I just received the new, special edition of Wine & Spirits, which features a host of revolutionary winemakers and “winemongers” out there, of which there are a growing contingent of innovative and imaginative thinkers when it comes to wine. Of course, the most notable presence in this list is the venerable maverick, Gary Vaynerchuk, who for those in the know, have come to revere this guy as the pinnacle of wine retail. And for those of you who don’t think highly of him, don’t be a HATER – this guy’s kung-fu is VERY STRONG.
Taking his small family liquor business and transforming it into a 40,000 sq. ft. wine store that cranks out $50 mil a year in sales, you’d be hard press to find fault in his magnanimous exuberance. He has taken the Web and used it to blast his excitement and passion into cyberspace, and he has created a cultural firestorm in the process.
A lot of folks think he is obnoxious and arrogant, but I happen to see the guy as extraordinarily passionate about this great industry, and what he has done is nothing short of genius. I feel like I am right there with him in trying to fire up the customers on new, exciting brands and undiscovered appellations, showing the world there is much more to wine than Napa Valley and France.
For those of you who don’t have a clue who I am talking about, check out http://tv.winelibrary.com/ and tune into one of Gary’s weekly video blogs. They run close to a ½ an hour so make sure you take some time, grab a glass of your favorite wine, and enjoy.
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We're heading to the Wine Blogger's Conference in October and Gary is our keynote speaker. Yay! I can't wait to meet him in person after having emailed with him for a while.
Oo! You're a blogger now. You should come too! http://www.winebloggersconference.com
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