Wine & Movies

First off, last night I went to a nice Japanese restaurant in SF with some friends and Canadian family (one had tried Inniskillin, both know what it is, and neither of them thinks it's a big trend). I told them about the case we had gone over in class, and immediately afterward, the dessert menu came. What did I see for $20/glass? Inniskillin! Well targeted. Well targeted.

Why am I taking this class? The intersection of culture/art in a highly profitable business marketplace is a very salient and fascinating discussion to me. I went to film school for undergrad and have always worked in this industry where art and commerce are bittersweet bedmates. Wine--a highly scrutinized, beloved, expensive, traditional, valued, highly capital intensive industry, etc.--reminds me of movies. I also appreciate it in similar ways to movies. How companies known for quality negotiate the question whether or not to expand and offer cheaper, lower quality products is a an argument I am drawn to. At what point does someone not sacrifice quality/tradition for an extra buck? What audience do you want? Do you run your company like a profit-maximizing firm, or noble custodians of a culture and art form?

One of the biggest questions I have asked myself in life is whether my love of movies is a career, or a very passionate hobby. In analyzing what makes a winemaker/who decides to start a winery and how/why the wine economy works, I see my mind working similarly to when I think of the crazy ones who decide to make movies despite the risk, the unpredictability, the subjectiveness of the quality, the ability to make money, the effect of brand and marketing, etc.

If I didn't make movies, I would still need to make a product that is rooted in art/culture, and which ends up in front of a person. Wine is not much different for me.

On another note, my favorite way to travel is through food/drinks. It's how I understand cultures, lifestyles, and it's without a doubt my favorite way to see the world. I have loved wine and its effect on my lifestyle since before it was acceptable to drink wine, really. I also have winemakers in my family and have always been interested in the history and economics of it all.

Finally, this is the only class I have taken at the GSB where we get to interact with the product. It seems like a small thing, but tasting wine and having our own stems changes how I approach the reading. I wish other classes brought in products and gave us this tactile, real-world relationship with that which we are going to study. Other than the fact that it's exceedingly enjoyable, it is a good lesson for me to remember that this thing we speak esoterically about is real, out there now, and carries meaning for a lot of people. Getting up-close and personal with it to understand it, and the language used in this world is a wonderful lesson.