My love affair with wine.......

I started a new job this week, and I am in love.  Yes, it's sales, but my official title is "Wine Broker"...... mutha frickin Wine Broker.  Would any of you hear that title and say "Oh, that job sounds shitty."  HELL NO!  It is every job I've enjoyed rolled in to one.  Well, there aren't any puppies at this place, so, aside from the lack of puppies, it's awesome.  Now let me get to the best part of it.... I literally get to drink wines from the tiniest boutique vineyards all over the world, and I get to do this at work.  I call Doctors, Lawyers, and CEO's and say, "Let me tell you about this wine..... how do I know it's awesome?  Because I have a glass of it on my desk right now and I'm drooling over it, and so should you."  Yes, my job is a dream, but as lucky as I am, there was one downside, or so I thought.


I was sent home with a bottle of wine yesterday, as well as the 2 other new people, and we were told to "Write a pitch for this wine using all of the terms and things we learned about.  Look at the color, smell it, taste it, feel it, and write down everything you get from this wine."  So I thought, "Okay.  I did the best out of us newbies in the tastings at work, so this shouldn't be too hard."  WRONG!  I spent 2 hours smelling this wine, tasting and closing my eyes, and washing it around my mouth until my cheeks felt like Louis Armstrong's.... and NO,  I was not drunk, it was the same one glass.  This wine was so complex I thought I would never get anything down on paper, much less write a pitch.  After my initial frustration, I thought, "That's enough!  I know  these smells and tastes, I've cooked with them!  I'm raiding every cupboard in the kitchen until something clicks."  I must have smelled every spice, seasoning, fruit, vegetable, and assorted peppers and herbs until I was ready to pass out.  I finally got it down on paper, and even used some creative imagery to help my description (I was watching So You Think You Can Dance at the time of tasting).  I did a rough draft, edit, second edit, and then decided that that was the best I could do and went to bed hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.

This morning, I got to work and asked my fellow newbies if they had as much trouble describing their wines as I did.  The conclusion was that we all had a tough time identifying smells, flavors, and textures, but we gave it our best shot...... except..... neither of them wrote down anything!  I'm like, "Uh, guys, this was an assignment for work!  Since when is it ok to not do your job?"  Of course, I didn't say that, but I was still shocked.  We go into our morning meeting, and they give the same answer of "Oh, we were supposed to write a pitch?"  Seriously, between the two of them they had maybe 6 actual adjectives that described their wines.  Still, my new boss was very positive and kind with constructive criticism, but took this as a teaching opportunity as well.  I remained silent and humble with my, "Well, I had the same problem with trying to find the right words for what I experienced, and mine is a bit over the top, and I'm not sure if I got all the flavors right, but here it goes"  and I bust out.....

2007 Rio Mendoza Cabernet Sauvignon 

Like the beautiful Argentine Tango, this red is not only graceful, but saucy and it will dance across your pallet.  The 2007 Rio Mendoza Cabernet Sauvignon is a true delight from our South American friends.  You'll fall in love right away when you gaze into a rich plum with a shimmering ruby edge.  The nose is a garden of aromas with cut yellow peppers, anise, fennel, and summer berries.  Upon first sip, this wine plays the trickster and is so fruit-filled it seems it will be sweet, but then a wave of Pink Lady apple, cherry, green tea, and a tiny touch of vanilla washes around your mouth.  A complex red is not often called refreshing, but this delicate cab has a white pepper and bright grassy finish that will open your eyes and breath in new life.  It pours and drinks so easily that it will undoubtedly become a go-to favorite for even the most diverse and discerning enthusiasts.  An absolute treasure to be cherished.  

Money can't buy the expression I saw on my coworkers faces ( jaw dropping shock), and I was removed from any self-doubt when I saw my boss give me a smile that said, "I know you worked really hard, and you put yourself into this.  You did a great job and I'm proud of you."  Even though her face said that, she simply said, "I think you found good words to use, and you gave me a clear picture of the wine.  Nice job!"

The excitement and self achievement I have felt this past week is an experience that I wish everyone could feel at least once.  Wondering if you're even decent at something, and then having the experts say, "You, yeah, YOU, are very very good." is just unbelievable.  Cheers to all.