Sparks In The City

San Francisco is one of my favorite places in the world. I've always called it the most European city in America, with its distinctive architecture and charm. It's loaded with culture. When I arrive there, I can almost feel the whirlwind of thoughts by people who know more than me about so many things. It makes me want to learn (Yes, I want to go to the Cartier exhibit! Yes, show me Fort Mason!) and it makes me want to just get lost. Mostly, though, the food and wine culture just envelops me completely.

I have a dilemma whenever I visit: do I visit my favorite restaurants and wine bars, or try some new ones? Inevitably I end up doing both, though when I go for work I end up typically being given a list of accounts to visit. I keep a list of places I want to go, and this list is infinite because I'm constantly adding to it. All I can say is I thrive in a city where I can get Burmese food on a Tuesday night.

I visited last week to work with my most awesome sales rep, Leif. The coolest thing about having worked the market for six years now is seeing how Riverbench has gained presence as a brand. Yes, the food and wine culture there is amazing, but that also means it's seriously difficult for a new wine label to break into, especially considering the Napa/Sonoma proximity. Having so many accounts in San Francisco, thanks to Leif mostly, is pretty rad since we started with none.

Some of my favorites include this kickass little Italian place called Frascati, whose wine buyer Justin loves great wine and loves pairing it with great food even more. If you haven't been there, go. And order...well, everything.

Another fun one is Say Cheese, a gourmet shop that has obscure and funky cheeses and really fun wines. I get intoxicated by stinky cheese, so it's the place to be.

Finally, it's not one of my accounts YET, but it WILL be someday when I have bubbles to sell wholesale. The Bubble Lounge is my kinda place: laid back, a little dark but comfy, and fully stocked with great Champagnes and sparkling wines from all over the world. Heaven.

See you again soon, SF. I'll be back.

Part 1: Wine

I was born into a wine family and I’ll die in one- for us, wine is a lifestyle thing. I moved to California in 2004 to learn the industry, and even ended up marrying a winemaker. I can safely say I’m one of those people who has (at least) one glass of wine a day.
I’ve grew up on the sales side, and after working from tasting room on up, I find myself in a place where I get to learn even more about actual selling, but also about viticulture, winemaking, and…as in any other job…management. I’m lucky enough to spend most of my days gazing out the window at ever changing rows of vines, rolling hills, and acres of untouched beauty. And I work for people who encourage that and encourage ME.
We’re responsible people growing almost-organic grapes and selling them for fair prices. We make our own wine, too, which is pretty darn delicious. (I can say that because I don’t make it myself.)
Amazingly I’ve developed a pretty killer palate for food over the past few years. I can typically pinpoint exact ingredients in a dish blindly. And yet I’m not yet as proficient in wine tasting; above average, maybe, but not an expert. I guess that means I have to keep eating and drinking. Research?

A Realistic Attempt to Live Life Sustainably

Maybe it's my Southern roots, but I've always had this nagging urge to be able to "live closely to the land." You know, grow my own veggies, raise goats, bake my own bread...

I was an Environmental Science/Meteorology student for three years of college (a final physics course killed that dream) but I've never been a tree-hugger type. I'd say I live a little more green than most, but I buy pizza dough at Trader Joe's and I don't mind a little pesticide here and there. But there really is something so appealing to me about learning these "lost arts" and really knowing where things are coming from.

Call it my early mid-life crisis, but I'm starting a journey of taking steps to be closer and closer to the life I eventually want to lead. I don't have any land, and I'm certainly missing some equipment and time, but hey- cavemen had to deal with those problems, too.

I'm thinking I might have been the type of person who tried the very first oyster.