Today, I find myself in my sunshiney studio on #WineWednesday. I wasn’t particularly planning to write today, but the most significant #WineWednesday is only 7 days away. Yup, folks it’s Valentine’s Day in one week and if there was ever a time for me to write to you: It’s Now!
For some reason, I feel like Oprah is yelling at me saying “TIMES UP, BABY.”
I’ve shared so many wine stories on this blog over the years. Many of them are Valentine’s related, even if it’s not super noticeable.
I’m getting a bit ahead of myself, so I’m going to back my truck up a little bit. I’ve been a Sommelier for almost 15 years (wow, time flies when you are having fun drinking wine) and I’ve witnessed many trends come and go. But, I’ve never followed any of them, and that’s because I don’t have to. Neither, do you. From this day forward, if you are like me and detest all the crazy marketing gimmicks surrounding wine, especially when it comes to Hallmark-induced holidays, like Valentine’s, then I’m here to tell you:
IF YOU FIND YOURSELF IN THE WRONG STORY, LEAVE ~ MO WILLEMS
What you are about to read is every word, a true story.
I used to host these wine pairing events at a hip restaurant way back in my early career. On the slowest evening of the week, we would pack out the wine bar with folks starving for a wine guide. I got paid to drink wine and talk to people about wine (yes, coolest job ever!). One evening, this well-dressed gentleman engaged me in conversation and told me he’d never heard anyone talk about wine with such passion as me. He seemed to know a fair bit about the wine industry, and as we chatted for a bit, I asked him what he did for a living. It turns out; he was a VP at the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario); which I hate and love all in the same breath, but hate myself for loving – it’s a sordid tale for another day!
Back to VP guy, I’m originally from the Maritimes, and things were done differently there when it came to wine. I was always curious to get details about the evil ways of the wine industry, in Ontario. Straight up I asked, “It seems like you(as an organization) don’t really care about wine, am I just imagining this?”
He uttered a statement that both freed me forever and left me frustrated ever since. He said, “It’s true, we don’t care about wine, we could be selling tires or underwear. It’s all about sell, sell, sell and buy, buy, buy.”
Holy crap, right?
Of course, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t people within the LCBO that don’t have a passion for the product they sell on a daily. I’m sure, you’ve met them.
Remember this next time you see a commercial or an advertisement. Especially, guilt-ridden days like Valentine’s and Mother’s Day. Or corporate induced panic holidays like Secretary’s Day or Christmas. It’s so insidious that you may ask, what am I supposed to do?
I am here today, to bring you excellent news. You can leave the story of marketing and gimmicks and join everyday people, just like us. We don’t need the Washington Post to tell us that ‘experiences, not buying things will shape Valentine’s Day in 2018’.
You don’t have to judge wine by its label, ever again. See what I have to say about labels (especially wine ones) in this article called WELCOME TO WINE CAMP
If you want to, (even after many years of wine adventures) still have many new ones. Why not join us?
If you want to be the very best Valentine to your beloved or bestie why not share your love of wine with your Valentine all year long? (not just on one Hallmark day)Subscribe below, to Princess and Her Plants. It will be so much fun, we promise.
I’m going to share with you my very first Valentine’s story with Dave. It’s G-rated, except for a tiny bit of slang. You can find it here Holy Crap That’s Good: A Valentines Love Story.
And, since I know you will be under pressure to find THE perfect wine for next week, I’m sharing my straight shooting, cheat sheet to getting THE ONE & ONLY WINE YOU NEED FOR VALENTINE’S DAY!
If you are convinced, you should get free wine advice or share it with those you genuinely value then SIGN UP HERE!
I hope you enjoy this Valentine’s Day and if there is anything (at all) that I didn’t cover, that you are curious about send me a note ok?
Thanks for being my Valentine.
Kellie Jean Holley xoxo
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