About: Bill Eyer
Whether by day as a wine steward [now enology student] or my nights as a wine writer, my mission is to provide customers and readers alike with unusual wines from around the world. Hopefully, I can even fill readers collective glasses with a bit of entertainment about the extraordinary 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 invite my readers to look beyond the label, take a peek behind the purple colored curtain if you will. Encouraging folks [vino-sapiens] to visit the places where wine is made and getting to know the 'folks' who have not only made wine their business but also a lifelong passion.
I'm not a trained journalist, nor do I play one on TV, but I do enjoy writing. As I've been busy swirling, sniffing and of course slurping all in the name of research (wink-wink) for this blog, I think my writing has improved.
Over the years, reading other writers with similar interests, attending Wine-Blogger conferences, taking classes, amassing an amazingly large twitter audience [22k]. Hopefully, as a result, it has helped me become a better writer [I'll let you be the judge]. I like to think I'm continually striving to make what I write here more concise, succinct, and have finally got the clue, that brevity truly is the soul of wit.
Managing this blog is not my full-time job, but would love the opportunity to write for a living, or working directly with wineries helping to build their brand. I previously was employed with Vons, as a Wine Steward, a top ten store for Wine Sales, and in the past, I worked independently for D’vine Taste Productions, Bird Rock Fine Wine selling wine and spirits in various retail locations in and around the San Diego market.
The world of wine; is what I'm the most passionate about and it's my hope that you see that passion come through in my writing style. I had my own wine epiphany more than a few years back and became involved in the whole wine experience [as some call it] and have never looked back. I'm on a journey of discovery [never settling for monotony] and look forward to seeing where it takes me.
Day Job: I was previously the Wine Steward for one of VONS grocery store's top five Southern California's locations, known as Safeway here in Oregon. While much of my free time revolves around wine, so too, do my work day endeavors where you'll find me making wine purchasing decisions, interacting with customers, making wine recommendation, stocking, selling and just plain hustling. Sadly, I no longer have the wine steward gig, I'm just the lowly garden variety cashier, biding my time, attending UCC's enology and viticulture program.
Social Media: I'm a self-taught Social Media kind-of-guy. I've quickly learned from observation and interactions how to make an impact in the world of Social Media; while still being true to myself and the brand I created, the now 10 years old plus Cuvée Corner.
In the recent past, I've also partnered with the Protocol Wine Studio [with my role as moderator-in-chief ] early in the year [mid-January] where we took on two distinctly different, but impactful wine discussions on twitter. Having helped forge both these platforms into a force to be reckoned with, I've ended my role at wine studio, in pursuit of new challenges [see above].
#winechat: One of the longest running social media chats pushing the boundaries of Social Media, with great weekly guests, live virtual-wine tastings, and explosive topics. Tho, I didn't create it, I did help MC for a couple of years.
#winestudio: An educational twitter based wine-course which spent 5 weeks exploring one region at time in-depth. Again great wine-professional guests would appear weekly, we did live virtual tastings and helped many folks not only expand their palates, but it contributed to engaging their brains at the same time.
Thinking I should add some education to my practical experiences I've embarked on a wine-soaked journey into acquiring some educational certifications of which some are still in progress.
- Currently certified in the Wine Essentials program offered through the International Sommelier Guild.
- Level One Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers
- Completed the Advanced Wine and Spirits Educational Trust classes.
- Taken classes toward the Business of Wine Certification from San Diego State
As a freelance writer, who has contributed to a variety of online publications in a professional capacity and I have won various writing contests and or have been a finalist.
The wines I review are found on the corner of reasonable and easily quaffable. So what I'm talking about? Everyday wines and even "occasion" wine selling for just under the $100. I freely admit that I do not have a single bottle in my cellar over $100 [even though my palate wishes it so]. Frankly, though, I believe this is the precise category of wines you'll most likely find in the majority of my fellow vino-sapiens cellars if the truth were told.
Why do I write about wine? A fair question, which I don't mind answering. For me the purpose is simple, this wine-blog exists to benefit and refresh every palate it touches whether you're an advanced wine slurping machine or just the garden variety wine-swirling vino-sapiens. It is my hope that the content of this blog will bring refreshment; like a well-balanced wine adding value, joy & fun to your own wine, tour and travel experiences.
Further, it's my hope you will take from my musings on the subject; the joy of wine drinking, tasting and travel while hopefully building a desire within you to explore all the beautiful aspects of this communal experience we have with the vine. Thank you for taking the time to stop by this blog, I am very grateful for your readership. Cheers Everyone!
- I've written for an online community review magazine called the "Unreserved."
- I've written for "San Diego Magazine"
- I've been to four Wine Bloggers Conferences
- Attended the Wine Tourism at the International Wine Conference in Umbria, Italy and gave a talk on tourism.
- I won a wine-writing contest called WBC or Bust 2010
- I was one of eight finalists in the Cognac: Good Libations Writing Contest
The wines I review are found on the corner of reasonable and easily quaffable. So what I'm talking about? Everyday wines and even "occasion" wine selling for just under the $100. I freely admit that I do not have a single bottle in my cellar over $100 [even though my palate wishes it so]. Frankly, though, I believe this is the precise category of wines you'll most likely find in the majority of my fellow vino-sapiens cellars if the truth were told.
Why do I write about wine? A fair question, which I don't mind answering. For me the purpose is simple, this wine-blog exists to benefit and refresh every palate it touches whether you're an advanced wine slurping machine or just the garden variety wine-swirling vino-sapiens. It is my hope that the content of this blog will bring refreshment; like a well-balanced wine adding value, joy & fun to your own wine, tour and travel experiences.
Further, it's my hope you will take from my musings on the subject; the joy of wine drinking, tasting and travel while hopefully building a desire within you to explore all the beautiful aspects of this communal experience we have with the vine. Thank you for taking the time to stop by this blog, I am very grateful for your readership. Cheers Everyone!
