My transition from house builder (about 20 years) to wine cellar builder started about 15 years ago. Here is how I became a Master Wine Cellar Builder. I started building furniture when I was about 10 years old. My granddaughter still has one of my stools that I had built back then. Later on in life I worked with my Dad, who was also a carpenter. He taught me the basics of building. In my twenties I took up carpentry. No one wanted to hire a person with no experience. So I started out my own company and did little jobs here and there. Finally I took on the job of renovating a complete house. Went quite well and then did another. When someone asked me to build them a wine cellar, I said sure. Unfortunately I didn’t know the first thing about a wine cellar. Did some quick reading, did the best I could, and it turned out not bad. From there on I thought this is a better way to make money and a lot easier. When I decided to build wine cellars I knew that I would have to excel to the top as fast as possible. ( I am a person that has to be the best or not at all), I studied everything that I could about wine cellars. In the beginning jobs were slow to come. I was one of those people that I now preach in my blogs and articles to new clients not to use. “Don’t let your wine cellar be the first one that your contractor does”. I studied with as many manufactures as I could. I went to their plants all over the country, from Ohio to New Hampshire to California. When I thought I was ready for the big time I applied with one of the biggest names in the business, The Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It wasn’t easy, as I was a nobody in the wine cellar business. After six months of trying, they finally gave me the chance. I put an rv on the road. It became quickly known as the “Wine Cellar RV”. Pictures of wine cellars and the title Master Wine Cellar Builder on the rv attracted a lot of attention. When in front of someone’s home, everybody came out to see who or what was going on. It was in the magazine and catalog that was distributed around the world. People came up to me as if I were a celebrity. The wineries and vineyards treated me as VIP. The first eight months of working with The Wine Enthusiast I fixed all the mistakes that everybody else had made. When I finally did my first wine cellar for them they were ecstatic. Now they have someone that they could send all over the country and not be concerned that the job would be screwed up. As the years went by I studied more and more to make sure I was up on the latest cooling, racking, insulation, and anything that was required for building the perfect wine cellar. Now I am one the very few in the country that understands the ins and outs of a wine cellar. From the consultation to design to construction to install the racking. Knowing everybody’s racking (different manufactures) in the country is something that less than a handful of people know. Being a leader in the field qualifies me for the title of Master Wine Cellar Builder.
When in Spain you never know when or where you will find a great fiesta or great glass of vino. Chances are when you find one the other will not be far away. I am of course on the lookout for both of them at all times. Recently I decided to take a short day trip from Barcelona to the Low Penedes wine region to see what I could find. My curiosity brought me to the small town of Villafranca de Penedes, just a 30-40 minute train ride from Barcelona Sants.
As my train escaped the city limits the scenery transformed into just what you would imagine the Spanish wine country to look like. The scene speeding past my window was a picture perfect view of vine covered plains stretching for miles with the inspirational mountains of Montserrat in the background. Being greeted by a different winery at every station seemed to be a promise of good things to come.
I exited the station at Villafranca and took off in my typical fashion, no map and no clue where to go. For some reason this always seems to work out well for me. I headed for what looked to be the city center by following the tallest building, a church steeple. After a few minutes I came to an intersection and was forced to choose, right or left. I went right. It wasn’t long before the faint sound of drums caught my ears. Forever drawn to music I quickened my pace to search for the syncopated rhythm.
After passing a few intersections, out of the corner of my eye I spotted a small crowd bouncing down the street perfectly in sync with the beat. Hypnotized by the sounds and lured by smiling faces I stepped up and joined the crowd. I had just discovered a mobile street party! This fiesta was led by a handful of drummers in typical Spanish hippy attire and even came complete with a Police escort!
Instantly welcomed by the dancing strangers I couldn’t help but think of the tune “Dancin in the streets.” Before long I was offered what seemed to be a formal membership to my group of newfound friends. One of several huge 5 liter plastic bottles of wine circulating through the crowd was passed my way. I graciously accepted the gift and thanked them using my best intermediate Spanish. I was later told the wine was contributed by a woman in the crowd who worked at a local vineyard, and each bottle contained a different variety. The wine was flowing freely all day just as you would expect being in a wine town.
This roaming fiesta was becoming a weekly tradition, creating a place and time for people to join together and let off some steam before the weekend came to an end. Apparently my thirst for wine and hunger for adventure took me to the right place at the right time once again. Before heading back to Barcelona I had turned down several invitations to join people in their houses for more vino. All across Spain you can find the same relaxed, friendly attitude and generous hospitality. This is probably why it is one of my favorite places to visit.
If you are not lucky enough to experience a street party like I did, there is a small wine museum in town worth seeing. Wine making in this region has a rich history, and relics of the ancient Roman era are proudly displayed. Many famous brands also call this region home and most welcome tourists, including Jean Leon and Miguel Torres. As a wine lover, you will find a trip to the Penedes region well worth your time.
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Good bye Cairo!
When I left Cairo it was a sweltering 113 degrees! After a few layovers I showed up in Paris where the temperature was a pleasant 78. It took several days worth of enjoying picnics by the river Seine and cafes on the corner to readjust to the Western world, then I decided to get to work and find some wine.
Hello Paris (Sacre-Coeur)
When I told my producers that I was in Paris they gave me a challenge: “Find Miss Vicky Wine.” The next day I hit the street with my new assignment. Not quite sure where to start I decided to try some shops on the pedestrianized streets of the hip shopping district near Rue Montmartre and the Jardin de Halles first. It wasn’t long until I hit the jackpot! Not only did I manage to find Miss Vicky herself checking on an account, she was kind enough to let me tag along with her for a few days in her home town!
Miss Vickys favorite Bar
After checking on things at the Miss Vickys exclusive wine shop Divinide, we headed around the corner to her favorite bar, Vintage, for a drink. Later we enjoyed a picnic with friends in one of Paris’ numerous parks, and that night we all drank wine with the crowd assembled on the steps near Sacre-Coeur.
Miss Vicky pours me a sample.
Over the next few days Miss Vicky introduced me to many of her friends in the Paris wine scene. I had an excellent time as we sampled more than a few wines from her cellar, enjoyed a great meal at Vintage, and explored parts of what has become my new favorite city. It was a once in a lifetime experience getting to hang out with a major player in the Paris wine scene.
Vicky and her Rep., Olivier de Suremain
Miss Vicky, thank you so much for everything!
]]>Getting to Egypt from Jordan was an adventure in and of itself. It went something like this: 5:30 AM hike from Petra to Wadi Mussa, catch mini-bus to Aqaba, find Egyptian Embassy, apply for visa, wait 2 hours, get visa, catch a cab to the border, empty my pack and have inspected by Jordanian border Police, walk to border, get exit stamp, walk across “no mans land”, empty pack again and have inspected by Israeli border officials, walk through border, hitch a ride through Eilat to Taba, pay $25 Israeli exit fee (roughly one dollar for every minute I was there), look in duty free shop, walk across “no mans land”, empty pack and have inspected by Egyptian border Police, fill out entry paperwork, walk across border, hitch a ride to bus station, hop on bus, pay entry tax, and finally arrive in Dahab at 8:30. What a day! In the duty free shop I noticed a good selection of imported wines after I nearly knocked several bottles of Yellow Tail Chardonay over with my backpack. In order to catch the last bus to Dahab I had to hurry, so I didn’t buy any. It looked as though the wine gods would be smiling on me in Egypt.
You will probably want to say longer than you intended!
Sit back and relax...it's no problem!
Another picture perfect cafe.
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In this episode we feature Hollywood heartthrob, Max Ryan, who plays Ricard in the latest Sex and the City 2 movie opposite Kim Cattrall. The scene could not be more perfect, a romantic moonlit cruise on a beautiful midsummer’s eve and extraordinary bottle of Chilean Carmenere’.
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