One Year Anniversary

Well, I was off work last week on vacation up in Canada, and didn't get to blog. Did, however, take some pictures of some food and some wine that we enjoyed, and I'll get those up as soon as I have a chance to breathe!

Been feeling kinda hectic, came back from vacation and hit the ground running yesterday, Monday, last day of the month, last day of August, realizing that it was pretty much a year ago that I hit the streets to work in outside sales for Rudi Wiest Selections.

It has been an interesting year. The miracle is that I survived. One heck of a recession the entire time, and questionable whether it is over yet. Selling exclusively German wine, nothing but, no, we don't even have Austrian wine, just German, yes, mostly Riesling, but also some other goodies in there like all the Pinots - Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir, some Scheurebe, some Silvaner, some Roses and other things... but all German. 26 estates in all, and today, Sept 1, 2009, on my one-year anniversary, we are down to 25 estates - the newest news being that we are discontinuing Robert Weil.

Looking back on the year, I see this work as an outside sales person in a sober light. There are definitely great things about the job, which I love: making my own schedule, working independently, and getting paid by how much I do and how well I do it. Also, I love going to restaurants and stores, and seeing what is new in the neighborhoods; I don't think I would have this fun part of the job if I was in an office or a store or even if I worked in a restaurant. I definitely am not cooped up when working in outside sales, except for the odd time, cooped up in a car.

The other thing I really enjoy is working closely with winemakers. That is a real joy.

Finally, the wines. I really do love them. Today I tasted along with my customers two wines I opened yesterday, and were showing great today: 2003 Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Spatlese and 2005 Bert Simon Serrig Wurzberg Riesling Spatlese. I liked both wines, but I really personally preferred the 2003 Karthauserhof, that delicate yet intriguing aroma and palate, a wine that is not so much sweet as it is complex...... a wine that I imagine drinking with a delicious, buttery Trout Meuniere......... that would be so excellent.

If only the 2003 German wines didn't get such a bad rap... they are really showing nicely in my humble opinion. Perhaps in the past few years they were too fleshy or ripe, but now 6 years after the vintage, they are really tasting fine. I often hear complaints that they are not high enough in acid, but really, who needs that much acid? My personal feeling is that they are just not getting any respect, because it is cool to hate the 03s!!!

I think I'm going to try to blind taste folks!

Happy Anniversary!