Introducing Due Santi Wines

Guess Who is returning to the wine business? ME! After an eight year hiatus and an incredible journey in writing and photography, I have returned to my beloved wine sales. This time with a significant twist. I am now importing wine from Italy and my great alma mater, The University of Dallas. The wine is called DUE SANTI ROSSO ( 2 Saints is also the location of the UD Constantin Rome Campus), and you may get in on the presale right here. Yes, of course, my photography career is going to remain a huge focus for me, but I am thrilled to be able to share this wine that I have long believed should be a part of the lives of all of us UD Alumni. Since I started in the wine biz in 1996, I have dreamed of one-day importing wines and having a portfolio of beautiful elixir to offer clients, friends, and family. Little did I know I would begin with a product from the place where it all began, Rome.

In 1995 I was sitting in a Cafe in Florence, with my UD girlfriend along with her mother and sister. The conversation had grown banal, and while I had not enjoyed dry red wine before that night, I began to sip from a 3-liter jug of Chianti a waiter had placed on the table. By the 3rd glass of my new favorite beverage, the conversation was flowing, I was poetic, and my life had changed. I returned to the US, got a job as a clerk in a wine shop, and 22 years later, here I am, importing wine from the campus of the University that gave me the opportunity to fall in love with wine and Italy.

[caption id="attachment_27019" align="alignnone" width="450"] The Beautiful Label Design of DSR[/caption]

Due Santi Rosso is the brainchild of Dr. Peter Hatlie, my dear friend, and director of the UD Rome Campus. Peter has nurtured the vines on campus like he coaches the minds of his students. The result is the 2015 DUE SANTI ROSSO, a wine of great typicity, perfect backbone, and a beautiful bouquet (I only use that term when it is beautiful). I could not be happier with the first wine in our new portfolio. My partner in this endeavor is Harvard MBA Chris Tyler. He started Cellar Browser to help collectors sell bottles of expensive and rare wines. I bought some great Barolo from him, and we began to discuss the DUE SANTI project. I had been telling Peter for a few years that this wine was commercially viable, and now with Chris's enormous help and talent, we are bringing the wine to the US (along with more wines this fall).

Our business model will be direct to consumer sales, and we will offer all wines as pre-sales at very aggressive pricing. For example, right now, the DUE SANTI ROSSO is offered at $19.99 a bottle when purchased in a case of 12 (or more) bottles. Of this, a portion of the sale price will benefit The University of Dallas and its Students.

The University of Dallas gave me the opportunities in life to be where I am today. I am honored to offer a product that will allow me to invest in their storied Rome program, and to hopefully inspire future students to choose a path in life that brings them joy and discovery on a daily basis. I will be coming to Dallas for the Alumni and Family Weekend on Oct 12-15 to pour DUE SANTI ROSSO and talk about all things UD, Rome, and Wine.

Today is one of the best days of my professional life.

Housewrighter embeds with Blue Rock Vineyard

The 19th Century Farmhouse.

The Housewrighter has embedded with Blue Rock Vineyard for a 1 year exploration of an estate, its winery, and the people who manage them. Kenny Kahn is the magnanimous owner of Blue Rock, in the Alexander Valley. This, recently fashionable, enclave of excellent wine is showing up all over the press lately. Blue Rock is one of the reasons it is. The wines are excellent, but I am not here to write about wine flavors, organoleptic compounds, or scores from critics. I am here to talk about people, to share my observations living at the winery once a month, and to learn just what the hell goes on day-to-day during the winery year. It all starts with Kenny, a native of Memphis, and while his southern charm is evident, do not be mislead by the lilt of his voice when he describes his estate. Kenny is no bumpkin. He is cool, well-dressed in French berets, country denim, and possessing the savoir-faire to relate to kings and countrymen. He is clearly well-traveled and conscious of his presentation.  In the first 15 minutes of hanging out with him, it is apparent he owns the place, and not just in deed, but in show.

In October of last year I took his photo for a Wine Enthusiast article about the Alexander Valley. In minutes I, could feel the wheels turning, and within an hour, we were talking about collaborating. He was looking to grow his presence on the web and get new images of his gorgeous property. I explained, that I am a storyteller, first and foremost. I would be happy to work with him on new images, but the story would have to come from our interactions, my observations, and that the winery year would dictate the storylines. We quickly agreed to meet again on this subject, and shortly after Wine Enthusiast sent my images to print, Kenny Kahn called.

"Can you come up once a month, stay in the farmhouse, see what we do?" said Kenny, rather matter-of-factly. It took me about a second and a half to accept. I was in the wine industry for 16 years, but I have never worked in a winery, or experienced the inner workings of the winemaking operation. Blue Rock is no juggernaut in terms of size, yet it produces several thousand cases of wine,  and Kenny is the only full-time employee of the winery. No question that the man is a hard worker. The vineyards are another story, but not an altogether different one. The immigrant family that toils the earth for Blue Rock is an exceptional saga of its own, and I relish the opportunity to share it with you in the coming months. We agreed I would come up in January, and at least once a month from there.

I arrived at Blue Rock last week in a rented Dodge Ram 1500 with a Hemi. If I was going to live a winery life, once a month for a year, I needed a proper vehicle. Kenny greeted me in the middle of the one-way road  at the site of a broken-down tractor, getting a jump start. "That's how things go at a winery Michael, things break, they all cost a ton of money to fix, but if you don't fix them, you can't do the work." We jumped in the car (a winery appropriate Korean luxury sedan) with Laika (the ubiquitous, and immediately charming, winery dog), and headed to lunch, on a cool sunny day. We drove through the vineyards and Kenny explained some of the history of the area. We got serious tacos at a taqueria where we appeared to be the only gringos in the joint. "The place fills with vineyard workers every evening", said Kenny ripping into a bowl of outstanding and spicy salsa. He warned me the salsa had some kick, and being a native Texan, I devoured 2 to 3 chips before I allowed any heat to settle. If it was going to come, I wanted it to come hard. It did, I was sweaty, and sated.

From there we decided to drive back to Blue Rock through Dry Creek, land of Zinfandel. A farming community for a century or more, Dry Creek is now starting to show signs of powerful monied influences. All around Sonoma county there are new restaurants, lively markets, and folks clamoring for a life that simply got ignored, and left to the "locals" for a hundred years. Now, it's cool to go to wine country. Who needs a flight to Champagne, when there is so much incredible life to be lived right in the American backyard. Blue Rock is this backyard. French country in style, Memphis proud in hospitality, and decidedly American in its optimism. On our way up the stairs, back at the farmhouse, I could not help but notice the light from the carefully placed windows on the landing. The sun was setting low over the high hills in back of the estate, and it was shining a beam of warmth through the afternoon haze. I grabbed my Nikon and emphatically skipped down the stairs to see.

I had always heard that vineyards go dormant in the winter. There is nothing dormant about these lands. The mustard flowers, the essential insects, the birds, and the beautiful sunshine suggest something closer to a botanical orgy, than dormancy. I knew at that point in my day, I had made the right decision. I would tell the story of this place, and I would be better for doing it. Although I am not sure I still need the Ram truck.

Join me next week when we meet Kenny's neighbor and I sit in on the blending of the famous Blue Rock Vineyards, Baby Blue Wine.

The Americans vs. Italy (Guest Post)

**The Blissful Adventurer is running about Italy at the moment so in his stead we happily endorse and support the work of the following blogger, Airports Made Simple. Please check out this post, leave comments for exchange with the author, and give their blog a read.**

By AirportsMadeSimple

Venice, Italy, 2004: The beauty of The Piazza, pigeons flocking about, and… harried Americans.

Other than the incredible beauty of this historical city, I was struck by travelers who didn’t “get” why they were here:

To relax
Enjoy the moment
Savor the wine
Observe the locals
Eat food at out-of-the-way places

If you’re visiting Venice anytime soon, take note:

Americans: Think feeding the pigeons in Piazza San Marco is cool.
Italians: Think feeding pigeons that poop on you is akin to making friends with a rabid bat.

Americans: Think leaving the windows open (on the canal, at night) is a great idea. Local flavor.
Italians: Know if you leave your windows open, you won’t be able to get your eyes open from all the mosquito bites.

Americans: Are waaaaaaay too uptight about drinking wine with lunch.
Italians: Drink wine with lunch, dinner, any pretty much anytime they damn well feel like it.

Americans: Expect to hear Dean Martin’s “That’s Amore” when plopping down $250 for a gondola ride.
Italians: Prefer to sing songs like AC/DC’s “Back in Black.”

Americans: Life = speed. In eating, walking, or waiting for our food and drink in a restaurant.
Italians: Are indifferent to hurry. Don’t speed through Life with absent presence. Serve food when it’s ready. Get where they’re going when they get there.

Americans: Drive like our ass is on fire. All the time.
Italians: Drive like their ass is on fire IF their ass is actually on fire. Most walk.

Americans: Take trips.
Italians: Take vacations.

Italy is a feeling.

Murano glass, handmade pasta and breathtaking architecture are their symbols.

We need to catch up.

CLICK HERE for more info about AirportsMadeSimple.com.