I am looking forward to a varied and colourful 2016 tasting.
San Francisco still a kingly capital of wine tours coming to the City. The public places to taste are disappearing and are not being replaced. The Exhibition Center at 9th and Brannon is a goner. In this boom economy things that are disappearing and will be regretted later. California’s wine tasting rules a la ABC (Alcohol Beverage Control) are certainly antiquated–even in 1933 they were antiquated back then as well. Today’s producers and regions need venues to house tastings–Ft. Mason, I once called San Francisco’s wine centre has no more wine tasting (the reasons are consistent: price). Ed Lee’s San Francisco is the not San Francisco I knew at least in terms of public spaces and his vision and scope are limited. The Presidio is certainly picturesque and historic but the worst place to do a wine tasting–too small and never designed for wine tastings.
Even with all of the challenges San Francisco is a main stop for many wine events. I won’t attend wine events in San Mateo like Family Winemakers or Rhone Rangers both are too far and seem to be when I have travel planned. On occasion I will happily travel to Napa, Sonoma and this year I will be in Lodi–I haven’t been in a very long time.
So tasting wine is not just about attending events –it is also purposely seeking specific producers, wines, and regions. I challenge myself each year to taste wine from all corners on the planet-this year there will be no exception. I know I will taste a fair number of California wines; last year I had the best Spanish, Argentinian and Chilean wine tastings. This year I hope to be tasting more wines from Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Georgia, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, and Canada.
I look at my compass and this year I am looking at strategically covering more regions but also tracking what I am tasting versus how I have mapped this out; making sure I complete this goal. This year more than ever is about balance, variation, uniqueness and representation.
I look forward to sharing with you my journey in 2016 and hearing from you as well. Let’s stay connected.
Happy New Year!
***
¡Salud!
James
Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.
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