On the Road Again: Slovenia and Bordeaux

"Hope" is the thing with feathers — that perches in the soul — and sings the tune without the words — And never stops — at all ~ Emily Dickinson

The last vestiges of summer are about ready to be put in the can and shelved, the Labor Day weekend is upon us, typically signalling the last days of summer. But the dog days of summer persist and persist mightily for many [myself included] and it's days like this I reach for a bottle of rosé from regions like Bordeaux, or even a true orange-wine from Slovenia two regions I'm excited to explore first hand in the not so distant future. 

I know this may sound a bit 'corny' but I like to think of myself as an explorer, when it comes to wine, food and travel. I've always been eager to go to new places, to see, experience and taste new things. As Coco Chanel once said, “life is too short for cut and dried monotony". I couldn't agree more. 

Even if I'm at home on an ho-hum Tuesday evening, popping the cork on a bottle of wine. I often wonder what life is like there, who are the folks that call this place home, who pick the grapes, tends to the vineyard, and what influences came together to produce this wine in this way.

Like the explorers of old, I'm always itching to get out there, to set-sail on purple seas, to find mysterious vine-covered lands, wherever that path may lead me, even to the far flung wine regions of the world. That is where I want to be. 

Bordeaux is the planet's largest source of fine wine, the model for Cabernet Sauvignon- and Merlot-based wines around the globe. Bordeaux wines are considered by many wine connoisseurs to be the world's greatest reds.

I'm wedded to the idea of exploration, some may say it's an obsession. But, my motto when it comes to wine tasting and education is to never stop exploring. That said, I love encouraging other vino-sapiens not to just pop a few corks, but to take boat, plane or train and, visit the places where the wine is made and get to know the folks who have not only made wine their business, but also a lifelong passion.

Wine is not just another commodity to buy and sell, it's not just cocktail to sip at the bar, nor a mere bottle to uncork at your next tailgate event, it's an invitation to exploration. I think its important to not lose sight of that idea.

"Sitting at the crossroads of many an empire and country that has come and gone, Slovenia has been quietly making high-class wines for over two millennia with many of the current wineries founded as far back as the 1500's"

It has become my one man mission; to provide my readers with current, objective, easily readable content and hopefully even some entertainment about the wonderful world of wine, associated travel and foodie adventures.

So I'm spanning the globe, looking and eventually landing on the intersection of where great wines meet reasonable prices. I want to take my readers on the journey with me, have them look behind the label, to take a peek behind the purple-stained curtain, to see things in a new light.

My course has been set, in just a couple of weeks now I'll be off to see Slovenia and Bordeaux for the first time. Having explored a great majority of the wine regions here in the U.S. and a few abroad, like Tuscany, Campania Rioja and Navarra this trip will be a great opportunity for me to broaden my vinous horizons and report back via blog articles, tweets and FB posts. 

I am super excited for this great opportunity and so very grateful for the generous invitations to see these regions first hand. I can't wait to share all the great wines, the foods and hopefully even capture some of the culture. Until next time folks remember as always to sip long and prosper!