Wine a bit, you'll feel better

Won't you be my...Won't you be my...Won't you be my...friend?

2012-02-04T08:32:00.000-08:00

During the Holidays we brought in a "friendly" red blend from California (Pedroncelli Winery), called Friends.red. Blended in an easy drinking style, and packaged with a bit of whimsy (that's right up our alley ;) it soon became the hit of the season - and continues to be.

But, this wine speaks to me on so many levels. It's become a symbol of what wine represents (in the bigger picture) in my life - more than a beverage. Somehow, a glass of wine is synonymous with "friends". As time goes on, it's the biggest blessing of my life. Years of great memories with - good wine, good food, and good friends.

If you've missed the magic - it's never too late. Pick up a friend, and call a friend

Thanks Steve.

2011-10-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

Last week, I had a frustrating day. I had just completed Upson's website updates and hit publish. Nothing happened. After a few phone calls, Iearned my server no longer supported my software.

When I got home, I poured myself a glass of wine and whined a bit. Then, I turned on the television and learned that Steve Jobs had died. I thought about my Apple 11e that we purchased (1984) soon after opening "Upson's". It was a huge investment at the time, but we never looked back.

Clearly, I didn't know Steve Jobs, but I sure felt his death. He changed our lives, and changed the World.

I'll bring back my website (it just published today) and it will be better then ever.

We can't bring back Steve Jobs.

But, imagine. If, like Steve Jobs

We were the best people we could be - everyday
We did the best job we could do - everyday
We did "the right thing" - everyday
We loved our very precious life - everyday

From the richest to the poorest
Don't you think we could turn things around?
Don't you think we'd be the best kind of "super power"?

It starts with each of us - everyday.

Thanks, Steve.

God Bless and Keep you.

Labor Day - you better show up for work

2011-08-31T07:21:00.000-07:00

As a retailer, this is a fun week. Everyone is looking forward to a long weekend, which has come to represent the "end of summer". But, this morning I thought I'd rattle my memory bank and really know the history of Labor Day...and here it is.

The first Labor Day in the United States was observed on September 5, 1882, by the Central Labor Union of New York. It became a federal holiday in 1894, when, following the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the U.S. military and U.S. Marshals during the Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with the labor movement as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike. The September date originally chosen by the CLU of New York and observed by many of the nation's trade unions for the past several years was selected rather than the more widespread International Workers' Day because Cleveland was concerned that observance of the latter would stir up negative emotions linked to the Haymarket Affair, which it had been observed to commemorate. All U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the territories have made it a statutory holiday.

Well, there you have it. ...We'll be here (happily) working to help make your Labor Day Weekend fun and relaxed....But, given the meaning and intent of Labor Day maybe few State Governors should show up to work and lay low.

"Ring. Ring." Can I help you?

2011-08-24T07:45:00.000-07:00

It's the most amazing thing, and it's happened more then once.

A customer walks in the store talking on their cell phone. They wave, they circle the store grabbing their favorite items, arriving at the counter. Still talking on their phone, they pull out their credit card, (making some hand signals indicating their transaction is complete), sign, wave, and leave.

Now, I don't take offense..really. Sadly, it's become almost normal. Honestly the first thing that goes through my mind is, how much fun dinner must be. Can you imagine how important you would feel as a spouse or companion sitting across the table? When did the person in the little box attached to your ear, become more important then the person looking you in the eye? When?

Try this, and tell me what you think

2011-08-17T09:38:00.000-07:00

The "fringe" of wine has to include a wine tasting! Next month, we're planning to taste some pretty interesting wines with our guest Jeff Faber from Opolo Winery in Paso Robles, California. I'm excited because this will be a high energy "tasting focused" event (meaning the room chatter will be about wine). Jeff has a special way of making everyone feel comfortable and welcome - and his wine excitement and energy is infectious. If you want to know more about the wine you are tasting, start with knowing nothing about the wine you're tasting. You'll be amazed at how much fun it is to search for tastes, aromas, and flavors. If you can't join in on a tasting, do it yourself at home with friends!

Join us on Wednesday, September 28th. http://www.upson.com/

Run Rabbit Run!

2011-04-19T13:31:00.000-07:00

It's Spring! It's Easter!

I'll admit, after all these years, I go for the easy marketing hook, and this time the Rabbit won.

How easy it that?

With the 2007 Rabbit Ranch Marlborough New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc we all came out the winner. There are several things hoppin-ing in this wine that really made it interesting.

If you know New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, you expect crisp, bright, grassy, citrus, acidity...
With this wine, the winemaker left the wine on the lees for 3 months to tone down the typical grassy style. It has imparted a butteriness to the wine.
We're so used to drinking our wines young now, that we sometimes forget the value of time in the bottle. This 2007 is a charmer.
We sampled this wine over several days and it held up beautifully - you may want to consider a case for the season - on the patio sipping and watching your own spring "rabbit ranch".

Note* Lees is the term for the sediment (comprised of dead yeast cells and other particles) which remain in the wine after fermentation. This sediment settles to the bottom of the fermentation vat, after which the wine is separated from the lees through the process know as racking.

Only one...!?

2011-03-03T08:36:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, a customer came in to buy a corkscrew. She was thrilled with her Screwpull, and wanted another. As we talked, I asked if I could recommend a wine for her to open with that new corkscrew. No, she replied, we only drink one wine and we buy it from the winery.

I'm thrilled that she is enjoying a wine, and have found a favorite...but, afterward I got to thinking about drinking only one wine. I can't fathom having missed all the magnificent wine experiences I have had over the years - because I only drink one wine.

When I first started drinking wine I knew immediately which ones I like, and didn't. I got tired of "trying something new" and not liking it (what a waste of money). That experience always took me back to the wine I knew I liked and there I stayed....but for awhile. Actually, this is exactly why we opened our wine store - to understand what our customers like, and encourage them to to try something new - with confidence.

Well, my lady today is still enjoying her favorite wine, but I hope that somewhere in the back of her mind she will hear my words "we'd love to introduce you to some wines that are similar to the one you're enjoying now..." and we'll see her again.

What's going to be New about Today?

2011-02-23T15:00:00.000-08:00

Someone commented recently about a person that started each day with "what will today bring?" I thought, how great is that! I'm all for thinking about the past and its' lessons, but we shouldn't miss the fun and opportunity that "today" will bring.

This month we had our first "virtual wine tasting" and shared the experience with our face book fans - it was great fun. But, what was the most fun was the excitement of tasting the wine like I did in the beginning and sharing the experience.

Over time we can get comfortable and not really pay attention (to things) as we once did.

So, I challenge us all to start each day with the excitement of "what will today bring?" and end it with "wow, that was an amazing day!"

P.S. This afternoon, Diane (a lovely customer) told me how (when she was a child) she would peel back the stem of a dandelion into little curls (like a trumpet at the end), and she would dip it in soap and blow bubbles by blowing into the hollow stem. Today brought me be creative and "look at everyday things in a different way"

Beverage of the Gods - Wine

2011-01-06T12:40:00.000-08:00

Today I opened an email from a dear customer, and this is what it said.

"Just a short note to tell you that the J Schram you recommended for us was one of the finest Sparkling white wines I have ever had. You know us well enough to know we have tasted most of the premium Champagnes France has to offer, and I say to you with confidence the the 1998 J Schram would fare well in a blind tasting with Frances best. I have heard Champagnes referred to as creamy, but this is one of the very few where that descriptor has made any sense to me. Thank You my friend for the recommendation, and I hope your Christmas season was as enjoyable as ours."

I had to share that, because (for me) it doesn't get much better than this... I'm not talking the compliment, but hearing the pure enjoyment of this "gift" we all have all been given - called wine.

Regardless of whether you are new to wine, or have enjoyed it for years, this just reminds me that we never know what amazing and memorable experience will be "opened" with that next bottle and sip.

By the way, Wine Enthusiast gave the 1998 a 94 point rating. Sorry, we don't have anymore. It was awesome while it lasted!

What a great way to start the year!

The beginning of the end

2010-12-28T09:45:00.000-08:00

This is always an interesting and reflective week - it's the beginning of the end - of another year. The past couple of years have been enough for folks to wish in a New Year as fast as possible, but me, I'm one to take the moment (good or bad) and try to get the most from it. As I look back at the few postings I've made, it quickly tells a story of life and times...but surprisingly not this life and times. We always think that what is happening today is something brand new....sorry, we're still humans...it's been done. What's interesting is how we come through it (better or worse). What a great choice. Why choose bad? Why choose worse?

This week is always a busy one. Let me get to work and leave you with this...
How you see the world is how you see yourself. Believe that your tomorrow will be better then your today.
We can't change our day to day realities, but we can change how we choose to respond to those realities. Believe in the goodness of others. Believe that this is a great day, a great week, a great month, a great year!...and the next will be even better!

See you Next Year!

When Good People - Get Bad

2010-12-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

There seems to be a lot of good people out there - getting bad. In the past few weeks (on the fringes of wine), several folks have relayed stories of some over the top reactions they have gotten from people that seemed rather inappropriate for the event. My thinking has always been, If someone does something great - tell the world! If they mess up - tell them. The tell them part can be hard to deal with - especially when you think you're doing a good job. Sometimes wrath comes your way and you wonder why (like the happy hand gesture thrown your way while you're driving 45mph in a 45mph zone, by the car zooming past you). Maybe you're not even given the opportunity to correct the wrath or misunderstanding (this amazing Internet can be a great source of such things). In the end, it's not them - it's us (the individual) who have to come to terms with it. Reflect. Apologize if you messed up. Try to do better, and save yourself for the good people in your life - they are the ones who deserve you at your best. If you're still carrying it, ask yourself this - is that person so important that they can have such power over you? The only one entitled to make you sweat when you mess up is your God - and even he will forgive you!

This morning I saw Marlo Thomas on television for St. Jude's Children's Hospital. At the end she said, My father, Danny Thomas used to say "The world is made up of givers and takers. The takers may sometimes eat better, but the givers always sleep better..."

Sleep Well dear ones and Merry Christmas!

When sadness needs a place to go

2010-11-17T09:57:00.000-08:00

Time, and shared experiences build a trust, that can be tested at the most unexpected moments. Yesterday sadness needed a place to go, and it was here.

Our conversation started with the usual Hi, how are you?   By the look on her face I could see something had dramatically changed in her world. Not very good, she replied. My husband died of a heart attack on October 4th, and I couldn't save him.... at that moment, all I could do was walk around the counter with my arms extended. I would know if she needed a hug, and she did.   Immediately her eyes welled up with tears (tears are trust...tears are good...very good).   A terrible and unexpected loss.

Later in the day, a visit from another customer from years and years ago. Wow, haven't seen you in awhile..how are you? Good, he said, as he introduced me to his two children. Out came the books for the kids to read, while "dad" browsed.   He shopped for some time, as I offered commentary on products, the weather, the Holiday... Then, quietly he said, it's kind of hard right now, my wife and I just separated.... In the background, his six year old son was reading to his older (11 year old) sister. For him, just as tramatic a loss.

At the end of the day, I reflected on these two individuals, and this precious special place we call life.     I was glad that here, sadness had a place to be.

Be kind today...trust me, someone is hurting more than you.

Outside Expectations - Inside Reality

2010-10-08T09:48:00.000-07:00

This week, a dear longtime customer stood at the counter leafing through the new issue of Greater Kalamazoo Women's Lifestyle. He stopped when he came to an advertisement showing a very fit young man at the beach, and said "goodness, where did they get that picture of me without my shirt on!". This comment started me thinking how outside (the bottle/or person) we have certain impressions or expectations, but once we take the time to get inside, the reality could be something very different. I'm still trying to get over the image of my customer without his shirt on, but it sure made me smile to think that this man of maturity still saw himself as young and buff. This outside expectation - inside reality happened recently when I tasted the 2009 Torres Vina Esmeralda wine from Spain. This white wine made from a blend of Muscat and Gewurztraminer gave me certain expectations before I even opened the bottle. But, the inside reality was quite different. The wine just blew me away! It's a dry wine with moderate alcohol (11.5%), with aromas of orange blossoms and tangerine, and the flavors mix with a hint of spice and vanilla. It's bright and lively and it keeps you coming back for just another sip... I've been reminded (again) to take the time to get to know and enjoy reality.

"Click, Click, Gulg, Glug, Glug"

2010-09-23T14:14:00.000-07:00

Oh, the romance of screw caps....

I mentioned the lovely dinner party we had recently, but what I didn't mention was one of the wines. This was a special birthday dinner, and one of the courses was a dish of primarily mixed roasted mushrooms. Perfect for a nice Pinot Noir, and a great reason to open a special bottle from one of our travels. I pulled a bottle of 1992 Hospices de Beaune Pommard, which had purchased in Beaune, France. As dinner parties go, there was a great deal of conversation, but when it came time to open this particular bottle, I asked for the attention of the guests...stating that the wine had something to say to us... I told of where we purchased the wine as I cut the foil from the top (good, no sign of leakage on the cork). Slowly, the corkscrew spiraled down the very long French cork, and I started to lift. This is where I asked for silence...then, we heard it...that soft whisper of a sigh, as the cork separated itself from the bottle. I decanted the wine, letting it catch its breath. The wine was stunning and was a lovely match to the mushrooms. It's special, when a wine tells you about itself and you take the time to listen.

God invented Dinner Parties.

2010-09-20T10:21:00.000-07:00

...must have. They're a little piece of heaven on earth. Saturday night I threw a dinner party for both my husband, and my friends birthdays. It was the best fun. I planned the meal out of The Common Grill Cookbook (awesome) from Michigan's own Common Grill in Chelsea, Michigan. It was a breeze, as I started "prepping" on Wednesday after work, did a little each evening and by Saturday it was just a little final prep and setting the table. Each dish turned out fabulous (a friend told me he'd never eaten such good food at someones house). I took that to mean I had created a "restaurant" quality meal! (thank you Craig Common). I love the energy of a Dinner Party. The conversation, the laughter....a bit of food, a sip of wine....it's the best! Yup, I know God invented dinner parties! He wanted us to talk to one another, listen to one another, be good to one another....any politicians want to join the next time just let me know.

The dreaded wine list

2010-09-16T08:44:00.000-07:00

My husband called me this week from Las Vegas. He was attending a trade show and had enjoyed a dinner outing with his business colleagues. As often the case (he says, because his wife owns a wine store) he was given charge of the wine list. He always does a great job selecting, but it got me thinking about the pressure one is under when given this task. Even I am known to ponder the restaurant wine list. First, there's that uneasy feeling of what price do my friends want to share in? Then, you've got a table of folks all ordering different items and with tasting palates all over the place. Whew! In this case, price seems to be the place to start. I often find that going just a touch higher (just up from where the prices start, which is usually about $20), where you'll usually get a more distinctive wine. Another thing that I've struggled with is the undo pressure ordering a fine wine puts on the wine. Here you have a wine - delivered to the table, opened, poured, judged, and consumed at the speed of life...it just doesn't seem fair to the wine. For that reason, I tend to order wines that are a little more forgiving of the pace. This is a great time to try something new. I've enjoyed: Torrontes - a white wine that will match easily with a variety of cuisines (a nice alternative from Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc). If you like something on the softer side, try a Vouvray (Chenin Blanc) a good wine with food and a excellent transitional (meaning it can bridge the gap between dry and sweet). In reds, I enjoy Malbec (Argentina). They open up and drink well, and are usually really fairly priced...and don't forget to rethink a good Merlot (it's another easy to approach wine).

Human thought. Slow down Enjoy the wine, the food, and the people you are with - and remember, you don't have to drink the whole bottle (they'll pack it up for you). Make some good memories and Drive safe.

Start each day like a DOG

2010-09-15T12:28:00.000-07:00

Start each day like your dog. In dog world everyday is the same wonderful awakening. They start with a big long stretch and yawn, and then they start their happy "good morning" ritual. I'm not sure why it often involves smelling human breath, but I'm optimistic enough to think they just want to make sure I made it through the night, and will be up to feed them soon..then, off they go zooming through the house. No worries are carried-over from yesterday, and every morning is a bright new beginning. I'm glad to have this happiness around me. If they could blog, I hope they'd say the same thing about me....well, except for the breath thing. Make it a dog-gone good day!