PART 8: Arrival to Siena September '18

Poggio del Sasso, Vermentino, Cantina Di Montalcino

A.Arrival in Siena 2018

Hi Family and Friends whom are following my journey through both beginning a business and being a part of the 2018 Harvest Season in Central and Northern Italy. I have taken a bus from Terrarosa, Toscana to Siena, Italy. I have rented an Air bnb one bedroom/one bath about ten minutes away from the city center. I feel a bit nervous, but freedom is flowing through my veins. As I said in earlier blogs, I have no idea exactly what I am doing. Everything I do I plan for the next step in front of me, one at a time.

During the nights and mornings I sit back to look at the overall picture/dream and sit back to make a list of small goals to accomplish to head in that direction. I believe that as I step forward each time, I will unlock new ideas and goals to begin achieving. Each goal requires steps in that direction, and I have been attempting to brainstorm and create ideas as to what I can do to reach this goal. I have begun organizing my dream. A dream becomes reality only when you make physical goals to head towards… or at least that is what I have always been told. I intend to test this theory, finally, and see if what “they say” is true. If I put all of my heart, spirit, work, and thought into one direction…. Can I create the world I want? Although I am nervous to show the world (aka whoever reads my blog) my thought process, I think it gives me a sense of openness of how I think, how I am going to go about this, and who I am at large.

Many people would have organized this in a very professional manner, but I don’t always work best within the realms of conventional organization. The free flow of thoughts arranged into broad categories of goals are what have always created magic and innovation in my life. I don’t know if there is a “correct way” to portray a dream with necessary plans for action, but this is my shot at it. An unconventional, unprofessional, free thinking thought process.

What is my dream?

A. To personally learn how each wine producing country in the world connects to their wine, markets their wine, and loves their wine.

B. To personally meet the wine producers of impactful regions/territories and hear their stories of their land and wine, and to make a lifelong friendship with each person I meet while learning this industry inside and out.

C. To end up owning a “Philosophy Wine Bar”(of some sort) somewhere in a foreign country, on the coast, where we bring boutique wines from all over the world in contact to intellectuals from University’s all around the world to discuss intimate/controversial/political/economic conflicts; to discuss history, the past, science and mathematics, love and hate. I want a place that brings consciousness to the world, and conversation between intellectuals inspired by a glass of prestigious global wines.

II. What are your principal goals that could lead to reaching this goal?

A. To Become a licensed Sommelier

B. To work a harvest in Tuscany and Piedmonte, Italy and get to know wine producers from boutique wineries

C. To go to any/all harvest festivals in each region

D. To get the contact information of American Importers for the Wineries and the prices and locations they sell

E. To go to wine school and further my education in either enology, viticulture, wine business or marketing in the next year in an international location.

F. To keep in contact with everyone I meet, and keep track of these contacts throughout the years.

G. To record and take notes of every bottle of wine I taste on excel.

III. What steps could you take towards accomplishing each goal?

A. To Become a licensed Sommelier - read and take notes on my wine course book -Take notes on every wine I try and record them and compare them to the bottle notes on excel. -Take notes on wines you would like to try -Understand the grapes, regions, good/bad years of each wine in Tuscany and Piedmonte -Do blind tastings every night (find local wine bars to try?) -Take sommelier test in December of 2018

B. To work a harvest in Tuscany and Piedmonte, Italy and get to know wine producers from boutique wineries - Figure out a systematic approach to which vineyards/wineries you would like to visit by appointment -map out all wineries within your vicinity, but also in surrounding wine regions - clarify who you are as a company, what services you offer, and what goals you have -have sufficient questions to ask producers -know about each winery and be educated before visit -figure out transportation. Ie) trains, bus, bike, rent a car,etc. - get a permission de giorno turistica (work 20 hours a week as a tourist and get Tax number to work) - Who are they contracted with for importing and what are the contracts stating?

C. To go to any/all harvest festivals in each region -record on excel all wine festivals in the Region of Tuscany (first) and then Piedmonte (later on). - research information about the festival and prepare for which producers and wine makers may be coming… prepare to know enough about their wine to ask significant questions/prepare for tasting -clarify who you are and what your service is -bring business cards -take notes at all producer stations, and keep contact book up to date.

D. To get the contact information of American Importers for the Wineries and the prices and locations they sell -get contacts of importers from USA contracted with each individual Winery. -what % of the wine production does this importer sell from the winery? -what do their contracts state? -become their allies, how can you grow with them? How can you service them? Mutual beneficial relationship. -how much money do they pay for X amount of each wine product by case/bottle/etc. - find out if they have or need a distributor in Florida -get a warehouse in Florida - be prepared for the question, “how much quantity are you looking to buy?”

E. To go to wine school and further my education in either enology, viticulture, wine business or marketing in the next year in an international location. -research wine schools in Italy and France -pin point what you would like to focus on: enology, viticulture, wine sales/marketing (internationally)? -research the city I want to study in and the wine regions near -learn Italian and French

F. To keep in contact with everyone I meet, and keep track of these contacts throughout the years. - maintain relationship and checkup consistently on clients, partners, and friends in this community. - contact each new person I meet and thank them for meeting with them. -return to the wineries/wine bars/ vineyards a few times and get to know the people in the environment

IV. What details could help encourage you to move forward towards accomplishing each step? - This is very particular so I will not list all of these details here 

V. What are your fears?

Failing - Not being able to realize fully what I am as a business…and I quit too soon - I get intimidated out of the business because I came in too late - I don’t have the finances to do what I need and to get the proper permits/licensing - People don’t take me seriously because I am a young girl new into the industry - I can’t speak Italian well enough to communicate in important scenario’s - Missing opportunity right in front of my face - Not using this precious time correctly - Not staying focused, or being swayed too far from my original path - Doing all of this alone and simply not knowing what the next day entails - A fear of the unknown… - Not being able to make enough money to support myself or my business and having to return to the finance industry

VI. What are your strengths in this moment? -

I am here. Boots on the ground. - I am all in. My whole heart and soul and body is totally 110% in this. - I know how to work hard. - I love the fear of the unknown. It drives me. - I like challenges that are like an unknown puzzle, and I want this. - I am safe. I am organized. I am inspired. - I like to take risks and chances. - I like finding solutions to difficult problems. - I have to feed myself. That will fuel me enough. I don’t eat all day some days so I can afford drinking the fine wines and traveling. I can’t let myself fail. I will not fail. - I am well informed on the regions, the wines, and the industry. I have proper tools to move forward. - I have a lot of support. Both in the USA and here. - I already have done a large/hard part of everything. I quit my job and went for a dream. I made a business. I have hope. That alone will be enough. - I love wine. I love people. I love stories. I want to be here on this journey.