so much fun to watch. The Terrifier (1 and 2) is about a satanic clown. I don't know where to start with this movie or movies because the 2nd one is maybe more heinous than the first and that is saying something. What they do manage to do really really really well with these movies is horrify you and isn't that what we are after? I think I had a lot of you at the word clowns, but if you have any doubt, let me say that these movies have scenes you will never, ever forget. Final movie of the list is Martyrs. This is a smart, hidden gem that most people have missed, probably because it has subtitles. It has great scares, an in-depth and gut wrenching plot, is extremely well done and leaves you unbelievably disturbed. 

Pairings for this group seems obvious, big bright reds, maybe a little over the top... like a Beaujolais Nouveau or Central European Zweigelt. Something that can be a lot is certain situations, but is just right when you want to scream with flavor.

Happy Halloween Season everyone!

And Then There was Just Me

 

This is a photo of me & my daughter at the Tate Modern in London. 

My husband refused to go.

Back to school time is always a little melancholy for me. Having an only child shifts that parent child dynamic and having our daughter go off to college has definitely left a void. 

OK OK I will come clean, our daughter is attending the college in town near us and still lives at home. I don't have any right to be so dramatic when other parents are flying across the country to drop their kids off. But I swear it is still an adjustment and it is still time to reassess who I am, what I want, and where I am going. There also seems to be a little bit of who-the-hell-is-this-guy-I-live-with about my husband. I mean has he always taken two naps in front of the TV every night? Has he always walked away in the middle of me telling him something? Did I not catch these things because our daughter was there picking up the slack? The answer is yes. After all she is wickedly funny and endlessly entertaining which is distracting. She listens with interest to what I say and asks me probing questions. It is easy to focus my attention there instead of on the guy ignoring me.

So now I have "time" to deal with. I'm not used to time alone in the house. I travel a lot so my alone time is on the road. At first I hated it, I felt awkward sitting by myself in a restaurant, and I felt silly when I did a touristy thing alone because I felt like everyone was sad for me. Or maybe they thought I was crazy because I think I am funny and crack myself up... even when I am alone. Over time I realized it was simply tragic to not make the most of my trips and I started taking myself out on dates! One of my all time favorite dates was in Berlin, Germany, which included taking multiple trains to an Italian restaurant and seeing an opera, alone. Maybe some of you are the adventurous types and travel solo is no big deal, but for me, I was a wimp traveling without my husband who is my foreign country guide. But on this one trip, I just jumped in and was so shocked at how amazing I am at dates! I got to order anything I wanted at dinner, no sharing, no compromise, and no limitations. Then I saw my favorite opera, Madame Butterfly. My husband isn't the biggest fan of opera, well I guess he isn't the biggest fan of theatre, in fact after we saw Wicked on Broadway, he said "I think I am just over live performances". Do you need to read that again? Ya, I was flabbergasted as well. As a BFA Theatre major, I took it personally. I bet everyone can already picture how many times I have quoted that back to him over the years. 

    "Honey can you throw a load of bike stuff in the washer for me?" 

    with a Cheshire Cat grin I respond "You know, I think I am just over doing your laundry". 

Anyway, I digress. So I got to enjoy my favorite opera without anyone fidgeting in their chair next to me. I took the train back to my hotel, in the dark (gasp!) and managed the whole thing confidently. The next day I spoke to my husband on the phone. He expected the usual homesick routine I had had on previous trips, but instead I was elated! I said I was having a great time and wasn't ready to come home yet. Luckily I have the most supportive and loving husband on the planet. He knew exactly what I meant by that and his response was to be overjoyed and proud of me. He is pretty awesome, even if he hates theatre. 

So here I am now, sitting in the house... by myself. 

Whoa. 

There is literally nothing new or exciting to "visit" in my house. There is also a very limited number of operas happening at my house. It is just me, sitting awkwardly by myself, thinking how sad I must look.

*** I have to add that my husband has sat through 4 seasons of the Colorado Shakespeare Festival plays (lifetime points earned for that) and recently went with me to see The Book of Mormons in London, England and he LOVED that so there is still hope for him.

Hello From the Other Side!

Look! Jess and I found a real Fern between us! LOL!

Holy cow, where does the time go?!? Most of you were tracking with me as I did the "Fueled by Vivac: Emotional Sanitizer Wine Show" with our winery Vivac Winery through the pandemic and subsequent years later. That allowed me to be super lazy on the blog front. Realizing, mostly because people keep asking where I've been, I need to start writing again. 

Speaking of writing, I have been lucky enough to have regular pieces being published in Edible Magazine the last couple years spotlighting wineries around New Mexico, my favorite travel spots, and fun pairings. I have enjoyed teaching a variety of wine classes and lectures at big conferences, beautiful homes, our winery, over zoom and over seas! I have also had the incredible honor of being chosen to join the prestigious Association of Wine Educators membership. 

Judging has continued to take me on fantastic adventures, the most recent was a coveted seat at the International Wine Challenge in London, England. It was an intense experience and I hope I impressed them with my skills enough to be invited back, fingers crossed! I took my family with me on that trip and we definitely made the most out of it. 12 days touring London, a jaunt to Scotland and one to Ireland rounded out our 6 weeks in the UK. We even got down to the incredible wine region of Sussex which was filled with astoundingly good wines and the most glorious fields of bluebells.

In between the work and travel, I had a hysterectomy. It was the best thing in the world for me and I still celebrate every month that I am without that angry beast of a uterus. My RA is still a thing. I did have some of my meds reduced so that is a great direction to go, but I still need to be careful with myself. Too much stress, over working or pushing my body will result in a full blown flareup. Those that don't know what an RA flareup is, imagine you have the beginning signs of the flu. Exhausted, chills, aches, headache, feel sick to your stomach, then add INSIDE your joints it hurts really really bad and there is no way to alleviate it. The other part is that RA is an auto immune disease meaning my body thinks it should attack itself instead of any virus or bug I come in contact with so if someone has a cold (or covid) near me, I have a greater probability of catching it. Also the drugs that help the RA tell my body to stop attacking itself... by stopping my immune reaction... that means I'm doubling down on the 'I'll catch that' part of this.  Anyway, I am grateful I am doing as well as I am and I will leave it at that. 

The winery continues to grow and do fabulously. We had a great review recently in an article written by a wine critic who has a reputation for being hard to please. We put in a new section of vineyard, 3 acres in front of my house so I am almost living my dream, I just need the big black wide brimmed hat and someone to bring me martinis. Denali turned 18 which has a whole set of complicated emotions for mom. She is finishing the full length film she took a gap year to create and starts at UNM Taos as a Film Major in just 2 weeks! Jess had his 30 year high school reunion, has been biking as much as possible and hasn't broken ribs, sliced open his hand or fallen off anything in weeks! oh, wait, he did just fall hard trying to unload the truck. What can I say, crush crushes him every year. 

Next up is being a panel speaker at the CAB Symposium in Paso Robles, CA at the end of October/ early November! I am thrilled to have been asked to speak along side Master Somm Michael Jordan (no not that one, the wine guy) at this conference dedicated to Bordeaux varietals. After that, we shall see. I have a couple things in the works that I am hoping work out, if they do, it will be big news, if they don't, well... I might have to change my name and move to Antartica.

Have a subject you want me to write about? Message me @winefirst / @winefirstsomm on social media!

Dating San Francisco

The San Francisco International Wine Competition (SFIWC) was started in 1980. The competition is a member of The Tasting Alliance organization which focuses on 3 key elements to ensure top quality: Legacy (the reputation of the competition), Integrity (how the competition is conducted, impartial judging), Experience (esteemed judges with impressive resumes). The SFIWC has its roots as a State Fair Competition, but grew to become one of the largest and most influential competitions, and one of the oldest in the world. 

Anthony Dias Blue ran the competition when it was a State Fair and launched it into the competition it is now after the state of California decided not to fund the competition any longer. Anthony has over 70 years of tasting experience and was the wine and spirits editor of Bon Appetit Magazine for 26 years. SFIWC continues to grow by 10-15% every year and looks to connect with the consumer more and more in the years to come. The appeal for wineries to submit wines is in the hopes to win a high medal, not simply to add the award sticker to their bottles, but to be listed in The Somm Journal and asked to join the Tasting Alliance for events throughout the year.

 

Located in San Francisco, California, USA, this competition accepts wine entries from around the world, many coming from the Czech Republic! The first International Wine Competitions were developed because wineries wanted to see how they held up against other wines of the world. The most notorious being the Paris showdown nicknamed the “Judgement of Paris” in 1976 that rocked the wine world and put California, Napa in particular, on the map. Today, they continue to be successful for the same reason, it’s pretty impressive when wines from Central Europe sweep at an American competition. 

This was my first time judging at the famous San Francisco International Wine Competition and I was honored to have a seat. Having now judged at some of the world’s most prestigious and influential competitions, I couldn’t help but make comparisons. This competition did not disappoint! Being Covid times, they kept the competition local, meaning they had only California judges. So how did a woman from New Mexico end up there? I was invited only if I would “be in the area”; I made sure I was. Composed of elite judges that are old hat when it comes to this competition, some having judged there for 30 years, it was clear this was a tight group, a family even. You can imagine, in these strange times how surprised they were to have a new face at the table. I had more “I don’t know you, how did you get here?'' than ever before, and I hear that A LOT. The wine world is a small place, we expect to know everyone especially when the competition is as illustrious as SFIWC is. I got a good dose of how small the wine world is on day 4 of the competition. My new friend Toshio Ueno joined us for judging! I met Toshio at Le Mondial des Vins Blanc Strasbourg (another amazing competition that is more like family), then saw him again at the phenomenal Berliner Wein Trophy a couple weeks later. A few weeks after Berlin, Toshio and I were both slated to teach classes at The American Wine Society National Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA. And then in San Francisco, the Las Angeles, California resident, Toshio joined me in judging at the SFIWC. 

12 judges gathered each day at the sublime One Market Restaurant (an icon among foodies), located in the Embarcadero area of San Francisco. Possibly the best area of the city that remains somewhat reminiscent of the once charming San Francisco. Despite the city’s rampant homeless and excessive trash, the competition manages to bring warmth, comradery and a love for the wine industry together even in covid times. Each judge was carefully selected; the resumes of the people in the room would impress even the most accomplished wino, and vetted. We started at 9am and worked hard to get through 12 or more flights of wines, many having 13 wines per flight, to analyze, discuss, and award them. It sounds ridiculous to say, but this is incredibly exhausting work. The intense focus of each judge on their senses as we examine, swirl, smell, smell again, taste, spit, taste and swish, spit, evaluate, rate, then discuss… and then do it all again… some 120-130 times in a day. When was the last time you were asked to focus that diligently on something for that long? As you can imagine personalities are as much a part of creating a great competition as the resumes the judges carry. Collaboration, understanding and respect are mandatory in the conversations held around the wines. All of us are dedicated to giving that hard working winemaker the time and energy they deserve.It is a pretty amazing aspect of a great competition.

Wearing my new favorite t-shirt that proudly says “Czech out the beauty of Czech wines”, I had a natural conversation starter. Many of the judges were eager to talk about their 1st experience tasting Czech wines, at this very competition. Eyes were wide as they talked about how impressive the wines were, a tough crowd to impress, but the wineries of Czech Republic were clearly making their mark. 

The competition had 3000 entries from 20 countries this year. The director of the competition, Maddee McDowell, oversaw the 25 volunteers and staff that busily arranged and poured the samples. A well oiled machine, the tables would be flipped with a new flight set before you had a chance to put your mask on and exit the space to be out of the way. Maddee is a walking symbol of the competition, exuding warmth and happiness no matter what problems arose. 

 

Maddee started her career in the wine industry working as Anthony Dias Blue's assistant and took over as the SFIWC Director 2 years later, she has been in charge for 3 years now. Being one of the biggest competitions, I asked Maddee what problems she faced hosting in 2021. She said “The pandemic and restrictive trade policies has been our biggest challenge over the last year”, something we can all relate to. And what is it that stands out about this competition in the eyes of the Director?  “What makes our Competition the best is the diversity of our judges and post competition support. We pride ourselves on recruiting the industry's best! “ words that inspire pride to have been a part of it this year.

As my last day of judging came to an end, I had a full appreciation of why it is so difficult to find an open seat at this competition. The people, the execution of the technicalities of a large scale competition, and the bohemian city all roll together and before you know it, you are 100% in love. 

Visiting with a job at hand is a different way to "see" the city, but it is also true that the city has changed a lot in the last handful of years. Locals are eager to tell you how “this isn’t our city anymore”, a real shame for anyone that visited in its heyday. Unfortunately the nicest areas are outside of the city. Staying near the airport and taking the local train into the city to sight-see is an option you might want to think about. I spent one night at the San Francisco Airport Marriott on my way to the competition. The hotels near any airport are usually cheaper and surrounded by seas of pavement and the sound of airplanes. This hotel is a welcome surprise! Bay-side with a wonderful walking path adjacent, the hotel is elegant and well manicured. My room was spacious and had a wall of windows looking out over the bay. The bar in the lobby showcased an incredible chandelier of lights that gave the large space a lovely ambiance. Being in the backyard of Napa Valley, the wine list did not disappoint. I enjoyed the Marriott Burger (complete with bacon and American Cheese) and paired it with a Hess Allomi Cabernet Sauvignon, iconic and perfect. The view over the gardens stretched to the bay with the city skyline a whisper beyond that. Burlingame is the name of the area, it is clean and safe and has a ton of restaurants and shopping available. 

During the competition, I stayed at a historic place called The Andrews Hotel. It is located rather close to the Tenderloin, a district that all tourist books warn you about, but it is a perfect location for walking to a lot of the top attractions and the rate is very friendly. A short walk down the hill takes you to the best shopping areas of the city where you can find Gucci, Salvatri Ferragamo and Saks. A quick sidetrack from there is Chinatown and if you continue past the shopping you find yourself in the Embarcadero and seaside. The hotel rooms are small and decorated shabby chic. The history of the building is intact and charming with some obvious improvements to make sure you are comfortable. The standard room is best for a single person. If you are traveling as a couple I suggest you splurge and upgrade to a suite. The restaurant, Fino, located in the hotel lobby, is a San Francisco gem. They have a wonderful wine list and every single dish I tried on their Italian menu was delicious. The Andrews Hotel welcomes you with a glass of wine each night in Fino’s bar and starts your day with a lovely spread of fresh pastries, coffee and fruit just outside your door. 

In a city of artists, made for artists, there are amazing options of exhibits to see. I opted for the Michelangelo Sistine Chapel installation. I have been lucky enough to stand in the actual Sistine Chapel myself, twice. It is truly remarkable and nothing can substitute for that experience, but this exhibit does offer something unique, the opportunity to get close! I opted for the audio tour which takes the time to describe the meaning behind the images represented, the painting technique used and what some of Michaelangelo’s feelings were, garnered from personal letters written to loved ones. As someone who labors over a glass of wine and what I can extrapolate from those swirls and sniffs, it makes sense that I also want to geek out on art in a more intense way. If that isn’t your gig, you can simply enjoy the beautiful art and read the small plaques. The interactive Van Gogh exhibit is currently in the city as well as several modern art exhibits and plenty of live theatre. 

The city still has a lot to offer, fantastic food, amazing wine with day trips to Napa and Sonoma easily arranged, boat cruises and fun themed city tours no matter what your interests are. Sure you might encounter homeless people screaming on the streets and need to sidestep  someone’s discarded meal, but you will also see the kindness of the locals ushering the crazed individuals back to their safe corner of their world or helping you find a safe corner of your own. California is all about individuality and acceptance, so strap on your walking shoes and explore!

Austin Magic

 Visiting Austin, TX

The Carpenter Hotel is a cool little spot tucked into what feels like an old area of Austin. It is hard to tell what is old and what is new in this town that is a city. The “bad areas” are now trendy, the “new areas” are now not cool and the “old areas” are cool again. It’s a lot to keep up with in Austin… being cool. 

Normally I am a quick flight in, judge at our favorite little wine competition, tour wineries and am out! This year I added a couple days to visit my lifelong friend and see the city. I’ve been to Austin several times over the years and it seems to always elude me. What IS it that makes people swoon over this place? In an attempt to connect, I have partied on 6th Street, I have seen Rob Schnieder play; evidently the musical mascot of Austin, you haven’t SEEN Austin until you have seen Rob. And I have done the more adult foodie tour and shopping. It is all fun, charming and memorable, but people are wildly obsessed with their city here and I have always wondered why. 

On this particular trip, I made my friend leave her home and kids to stay at a hotel, eat at beautiful restaurants, shop the areas of town that she once knew well and have been redone. It was an effort to play tourist through the eyes of a local. What I found was the secret side of Austin and I have to say, I am smitten.

It was an unseasonably lovely fall in Austin. The temperature was perfect, not too hot, not too cold. The air smelled of moisture on lofty green leaves of oak trees and  friendly ferns hugging your legs. A breeze brings scents of freshly washed hair, a musky cologne and freshly brewed coffee. It’s a comforting combination that makes a city feel familiar. Neighborhoods mix into huge highrises, charming bistros can be found sprinkled in with gorgeous luxury restaurants attached to palatial hotels. The combination of fancy meets flip flops is confusing until you try it. Yes, I do want to wear my converse with my cut off jeans, expensive lavish jewelry and dazzling club level top. It’s like being a kid dressing themselves in all their favorite things...and therein lies the secret. Austin is the dream of your childhood self. At once you can have the dazzle of rainbows and unicorns and the comfort of your favorite blankie mixed together in any concept you want: music venue, restaurant, dress shop, hotel, even your job.

One of the biggest eye opening insights into Austin has been the incredible wine selection. For a town that appears to be built on craft beer and super cool absinthe bars, the depth of the wine selection in restaurants, bars and even cafes was downright shocking! Wines from Greece, Pakestan, India were regularly listed beside the usual culprits from Italy, Spain and France, but even the listing from the familiar countries most people associate with wine, rang with special interest. From dinner at The Carpenter Hotel Restaurant, cheersing with a bright Alsatian Brut Rose, to breakfast at Proper Hotel’s Peacock Restaurant with a sensual Greek white, oysters at Perlas with a classic Sancerre, tapas at Kalimotxo with a robust Grenacha, and escargot with a gorgeous little Loire Cab Franc… at an Absinthe Bar! The last in the list was perhaps the most surprising because it was in fact a legit Absinthe Bar, considered the best Absinthe Bar in the city. The Somm, Ethan, at Peche Absinthe Bar, expressed his challenge in crafting a perfect wine list in a bar known for its culty pre-prohibition drinks, but I could not have been more pleased to find a delightful mix of wines listed that showed true imagination and knowledge to pull together. It is my personal pet-peeve to go to a bar and not have a decent wine option, in this day and age, it is simply ridiculous not to serve wine. And the swanky Peche absolutely out did themselves. I can not wait to return to Austin to find more gems and revisit these. 

My trip to Austin, actually just outside the city in Buda (pronounced “BYOO-duh”), a charming little peek into rural, small town Texas, each year is for the Texas International Wine Competition (TXIWC). The competition is small and intimate yet making a name for itself a mere 6 years after the first. The Brainchild of Bonnie Villacompose, TXIWC hosts some of the biggest names in wine judging including Count John Umberto Salvi, one of the earliest Masters of Wine in the world. Let that sink in for a moment, The Count actually flies from Bordeaux, France, each year at the ripe age of 84, to a tiny town in Texas to judge at this little competition. Clearly the TXIWC is doing something right. 

My first judging opportunity at TXIWC was in its 3rd year. Familiar faces from other competitions became favorite new wine friends who then became family after the weekend spent in Texas together. Each year we eagerly return to Buda to reunite. Also each year, the competition and many of its events are held at The Lodge at Grace (www.TheLodgeBuda.com). This picture perfect, beautiful horse farm stretches as far as the eye can see and is home to a charming lodge that is the perfect place to get married… or host a large scale wine competition. 

In 2021 a small collection of judges from a variety of countries, judge hundreds of wines from all over the world in 2 days. It is book-ended with a judges reception dinner to kick it all off and finishes with a tour of Texas Hill Country. Dinners and plenty of wine are dotted through the weekend and fun is had at every turn.These highlights are some of the glue that bind these judges not only to each other, but the joy of being a judge at this competition. 

Throughout the competition, the key players worked diligently to make sure the judges were comfortable and well taken care of, the wines were organized and treated with the utmost care and they worked tirelessly to ensure everything ran smoothly. Nancy Stabins was this year's Director of Operational Processes & Judge Room Manager. Nancy brought her graceful coordinating skills from many years working with other International Wine Competitions and the American Wine Society’s National Conferences to the table, making her a natural choice for this daunting task. Her job was to be a liaison between the judges room and the back room. Setting-up and managing the wines, the volunteers and ensuring integrity of the judges not knowing anything about the wines in this 100% blind competition is imperative. It is also a huge part of what makes the competition happen, requiring many people to take this often unglamourous side, very seriously. Nancy has been helping run the back room at TXIWC since the competition first started and said the biggest difference she has seen is that the quality of wines has increased greatly which she attributes to Bonnie’s direct work with the Texas wineries. That is a pretty significant fingerprint TXIWC has put on the success of Texas Wines. 

Natashia Remchuk, the new Competition Director, has an illustrious career in the wine industry as a writer, judge and competition organizer. She stepped in to help the team manage the ever growing competition and has made some subtle, but important changes. While the competition started with Bonnie’s long time elite wine judging friends coming to help get the competition on its feet, it was also filled out by local wine enthusiasts, not necessarily tasting professionals, to undertake the task of getting all of the entries tasted and rated. In a time when it was bare bones, judges staying in camp trailers and feasting on cold sandwiches, they did what they needed to to simply have the competition happen. Now, as the TXIWC has blossomed, judges are seeking an invite and the level of professional judges has thus increased. Natashia took it upon herself to find and interview new faces as well as cultivate the best of the tenured judges out on the circuit. One of her finds was first time judge, Karen Blackburn, Director of Brand Management for Serendipity Wines, an import and distribution company in Texas and California. Karen shared what she thought of being a newbie, exuberantly saying that she loved being able to take her “17 years of tasting and wine analyzing experience and distill it into judging wines purely on their merit”. She sat on my panel and quickly learned the ropes, sliding into rhythm with the three of us experienced judges naturally and effortlessly. That is not always the case, some new judges freeze up, others try to overcompensate and some seem to implode under pressure. 

Stylish judges jackets, hotel room wine swaps, and hilarious story telling rolled over the weekend and ended with a chartered bus taking us to three of the top wineries in Texas.

The Texas Winery Tour included a return to Ron Yates Winery, a new visit to Carter Creek who won Best Texas Red at the competition, and Ab Astris Winery. To say we all are a wine family is too simple, in fact many of us have created outside projects together, support each other's ventures and are sometimes a shoulder to cry on. This makes the wine touring day all that more memorable and significant to each of us. The tour starts at 8:45am with a champagne toast, is that too early to be drinking? Not for wine professionals! We all share bottles, stories and more laughs than you can imagine. You see the true beauty behind a successful competition is the people, the personalities and the bonds created, and the TXIWC has loads of it!

Stop one was Ab Astris (www.AbAstrisWinery.com), a winery new to me, opened in recent years and has quickly garnered attention as a spot not to be missed. Aleida Elwell, Sommelier and Special Events Director for the winery, outdid herself, creating a truly memorable welcome and tasting atmosphere with charming tasting jars filled to the brim with cured meats,cheeses, olives, fruit, almonds, chocolates and savory crackers. These delightful little gifts were so stunning they became the focus of every single judge's Instagram and it took a persuasive winemaker to pull our focus. The tasting was excellent and finished with the star of the show, the 2018 Sagrantino red wine. Known mostly as Monefalco from Umbria, this grape seems to be doing very well in the Texas High Planes. It's usually overly tannic traits were well harnessed and the wine presented with elegance. The property is beautiful and the tasting area is nicely situated to enjoy the view.

Stop two was the impressive estate of Carter Creek Winery Resort and Spa (www.CarterCreek.com). This winery is an incredible venue with everything you could possibly hope for. The large lawn surrounded by gardens is swathed with a stage and dance area on one side and patio seating on the other. Large TVs hang over the patio promising optimal viewing to see your favorite sports team play. We were welcomed to lunch in a sunny, window lined room. Staff stood at the ready pouring wine and bringing in large plates of perfect Texas BBQ. The winemaker, Jon McPherson, son of “Doc” McPherson who is attributed to being one of the founders and pioneers of the Texas wine production, flew in from California (where they have several other winery resorts) to meet with us. The chef stood at the ready to talk about pairings and how to properly create world famous BBQ, which I learned never has BBQ sauce. We were escorted from lunch into Old 290 Brewery, yes they have a brewery here too, where we met brewmaster Justin Zimmerman. His handlebar mustache curled up wide with a charming smile as he excitedly walked us through his process. His cowboy boots clanked as he danced from metal steps to raised platforms and even off a railing as he swung upside down over the edge to demonstrate how a machine worked. The art of his beer is apparently due to his fascinating work with water. A style of beer has a native home and that home has different minerals in the water reflecting the soil, so why not create the water that makes that style of beer so brilliant? I had to know what that process was like, how do you alter water to create a new water in the style you want? Well, Justin was kind enough to share the secret! They run the water through reverse osmosis; they are then able to filter out compounds and leave a stripped down version. He is then able to add his own level of salts back in to match a region. Justin went on to explain why water is such a crucial part of making his beers by explaining that “water is everything! It is the building block of life. When NASA does research on a planet they look for water. When we want our vines and hops to grow healthy and strong we give them water and nutrients. Brewing water is no different, and it has been proven for over 1000 years to be one of the most crucial ingredients for its success. A famous water profile from Burton, England comes from the river Trent. It [Trent River water] is very hard, and has a large calcium content. However, it is what a majority of Brewers use for any pale ale, whether American Pale Ale, English Pale Ale, or the ever so popular India Pale Ale. That calcium content allows the hops to shine. The profile is now called “Burtonized” water. You can find premade solutions for smaller batches in most homebrew stores around the country [USA]”. I don’t know about you, but I found this fascinating! 

After the beer we were back to vino with a tasting of excellently crafted wines. They are clean, well built and balanced wines showing skill in the winemaking and why they are so successful. They make sparkling, whites, reds, blends, and varietal releases with a sparkling peach being a crown jewel. 

Our 3rd and last stop was to see our friend Ron Yates and his winemaker Todd Crowell (www.RonYatesWines.com). After a day of drinking, Ron and Todd are the perfect way to finish the day! Clad in shorts and flip flops, they hosted our tasting in the winemaking facility rather than the Tasting Room, giving our group privacy. They opened unreleased specialties like the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon which I will be buying as soon as I can get my greedy little hands on it. They also climbed the towers of oak barrels fetching samples and entertaining us with wild stories making it clear that the wines are not only wonderful, but they clearly have a wonderful time making them. 

The bus returned us to our hotel and we said our goodbyes, already looking forward to next year. Another TXIWC was in the books and better than ever!