In lieu of our normal monthly newsletter, given our home base in Northern California, we at Charles Communications Associates, representing wineries from our own backyard and around the world, dedicate this missive to those affected by the Northern California fires of October 2017
The Napa Valley has recently taken a lot of heat – both literally, due to the serious temperature spike that hit the valley earlier this month, as well as figuratively from those who think the aberrant fluctuation spelled doom for the entire region’s harvest. The media has been eager to report this story, which we can all understand – what’s sexier than a potential climate change story about America’s most recognized wine region? Fortunately for the consumer, cooler heads prevail for those of us on the ground, and I wanted to share the perspective from someone who has been around the vineyard block.
Meet Faith Armstrong, the winemaker behind Onward and Farmstrong wines. As refreshing as the Pétillant Naturel she makes of Malvasia Bianca, many of the words used to describe Faith's wine could be used to describe the winemaker herself. Honest, vibrant, unfiltered, true to her origins, bright, complex.
When I went to college, computers were an afterthought and computer science was a major for the geeks (yes, I was an accounting major... much cooler). Most people took a programming class in their first couple of years and there were two main programming languages you could choose from: COBOL or FORTRAN.
Some say the year only really begins in Brazil after Carnival, and I dare say that they are right. Imagine a patient whose heart suddenly stopped beating out of exhaustion. That’s Brazil right after the insane New Year’s parties. Doctors rush into the room and the anticipation builds itself while the defibrillator is charging. That’s January, the month of barely any actions and lots of anticipation.
Part and parcel of rescinding the 19th amendment was allowing the individual states the authority to create their own regulations around the distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages. Never underestimate the ability of government entities to create a labyrinth of byzantine laws designed to modify individual behavior.
Since Kyle Nadeau’s first taste of Port Ellen Single Malt Scotch just over ten years ago, the “whisky guru” and General Manager of The Bank of Wine & Spirits at Wingtip has devoted countless energy and hours to scouring the best distilled elixirs the world has to offer. Thousands of whiskies later, Nadeau is considered one of the most informed whisky palates in the country.
If you travel around the U.S. enough, everything starts to look the same: same stores, restaurants and hotels. Same everything. You could call it the McDonalds/Starbucks effect. Sure, it can be comforting to have a familiar store to shop at while traveling, but my travels afford me a bit of a different perspective.
