What's a nice diamond like you doing in a place like this?
02/21/2017
We kept driving and driving and driving. All the way from Portland Airport to Kennewick. It's about three and a half hours. By today's standards, that's barely a Sunday drive but I'd only been living in the US a couple years. My sense of distance was very much based on having lived most my life in London, where a four and a half hour drive could almost get me across the Channel to France or Belgium....
Even with the majestic scenery and the stunning Columbia Gorge to my right, to say my spirits were sagging with each passing 'No Gas for the next 8,000 miles sign' was an understatement. (Okay...'8,000 miles' I'm exaggerating, but you know what I mean.)
It was when Gerry opened the front door of store that I'd agreed to manage, that my sense of disbelief became complete. In what, seemed to me, was the capital of the middle-of-nowhere, was a 5th Avenue high-end fine jewelry boutique, replete with exotic hand-made fine jewelry and rare gemstones, French brocade curtains, custom-crafted oak cases, plush deep crimson carpets, and flock wallpaper that my Russian grandmother would have given her nod of approval.
This same sense of incongruity is apparent to almost everyone who visits Renaissance Vineyard & Winery for the first (and sometimes second and third) time. While the unusualness of RVW is not exactly on the same scale as the Pyramids, Stonehenge or Machu Picchu; even so the manicured palms, rows of Italian cypress trees, camels(!) and the occasional goat all make for somewhat surprising impressions.
Located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada at 2400 ft., about one and one-half hours from Sacramento, the sculpted slopes and rows of grapevines demand your attention. But what really brings home the sense of the unusual is the style and quality of the wines that were produced here. There's nowhere else in California - probably in the entire US - that has a library of aged wine with the scope and depth that Renaissance Winery possesses.
The 1983 Founder's Reserve is indicative of the art and craft that Dr. Karl Werner, our first Winemaker and co-founder of the winery, imbued into the vintages that Renaissance produced. From his example, each of the three successive winemakers crafting Renaissance vintages, produced wines of outstanding character.
There's our award winning 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon, our stunning 2002 'Granite Crown' blend of Cabernet and Syrah. Want a gorgeous Port or a stunning botrytised late harvest Sauvignon Blanc?
Our aged wines offer a deep, rich and satisfying experience – this is mature wine as wine was meant to be. Come and taste these wines. In fact, purchase a case or two or three. Wines of this age, quality and price point are nowhere else to be found...and if I do my job with even a modicum of success - will not be available in the foreseeable future.
Since cash-flow is one of my aims for re-organizing our business, I'm happy and willing to 'sharpen my pencil'.
Even with the majestic scenery and the stunning Columbia Gorge to my right, to say my spirits were sagging with each passing 'No Gas for the next 8,000 miles sign' was an understatement. (Okay...'8,000 miles' I'm exaggerating, but you know what I mean.)
It was when Gerry opened the front door of store that I'd agreed to manage, that my sense of disbelief became complete. In what, seemed to me, was the capital of the middle-of-nowhere, was a 5th Avenue high-end fine jewelry boutique, replete with exotic hand-made fine jewelry and rare gemstones, French brocade curtains, custom-crafted oak cases, plush deep crimson carpets, and flock wallpaper that my Russian grandmother would have given her nod of approval.
This same sense of incongruity is apparent to almost everyone who visits Renaissance Vineyard & Winery for the first (and sometimes second and third) time. While the unusualness of RVW is not exactly on the same scale as the Pyramids, Stonehenge or Machu Picchu; even so the manicured palms, rows of Italian cypress trees, camels(!) and the occasional goat all make for somewhat surprising impressions.
Located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada at 2400 ft., about one and one-half hours from Sacramento, the sculpted slopes and rows of grapevines demand your attention. But what really brings home the sense of the unusual is the style and quality of the wines that were produced here. There's nowhere else in California - probably in the entire US - that has a library of aged wine with the scope and depth that Renaissance Winery possesses.
The 1983 Founder's Reserve is indicative of the art and craft that Dr. Karl Werner, our first Winemaker and co-founder of the winery, imbued into the vintages that Renaissance produced. From his example, each of the three successive winemakers crafting Renaissance vintages, produced wines of outstanding character.
There's our award winning 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon, our stunning 2002 'Granite Crown' blend of Cabernet and Syrah. Want a gorgeous Port or a stunning botrytised late harvest Sauvignon Blanc?
Our aged wines offer a deep, rich and satisfying experience – this is mature wine as wine was meant to be. Come and taste these wines. In fact, purchase a case or two or three. Wines of this age, quality and price point are nowhere else to be found...and if I do my job with even a modicum of success - will not be available in the foreseeable future.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Since cash-flow is one of my aims for re-organizing our business, I'm happy and willing to 'sharpen my pencil'.
Post By:
Charles Rodkoff
