Jennifer Loh, cofounder VAULT29
Last week, we had a once in a lifetime opportunity to be attendees of Auction Napa Valley - one of the largest events held in the Valley benefiting community health and education. In the history of the event, $145 million has been raised. No doubt, many more millions were added over the weekend.
On Thursday night, wineries throughout the Valley hosted intimate dinner parties with 10-40 guests. It is an unforgettable experience to share an incredible meal in the company of proprietors and other passionate winelovers. My assigned winery was Chateau Potelle; a quaint little house and garden located off Hwy 29 in St. Helena.
I was really moved by the welcoming speech of proprietor Jean-Noel. He told his story of coming to Napa Valley in 1980 when he worked for the French government. He was tasked with the job of coming to see what Americans were doing in the wine industry. And he loved it so much, he never left.
When asked how one "rates" wine, Jean-Noel keeps it simple: either very good shit or very bad shit. He strongly believes wine is a personal interpretation and depends on context: your current mood, where you are, the occasion you're drinking and the people with whom you are sharing the wine. He feels experts should not be deciding whether a wine is "good or bad." Your wine journey is yours; constantly in flux and forever evolving with each new discovery. What you love today, you may not love tomorrow. This is a belief we firmly believe as well, and the reason we work so hard at VAULT29.
Moral of the story: love what you love!
Find more of Jen's wine experiences by downloading the VAULT29 app and searching "Jen Loh" or "#ANV15" on the global Wine Wall. Favorite her experiences and create your own - Cheers!
