Oompa Loompa Wine Economy
Well heck. Throughout the last month a handful of winemakers have commented “I read your blog, really great post – I liked the one about xyz”. Me: huh? You read my blog? Ok, so I feel like a schmuck since it’s been a decade from the last post. I assumed it was just my mom on the other end.
Content is a funny thing. I learned through writing HBS essays to cut ever unnecessary word possible otherwise I wouldn’t make the word limit, thus be DQ’d. (disqualified, not win a blizzard from Dairy Queen). That means you actually have to spend time thinking and writing and not slop 1000 words together to try to get your point across. Someone who is great at this is my boss/partner Gary Vaynerchuk. He’s able to do this 2 – 3 minute videos on his vlog. It may look like much time doesn’t go into it. However, my theory is that it is stream of consciousness, much like this post, but that days, weeks, months of experience lead him up to talking about that topic. Something just triggers a neuron where all the pieces suddenly fit together and he does his video about it. What’s great? He doesn’t say a single word more than he needs to. What’s important about this is that it captures the American attention span perfectly…which is indefinitely short. Just face it… we are an I WANT AN OOMPA LOOMPA NOW society.
Brings me to wine. We purchase to drink not save (talking about the masses…you wine geeks 
And myself for that matter.) I recently purchased a 2005 Chateau Lynch-Bages. One of my favorites wine verticals and I have not yet had the ‘05. I understand I could lay this sucker down for ten plus years. But I’m excited about, do not have wine storage as I live in a one bedroom apartment and I am not a collector. I am a consumer. So why did I drop $90 on a bottle of wine when I could have picked up 9 bottles of value wine? Well, it’s a good question. There is something about this wine that brings me back to when I tasted the ‘87, the ‘82 and the people I tasted it with. I plan to share this ‘05 because wine is an adventure, a journey and about memories. It’s not always about the best value. It’s about trying new things and having memorable experiences.
Everyone has their opinions and will infer them onto you for as long as you live. Don’t get me wrong, this has its merits. When it comes to wine, however, listen to the experts, but trust your instincts, and do what you please. Because life, just sometimes, has to be about pleasure, doesn’t it? I mean, who wouldn’t want an oompa loompa.
