Igniting the Senses

Sadly, for me, I grew up in a house without wine, gin martinis were the drink in our household (but not for me). While in college, I tried other less savory concoctions, Kahlua and diet coke, tequila and lemonade, Jagermeister and anything, you get the idea. Fortunately, soon after college, my eyes were opened to the world of wine.

New to New York City and craving connections, I became a member of Sotheby’s Young Collector’s Club. Sotheby’s intent was to hook the 20 something crowd on the auction scene by teaching them just enough about different periods of art and design to peak their interest. Once a month, they would hold a cocktail party with one of their experts.

My interest in wine was first ignited the evening Serena Sutcliffe, Sotheby’s wine expert spoke. She lured me in with racy stories of vintners, and wonderful descriptors of the wines they produced.

30 years have passed since that fateful evening at Sotheby’s, and my interest in wine has grown steadily. My husband and I have a large collection of wine that we enjoy sharing with friends and family. Our two sons, now in their twenties, have been exposed to a great deal of wine, both at home and on family trips.

For me, wine has always ignited all of my senses: visiting vineyards, which from afar, represent a visual patchwork, touching the grapes and vines as you walk through their straight rows, smelling the grapes as you open your car window on a drive through Napa or Bordeaux, tasting the complicated, layered flavors of wine, and last but not least, hearing the laughter and conversation sparked by a good bottle of wine.

After 30 years in fashion and design, I am here at Stanford as a DCI Partner to explore other interests. Most of my coursework has been at the GSB, focused on entrepreneurship, with the balance of my courses in sustainability and earth systems. I am currently in my second term of Startup Garage, where I am on a team hoping to develop a media platform for the wine industry. I am looking forward to digging deeper and learning more about the Dynamics of the Global Wine Industry.