EPISODE #3 ROOKIE IN THE WINE BUSINESS EXCERPT

In this episode I share a story about one of the actions I took early in my career that change the course for me. 

It was 1979 and I had just been hired 5 months before at a Retail Wine Merchant in Washington, DC. I was promoted by the owner of A & A Wine & Spirits, Harry Cook, to be the American Wine Department manager. 

I wanted to test him right away to see if I had both the responsibility in this new position, along with most importantly the authority to order for purchase the wine I believed we needed to build our selection into one of the finest in the city.

It was quite the test, and he passed. I believe you will enjoy this brief excerpt

Thanks for being a listener to the Fine Wine Confidential Podcast. For more information go to www.finewineconfidential.com

Transcript

Episode #3 Rookie in the Wine Business

SPEAKERS

Fred Reno

 Fred Reno  

When I made the decision to pursue a career in the wine industry, I knew nothing about it, and I had no connections in that field. To top it off, I had just moved to Washington, DC, a city where I knew no one. I guess you could call me crazy. Many folks, though, miss their opportunities because of the unknown. The takeaway for me and a lesson in all this is, Do Not Be Afraid of The Dark. If you are, the chances are excellent that you'll miss that one opportunity that will change your life. I am living proof of that philosophy. 

 Let me share with you one of the actions I took after being given a promotion at the retail wine shop where I was hired in 1979, just five months after starting my job. It was at that time that Harry Cook, the owner of the store, sensed I was getting restless and slightly bored, so in an attempt to keep me active and interested in a future at A&A Wine & Spirits, he offered me the position of manager for the American wine department.  At that time, it was referred to as the American wine department because we did not have an extensive selection of California wines. We did have wines from New York State and other areas of the East Coast, though.

Of course, I was excited about the prospects of getting a promotion and becoming a buyer as well as a department manager, but I wanted to make sure this role was for sure, so I decided to test Harry Cook and see if my new position came with the authority to purchase the wines I felt we needed. So naturally for me, the first purchase I made as a buyer was two cases of 1970 Martin Ray Cabernet Sauvignon, which at that time sold for $600 a case wholesale, more than any of the First Growth wines from Bordeaux at that time.

It was when I first had a bottle of wine from Martin Ray, just after I had moved to DC, that I realized California wine could rival the best from around the world. So, here's the scene as it unfolded. 

 It's Tuesday morning, and Mr. Cook walked briskly to the back of the store with an invoice in his hand, shaking and confronting me with, Did you order this wine? While the driver from Washington Wholesale looked on intently with two large wooden boxes on his hand truck, I calmly took the invoice from Mr. Cook, reviewed the order, and then said, Indeed, I did. Mr. Cook said, Is that the price Correct? Do we need this wine? My response was, Did you not make me the department head and the buyer for all American wines? He nodded his head in a manner which suggested, of course, but do we need this wine? Once I got his Affirmative, I said, Yes, we need this. And besides, one of the cases if for me to purchase, I'm confident I can sell the other. He looked at me quizzically and then motioned to the driver to put the wine down in the back of the store. It was at that point that I trusted he was serious about getting into the California wine business, and my position was a real one.

One note on Martin Ray. I'm not referring to the Martin Ray wine that's on the market today. I'm referring to the man who really started it all. And I would encourage anyone who's not familiar with Martin Ray to pick up a copy of Vineyards in the Sky, the Life of the Legendary Vintner Martin Ray, written by his widow, Eleanor Ray. It's a fascinating read. It will give you real insight into what was going on in the California wine business back in the 1930s and up through 1970, before he passed away. If he weren't as cantankerous as he was known to be, there's no doubt he would have been referred to as the Robert Mondavi of his time. Check it out. 

Thanks for listening. Stay tuned. There's more to come.