When I was on the corporate side doing more traveling and attending various tradeshows, it was easier to combine work and wine. There is less opportunity to do that on the agency side, but last night they came together. Marc Hausman (aka The Strategic Guy) and I met with our client Dev Ganesan, COO of Aptara. Aptara is a leading business process outsourcing (BPO) company focused on the publishing and eLearning industries. The company just recently opened a new office in Australia:
BPO momentum gaining pace in Australia
Dev has a long history of successfully managing technology companies, including Intelliworks, TRADOS and Advanced Communications Systems. He serves on the boards of several DC and Silicon Valley based firms. Dev was recently returned from India, and we met at 2941 in Falls Church to talk PR strategy. Since I obviously can’t share details about that conversation, I’ll tell you about the excellent wine we enjoyed.
Last time we had been there Dev picked out an excellent Pinot Noir, so this time we went Cabernet — maybe because it was so cold. The sommelier recommended something far off the beaten path — a cab from Sardinia. None of us had ever tried one. It was a:
Marchese di Villamarina, 2000, Estate bottled
It was excellent. As advertised, it was very Bordeaux-like in texture and taste, and like many Bordeaux relatively low in alcohol at 12%. Tasty, dry, not heavy or overpowering like some California cabs. Probably retails around $40 based on the 2941 cost.
Many Sicilian wines have improved greatly in the past decade or so, and maybe this is an indication Sardinia is a good place to look now as well. I highly recommend next time you’re tired of the usual suspect cabs.
Chris,
It certainly was a great evening and a productive conversation with Dev. I’m not a wine enthusiast, yet I certainly know when the selection is top drawer.