Sad to Leave, Ready to Return – CROATIA

If there’s wine region that’s been put on the forefront of the wine scene – but maybe hasn’t been ‘felt’ by folks yet – it’s Croatia.  And, I think…that’s what I learned from this trip.  This morning at 4am, as I waved good-bye to my new favorite country, I thought…how am I going to share my love for all of this with other people?  How am I going to get folks to understand the significance of these wines and what they can do for our culture – let alone the Croatian culture?  The answer, they have to be felt.  And in the end, some wines just ‘move’ you.  The story gets under your skin, you hear the language, you experience the culture, you meet new people, you see the look in their eyes when they talk about their sites.  It’s ‘moving’.  That is the way I felt when I visited the Dingac region with Vineyard Manager, Arsen and Winemaker, Nika from Korta Katarina Winery.  They told their story, they made a difference and they expressed their tradition.  And in the US, as I explained to them…we lose focus on ‘tradition’ sometimes.  Getting caught up in the glam to the industry, can make you lose focus on why some of us are in the industry.  We forget, it’s not about how much ‘money’ you’re drinking from ‘which’ winery or ‘who’ made the wine – but it’s the story.  And, that’s my addition to the industry.  I have always tried to relay a story.  Maybe it came from a bottle that cost $5, but it had a story.  We’re not out there to cram wine down people’s throats, we – as sommeliers, ‘should’ be here to make a difference.  But I realize, I am rare.  And, that’s why – I feel it is such an honor when you meet people like Nika and Arsen.  They definitely left a stamp on my ‘wine life’ and I hope to spread their story leaving that stamp on many of you.

Laughing at a couple of photos…here are some things I learned this week.
1.  I don’t like Turkish coffee – a latte with coffee grounds?
2.  Always make new friends everywhere you go.
3.  Enjoy life to it’s fullest!
Salut to new friends, old friends, tradition, story and place!