Our New York Launch Party
After two whirlwind weeks of events, winery visits, and meetings, it was time to party!
The furniture was rearranged, wines decanted, foods gathered, glasses cleaned, handouts printed, BBQ put in position, people showered and dressed – everything was ready for action. Forty guests were on their way and the first to arrive was… Henry Ponzio!
Henry owned Suburban Wines & Spirits for over twenty-five years. The store was known as a hot-to-trot, fine wine destination with a very delicious educational twist. We taught about and tasted thousands of wines with the Suburban regulars. Classes ranged from the most basic of basics, to a four-week Bordeaux intensive, to the Italian Killer B’s (Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello).
Our co-created mission was to engage, excite, educate, and inspire, and to do it in ways that were fun, community building, and left you wanting more. Our tag line was, “Wines you want, before you know you want them.”
ConsciousWine has its roots in that same message, but with a few extra spices added. The big picture factor is what kicks it up a few notches, and that’s having our choices support both palate and planet. Okay, back to the party!
Vinny Liscio (my partner in ConsciousWine) opened the night and welcomed everyone to his home to celebrate not only the best weather in two weeks, but also what we’ve been working on for four years!
Then it was my turn to introduce the wines and foods we had paired up for the evening. Of course I cried a little first; I get emotional at these things. Actually seeing all these people together, who have made such a difference as both friends and support, as well as seeing the project get a pair of legs under it made it really real. This was a great moment to really let it sink in.
The five rounds of wine and food pairings were not perfect, but that was half the fun. Some things worked well together and others not so well. The key thing was that there’s magic in discovering foods and flavors really can change your experience with and preferences for wine. Over time, that can lead to the realization that natural wine (or ConsciousWine) doesn’t really show its glory until it’s paired up!
A light bulb moment happened in the kitchen where I, ConsciousWine’s nutty professor was in high gear. I wanted to show how foods could dramatically impact a wine. The AmByth Estate Priscus (Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne) set a sexy stage. This super interesting wine changed hour by hour (more frequently than that actually) in your glass. This was after the wine spent half a day in a decanter to get it to soften and to round into itself. Its food pairing was good, but not spectacular, and I wanted to make a point. I had an idea.
A wine rule I love is, “Like goes with like.” This wine had a nuttiness, which made me think that a nutty food, with a little fat, would create a magical combination. I ground up some pine nuts and put them in my hand along with several almonds. After snacking on that handful, I tasted the wine again. Abracadabra! The taste of the nuts took away the nuttiness of the wine completely, and out came a wine tasting fresh, bright, and nicely textured, with a rich, lemony, slightly honeyed flavor. Absolutely delicious!
Other yummy wines of the night included the Brooks Riesling Ara, Michel Schlumberger Pinot Blanc, Dominio IV Pinot Noir Of Poetry and Roses, and Cowhorn Vineyards Syrah 74 (which by group gossip won best pairing of the night with the freshly grilled lamb, wild boar, and venison with cherry sausages).
Wine is about community, friends, family, and culture. It’s about being reminded to slow down and take time to really enjoy what’s in front of us. Maybe we even become a little grateful, which I am each and every day for seeing consciouswine.com now available to you!
ConsciousWine is officially launched! Now, I get to offer my knowledge, passion, curiosity, and style as an Eco-Wine Steward through our active blog, videos of all shapes and sizes, Facebook, Twitter, classes and tastings (we’re here! Just call!). Coming soon, we swear – podcasts, Jeff’s Picks Wine Club, and – last but never least – our Shop! We’re here to assist you in discovering, understanding, and choosing wines vital to both your palate and our planet.
Cheerio!
