Research

Despite weather that screams ‘SPRING’, it is actually January and the heart of winter. The holidays are over, inventory is -thankfully- over. How do we fill the winter months at Pour Richard’s?

In a word: Research. But if research makes you think of lab rats and test tubes, relax. Our kind of research is indulgent, geeky, and frequently just plain delicious.

Some of it centers around books. I got some great new beverage books for Christmas, and I *may* have purchased a few more myself. I’ll be curling up with those on cold winter nights, boning up on new trends, regions, and producers.

Some of it is distributor- (supplier, importer) driven. During the holidays, we concentrate exclusively on customers. But come January, we welcome back our favorite reps and their latest projects. We’ve already found some new gems. (Here’s to you, delicious dry Chenin Blanc! And a blend-your-own-‘Bordeaux’ seminar? Don’t mind if I do!)

Last but certainly not least, there are the tastings. From bargain bonanzas set up by distributors eager to shed excess inventory to (slightly) more civilized outings devoted to an importer, a region, or even a single wine, it seems there’s an event or three every other day. The photo above is from a Lugana-only seminar, where I found two new producers and re-connected with one old friend. Coming up, there’s a Barolo and Barbaresco event, and then Tre Bicchieri. Tre Bicchieri is the BEST.

Tre Bicchieri, or ‘Three Glasses’, celebrates the Italian wines-usually about 400 out of the 22,000+ reviewed- that won highest accolades from Gambero Rosso. In terms of quality, these wines are unicorns, dipped in gold and rolled in white truffles. Better yet, many of them are surprisingly affordable.

So: research. I honestly can’t believe this qualifies as ‘work’. But stay tuned for the results. We promise we’ll share.