Twitter landing

Hello and welcome to my wine blog! You have obviously found me via Twitter, the world’s fastest growing way to share information, connect with people and participate in the Social Media Revolution. Thank you for checking out the site and if you enjoy it, please let your friends know about it via Twitter, Facebook or good “old fashioned” email.

I created this page after reading this article http://bit.ly/8fpZ3.

First of all, here is a quick shot of me. I wanted something fun for my Twivatar, so I put together this wine halo and had my lovely wife snap a couple of pictures. I don’t know why I stuck out my tongue, but it was the best picture. Here is a list of the wines from right to left (just wanted to make sure you are paying attention!).

- 2001 Tudal Cabernet Sauvignon: The first wine over $5o my wife bought me. It was our first Christmas together and we weren’t married yet.
- NV Jean Milan-Oger Tendresse Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Sec Champagne: Whoa doggy, what a mouthful. My first obsession in wine was Champagne and I found this, an actual Sec. That is a degree of sweetness above extra dry, but less than demi-sec. It was also Grand Cru (the top vineyards in Champagne) and Blanc de Blancs (made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes). I had to have it. I think it was around $40 when I bought it back in 2004 or 5. It was the first wine I brought to the annual Open That Bottle Night celebration, held on the last Saturday of every February.
- 2004 Kosta Browne Koplen Vineyard Pinot Noir: Yes, the one that got the second highest score from Wine Spectator in the 2004 vintage. When I first started working retail, I spotted this in a box in the backroom and asked my boss whose was this? She said “yours if you want it”, so I did and made my wife very happy. Honestly, it wasn’t as stupendous as I was hoping for. Maybe it was consumed too young? Anyways, we are now on the list and actually got our first allocation for the 2007 vintage!
- 1996 Deutz Blanc de Blancs: My second bottle. I had one and absolutely loved it. If I could, I’d have broken the bottle to lick the inside, it was that good. My wife bought me two more (still one to go!) and this was it. It is a great example of how good Blanc de Blancs Champagne really is and is still one of my top 5 bottles ever.
- NV Billecart-Salmon Rose Brut Champagne: Our first Valentine’s Day wine and now, a tradition. We pair it with, you guessed it, sushi. While it totally rocks, it has gotten out of hand with the current pricing.
- 1996 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Brut Champagne: We got a deal on this (under $100) and it was worth every penny. My very first blog post, which can be found here.
- 1996 Veuve Clicquot Brut Champagne: Another purchase made while I was inhttp://atlantawineguy.com/wp-admin/page-new.php my “buy every 1996 Champagne you can afford” spree back in the day. Tasting notes found here.

Why? I was laid off at the end of March this year. I worked in a very tiny industry and had a very non-specific set of duties and skills. I worked in special events and did all sorts of things, from purchasing, asset and inventory management, trouble shooting, production planning, warehouse department management, product development and software development (I’m not a programmer unfortunately). That has made it a bit more difficult to find a job, so with encouragement from my wife and a credit card, I started this blog. It keeps me sane and has introduced me to the whirlwind of social media, which I participated in back in when I was an active member of Tribe. While I’m still learning, I’m energized by all that is going on.

I know it is just a matter of time, persistence and a wee bit of luck before I find a career / calling / source of income. In the meantime, I drink wine, eat food and write about it for my tiny audience. If you are a winery, PR person for a winery or can in any way provide samples of food or wine, please email me for details, as I’m always happy to review your product. If you have career advice, send that my way too.

Wine background: I started with becoming a fan of Champagne. From there, I learned to love a wide variety of wines and at some point, I decided to look at a career centered around wine. I got my Advanced Certificated from W.S.E.T. and landed a role as an assistant wine consultant at a retail store in the northern suburbs of Atlanta. After my boss left, I took over and for one full year, I was in charge of the vast majority of what the store carried. In that one year, I tasted probably 1000 wines. I then left the industry to go work for a friend who had a start-up in the special events industry. From there, you already know what happened.

Favorite wines:

1. Champagne and sparkling: If I had to live on one of those magical desert islands where you can have only one of something you love, but with an endless supply, it would be sparkling wine and Champagne.
2. California Pinot Noir: My wife’s favorite and hence, I’ve come to appreciate them.
3. German Riesling: Food friendly, low in alcohol and with the perfect balance of acid and sugar. I think having German blood run through my veins probably helps.
4. Cabernet Sauvignon: I love them all, but have a strong preference for Napa Valley and Chilean.
5. Petite Sirah: I wish I could afford them more often, but they are a special treat when I can.
6. Grenache: Pinot Noir with a kick and spicy edge.
7. Everything else: I love to try it all, with the exception of over oaked Chardonnay.

Heroes:

1. My Mom.
2. My Uncle Fred, may he rest in peace. He was the consummate small businessman.
3. Tom Peters for writing my favorite business book of all time and being the one guru who actually says, I don’t have the answers, I just ask really good questions. I actually got to attend a seminar of his in Atlanta and it was totally awesome. I should have listened to him more back then, but I’ll admit I was too scared.
4. Gary Vaynerchuk for his inspiring message and attitude. I look forward to meeting him at the book signing on December 14th.

Well, that about does it for now. I hope you enjoy the site, so please share it with friends and absolutely leave comments! I’m also open to any suggestions or comments you may have, even if they are critical. Just please make them constructive.

Thanks for stopping in. Now, onto the home page!