Shifting Gears

Before I wrote about VOIP, Video, Collaboration and all things IP communications I used to write insatiably about wine, food and all things gastronomic. I was, am, and always will be a foodie and a wine lover. Once pal Doug Margerum of WineCask fame in Santa Barbara and now an amazing winemaker, labeled me “The Ultimate Wine Insider” as I had cracked the code and actually become true friends with many a winemaker, wine seller and wine buyer on a variety of fronts. Somewhere along the way I started to write a weekly wine column for a local newspaper and it, like Grand Central’s sale to Goggle, paid for two weddings where wine and love were at the central core.

But something happened on the way from the vineyard. Wine blogs, wine forums and wine video all took off and I was left holding the vine, as my passions, while still burning, and palate still tasting, got more into the social aspects of wine and food, and less about the writing. Well, those days are over. And, I’m back writing and musing over the other second passion in my life beyond being connected (my wife and our life together really is the first passion these days.)

You see, I have always written about wine. It could be what’s in my glass, what bottle I just discovered hiding in the cellar, which winemaker just scored big or where in the world you can have a great meal. But wine is more than just a glass or a bottle, for like IP communications, I’ve actually learned a lot about it. Last week at Vinisud my discussions in very bad French with newly found winemakers showed that my palate hadn’t gone the same way as my Del Mar Times wine column, nor had it made a left turn in Temecula, the so called wine region just north of San Diego County. No, my palate, and all that I could recall about regions, varietals and even who carries which wines as importers into the USA still was there. So, with this encyclopedic oeneological capability, I’ve started to resume my wine blogging, and so far without many a tasting note. Those will come, but for now, I’m using the blog as a way of easing back into what I know will become my “fun” blog. It’s called WineScene.com and yes, it’s open for business. Like VoIPWatch there’s no ads, no guest posts. Just me and my views on things, and the people I have gotten to know in the wine world. It will also be where you can learn about what’s next in wine, where to go, and what to buy. Oh, and yes, it will be the chronicle of all of the “Andy Wine Dinners” that others have seemed to really like, and I’ve enjoyed throwing that you may have heard about.

So if you like wine, food and have this desire to eat well and drink better, as some old friend named John McNulty in Philadelphia likes to say, then never drink poorly again. And, if you’re into VoIP, Video or any form of IP communications and find your way to San Diego sometime, don’t hesitate to offer to meet up. The cellar is full and I’m always ready to share some very tasty treats.

Comments

[Dan York]

Congrats, Andy, on launching into focused writing on wine! Your passion for the subject is extremely obvious and your dinners are awesome... so I'm looking forward to seeing your writing.