Short bio
I have lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for most of my adult life, and aside from a short foray into Oregon, I have no plans to leave CA again anytime soon. What began as just a job a few decades ago has somehow turned into a decades-spanning career – and I can’t imagine doing anything else! Outside of work, I busy myself with a seemingly endless list of things to fix on my recently obtained convertible, or less frequently, lovingly refinishing mid-century furniture pieces.
Where have you lived?
I currently live in Vallejo, CA, but have also lived in Santa Rosa, CA, San Francisco, CA, and Portland, OR.
First Car
It was a thing of beauty. It was a 1971 VW Squareback, and I paid $400 for the car. It was orange in the front from the hood to the front quarter panels and beige for the rest of the vehicle. It wasn’t pretty to look at, but I loved it, and it never let me down.
How did you start in the wine business?
It was purely by happenstance. I was living in Santa Rosa, CA, and the store manager, where I worked at the time, was transferred to the San Francisco store, heading the wine department. He said to contact him if I wanted to work at that store, and I immediately took him up on the offer.
Best concerts of your life
Depeche Mode Black Celebration at the Greek Theater, Everything But The Girl at the Warfield, and Omara Portuondo at the Paramount Theatre.
After tasting wine all day I want to drink a…
Sparkling Water
After staring at a computer all day I want to drink a…
Something with bubbles
What puts the biggest smiles on your face?
Cooking for family and friends, building computers, having animated “conversations” with my dog when it’s his bath time – he is adamant that he never needs one, and finding a terrific new novel to read.
Fantastic wine experience
I bought a bottle of 1964 Chave Hermitage from a wine shop in San Francisco for $100, which I shared with three others. Disappointment and dismay at having the cork crumble as I tried to remove it turned into an almost religious experience when I tasted it (after picking out all of the cork bits). Don’t speak; the angels are singing…
Last bottle of wine you ever want to drink
I can’t answer that question until I’ve first tasted all of the wines.
While on the wine route I love to…
Eat great food!
Favorite vacation spot
October in Eze, a quaint little town located in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur in Southeastern France on the French Riviera.
Favorite cheese
I like all cheeses except for smelly, runny ones…
Great food & wine pairing
Too many to list
If you won the lottery…
I kind of have already…or, more specifically, my family almost had except for one crucial detail. Perhaps, I’ll tell you about it someday over a glass of wine.
