Champagne Henriot’s Chef de Cave on Sustainability & Making Great Wine
Alice Tetienne of Champagne Henriot Organic is important, but not necessarily the best. It is but one part of the equation. We have to be
Week 1. It’s November. A stark transition from the sunny beaches of my now former island, Oahu.Leaving Hawaii felt necessary for a variety of reasons, but that’s another story… We’re holed up in a motel in Petaluma. A motel that accepts pets. Specifically, one that allows three dogs. They don’t allow four, and they don’t take cats. Or rather we couldn’t handle a cat with all the dogs in a motel room. We’ve moved the loudest dog (4lbs when soaking wet) and the cat to a boarding kennel.
The timeline is unknown for this stay. It’s cold as hell, and we’re staying in a depressingly dark area next to the freeway. I’m sure this will fit into my dreams of living in wine country somehow. Nightmares if we don’t find a home soon. For now, I am in a fog. Or should I say in “the” fog? The fog of Petaluma and the dead cold of winter. Just for fun, night one included a 2 am drive in brutal said fog from Petaluma to San Rafael emergency in a Suburban (our short term pet-toting car rental) with my sick child. A trip that usually takes 35 minutes, but with crazy fog can go double. If you haven’t driven a Suburban on a narrow gap of a paved road, judiciously lined with unforgiving cement barriers some crazy person calls a highway, you haven’t lived. When the fog is thicker than bread pudding, it adds an extra layer to the thrill. A screaming child is not optional. To experience this level of ecstasy, you need one of those. I’m hoping the place we’re staying is temporary. Like two days temporary.
Trying to stay upbeat while looking for a rental in this market is incredibly difficult. The market is tighter than a full body Spanx. The days are trudging by so slow and repetitious I feel like I’m in Groundhog Day Part 2. I remind myself to stay focused. This move is a dream. Helping family members stay upbeat is required. You may scream incessantly into a pillow when all are out of the motel room. Push down those feelings of utter panic. The opportunity for the family is tremendous, and we just left our home in Hawaii on the water with a boat in our backyard for this. Leaving Hawaii was intentional. Remember?!
Week 2.
Our weekends now are mostly looking for homes. The weekdays, attempting to work with countless distractions. Barking. No Desk. Housekeeping. New neighbors. Unruly jerks in the parking lot. I look forward to breakfast. Breakfast, because it is in a room larger than our hotel room. I know what I can count on. There are people other than us. Bonus! Runny, lumpy eggs from a chicken who obviously has something wrong with it. Refined carbs stacked to the ceiling and unlimited bacon. I eat bacon until I am sure my cholesterol is up there with Donald Trump’s blood pressure. There are two first generation Chinese women who serve our “all inclusive breakfast” and clean up after. The conversations are natural. I feel at home. Not homesick. It feels safe. Familiar. I don’t look forward to dinner. We have eaten out so many times we’ve run out of decent restaurants. We’re about to try Applebee’s. I’m depressed.
Things you think about when you’ve made a conscious decision to rip your soul from living in the most isolated land mass in the world after 36 years. Anxiety about leaving Hawaii was a whole new level of madness. What if I hate it here? Was this a bad decision? Can I get through the day? Where the hell is my stuff? On a ship of course! Or maybe it hasn’t left yet. That $8,000 shipping bill is going to turn into a $16,000 bill if we need to return.
Oh and I find out the shippers are trying to charge us $3,000 MORE than what they quoted us. As the saying goes “Lucky we live Hawaii!”. The “stuff” is officially stuck. So I guess it’s cool we haven’t found a place yet. It still feels like an adventure of sorts.
Week 3.
I wake up feeling like I am riding a ride at the State Fair. What the?! I can’t shed it. I’m doing deep inhales trying to relax because I have no idea what’s going on and it only it’s making me feel like I am going to pass out. Even trying Yoga poses I could never quite master. Nothing is working. Wine is now my confidante. When you speak to your wine glass, all other feelings seem less important. I could be genuinely going mad! My son complains of similar sentiments. Dr. Mitchell, (after reading WebMD – I’m official) has determined this unsavory, unattractive discomfort is ANXIETY. Wow. Something new! We don’t have a house yet. I am sick of bacon. I am tired of the rental car. After walking the dogs three doors down to the poop park 4-5 times a day, I’ve had enough of that too. The poop park has become the center of my universe. It’s a 4′ x 8′ patch of grass with free green plastic bags and a myriad of stinky smokers. I guess it’s appropriate.
It’s getting harder and harder to be kind to my family, the dogs and even myself in the little room we call home. The biggest question in my mind as I enter Week 4… Were we mad to make this decision to leave everything we’ve known for decades to come to the Mainland? Sanity at this point is optional. Delusions included. Leaving Hawaii is… that remains to be determined.
Alice Tetienne of Champagne Henriot Organic is important, but not necessarily the best. It is but one part of the equation. We have to be
Barodlino has a rich history in both wine and culture. There is no better Rosé that takes the beauty of the region and expresses it than Chiaretto Rosé.
Could it be that this region, today known as the Fastest Growing Wine Region in the United States is the world’s next Napa Valley? This is Idaho Wine Country.
I need to work on my ABS but last night was all about a 2018 Abstract. Have you tasted?
#TheWineSiren #MondayMonday #winelife #winter #roomwithaview #Napavalley #Napawine #winetravel #gimmemore ...
Gondola ride on the Napa River at sunset...
##napavalley #beautifuldestinations #sunsets #sunsetlovers #winetravel #carneros #viewfrommywindow #goodvibes #relax #destinationearth #TheWineSiren ...
It's the people you meet who make wine so special. Here are a few who make my life a lot more fun. New friends. Old friends . And those who have been there since the beginning. In the name of great wine! To the cool kids around the world.
@vallepicciola @smstudio_pr @cellaiale @winemob @winemoments @grapevineadventures @wanderlustvino @corni.winelover @cologne_wines
#grandcru #grandcrew #winelife #tuscany #italianwine #topwines ...
There is nothing better than pairing a grand cru adventure with the culinary treats by 2 star @michelinguide #chef of @arnolforistorante #GaetanoTrovato, pictured near the end of this video meticulously serving up his jewel like morsels of exquisite taste @vallepicciola . Such an adventure in taste and excellence!
#grandcru #vallepicciola #wearevallepicciola @vallepicciola @cellaiale @smstudio_pr #vallepicciolawines #vallepicciolawinery #tuscanywine #sangiovese #chardonnay #tagliobordolese #vallepicciolabianco #migliore #gaetano #chianticlassico #vagliali @vagliagli_official #wine #grandcru ...
Nap time. ...
In the name of Grand Cru, I traveled to a winery called @vallepicciola located in the heart of Chianti near Siena. I came away with an unforgettable experience and a number of significant moments.
The launch of some of the most hedonistic, exquisitely made and remarkable wine I've tasted in Italy. From the lusciously decadent white, which made 💋🍷💋#TheWineSiren feel like I was in the heart of Chablis to their outstanding take on a Bordeaux blend. I must say, this wine is simply divine. Pair that with a mouthwatering price point and you've got a delicious way to drink very special wine that won't bankrupt you or your friends.
Photos:
1) With Grand Cru Winemaker, Alessandro Cellai. Who inspired us all.
2) 2019 Migliore the incomparable Bordeaux blend with just 2,500 bottles, and a few large format bottles. Me? I'd like the Balthazar, please.
3) The town of Siena at sunset.
4) The incredible soil of the vineyards producing the wine of Vallepicciola. The composition of which are areas alternating with amalgams of clays, calcareous marl, bluish marl, tuff, sandstone and sand.
5) Just a portion of the winery open for tasting and experiences.
6) The stunning Grand Cru tasted.
7) The Vallepicciola gift box that needs to be on your list.
My only question to you is how quickly can you get this on your table? The race is on!
#grandcru #vallepicciola #wearevallepicciola @vallepicciola @cellaiale @smstudio_pr @winemobÂ
 #vallepicciolawines #vallepicciolawinery #tuscanywine #sangiovese #chardonnay #tagliobordolese #vallepicciolabianco #migliore #chianticlassico #vagliali @vagliagli_official ...
Alice Tetienne of Champagne Henriot Organic is important, but not necessarily the best. It is but one part of the equation. We have to be
Barodlino has a rich history in both wine and culture. There is no better Rosé that takes the beauty of the region and expresses it than Chiaretto Rosé.
Could it be that this region, today known as the Fastest Growing Wine Region in the United States is the world’s next Napa Valley? This is Idaho Wine Country.
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