Takin' it to a Whole 'Nother Level

I was talking with a new wine friend, Ray Walker, recently, who put things in perspective for me.

I was in my law office, talking to him between legal projects. I am making wine in California. Surely, I think, I am really puttin' it on the line, makin' wine, livin' the dream. But I continue to live (most of the time ) in Greenville, still practice law, and am making tiny quantities of handcrafted artisan wine.

Ray was a stock broker. He quit his day job and went to work for Ed Kurtzmann as a cellar rat. Ray is married and has a baby daughter.

And get this, because this is the real kicker: Ray is now preparing to move from California to Burgundy to start a French winery business. He will be what the French call a Negociant. This means, in his case, that he will buy grapes and make wine in Burgundy. He will also be working with two highly regarded Burgundy winemakers.

God knows how Ray talked his wife into doing this. Ray has been very busy learning French and studying French culture. The logistics are daunting to say the least. The winemaking itself may be the easiest part of this venture because Ray already knows how to do this!

So, Godspeed and Good Luck, Ray. I hope to come visit you in Burgundy some time after you have gotten settled in to see how they do it on the other side of the pond. Check out Ray's story at http://www.maison-ilan.com/. There is a link to Ray's website on my blogroll on the left side of the Calicaro blog page. Ray recently changed the name of his winemaking business to Maison Ilan from Domaine Ilan, which is more fitting for him as a negociant purchasing grapes rather than owning a vineyard.

And if anyone stilll thinks I am crazy, I am going to tell them Ray's story!

Cheers,

Dave