The other day Gary and I shared a bottle of LXV Rosé of Cabernet Franc. It was the perfect way to cap the day. As we drank it, I kept thinking about how fortunate I am. And that led me to think about the year that was 2022. But also the depth of gratitude I feel for the folks surrounding me.
2022 Gratitude…
for Some Important People in my Life
My Husband – we are approaching 35 years together, and I would not do it with anyone else!
My Sisters – I am not sure what our parents did, but we are all close friends and love spending time with each other. I can not imagine it any other way. Thank you for being my sisters, closest friends, and confidants.
My Friends – You know who you are. You bring me joy. You make me laugh. And as Karen Walker would say. “I’ll drink with ya!”
My Wine Mentor – Amber Burke. I would not be where I am today without you. All the tenacity that I mustered to be a wine writer and wine entrepreneur in the far-flung hamlet of Charleston, SC (can it be any farther from wine country?) requires support, encouragement, and untold introductions in the industry. You are a fantastic friend and advocate for all that I want to do in wine. I never gave up, and I will not ever give up. Thank You.
To Fred Swan – The Wine Educator Extraordinaire – Your continued belief in me is beyond. With you, I am surrounded by top-notch winemakers, owners, writers, and entrepreneurs that make me smarter.
To My Concierge Clients, My Tasting Clients, and My Blog Readers – Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. I do what I do because I LOVE it. But it would mean nothing without you.
To Chris Hatziz – You brought me into the Seven Stars Liquor store venture fourteen months ago. Thank You. The local market is now at my fingertips. It is a win-win.
The Year that Was
While I blogged less, I was busy and more deeply involved in wine. In 2022, I increased the number of wine events we hosted by 43%. I also tripled the number of concierge clients that I service. I also had two wine education opportunities. The first was with Fred (see above) and the usual suspects that gather for WWET excursions. We gathered in Paso Robles, CA, for an extraordinary five days (three with WWET and two with Hospice du Rhone). And then Gary and I created our own last October in Sicily, Italy. This was the highlight of the year, for sure.
I would finally like to send out a special thank my hank you to my winery partners of 2022.
Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards
Harney Lane Winery and Vineyards
Bokisch Vineyards
Bannister Wines
Two Shepherds Winery
Tolenas Winery
Dusty Nabor Wines
2023 The Coming Year
As I said above, I blogged less. But what I did not say was that I am unhappy with that. So I am changing that in 2023. However, this is not a resolution, nor is it a promise. I aim to bring some of the variety of posts back to the blog. However, my posts will be shorter. More concise, like an Instagram post. And then, as a subscriber, you will get an email from me no more than once a week with a list of what I posted. Like the one you just got that told you about the posts for the week of January 1st.
Be well in 2023.
