New Beginnings
New Beginnings
“It is time, not for a final farewell, but for a new beginning.”
It is time, not for a final farewell, but for a new beginning.
My first official function in the world of wine was in 1976 when I started an internship at one of the world’s largest wine producing cellars in Southern Germany. I had graduated from High School earlier in the year, and my father had sold his food brokerage business in Germany to emigrate to Canada. That winery was my father’s largest supplier, and we continued to represent them in western Canada upon our arrival. Fifty years is a long time to spend in one industry. I have been blessed with a successful and varied career. There is not much in wine related responsibilities that I was not exposed to during my tenure with different wineries in Germany, California, and Italy. My duties as Export Director for these wineries enabled me to travel the world, establishing relationships and creating a network of wine professionals around the globe. That network - along with the knowledge I gained – led to the creation of Enotri in 2012 and a portfolio of wines that has truly been second to none. It has been a rewarding journey that I will cherish forever.
Nothing comes without a price. Extensive travels during my 20-year career as Export Director and trying to establish an import agency with premium wines in a challenging and limited marketplace required a lot of energy. Looking back, each decade had its challenges, but in my opinion, nothing impacted our world and the industry I love as much as Covid. The world has changed and consumption patterns are different. My approach has always been to analyze a situation and then come up with appropriate solutions. To focus my energy and time on continuing with that approach, I have made the difficult decision to wind down the import agency. This transition will not happen overnight; it will unfold gradually. Part of that process includes finding the right homes for the remaining inventory of exceptional wines and wineries. And then—we will see what comes next. I still feel a strong desire to share what I have learned. I look forward to working with restaurateurs who wish to craft distinctive wine programs, and with consumers eager to explore the exciting world of wine. For that purpose, I created Carpe Vitae. Knowledge has value, especially when it is applied and shared.
In the meantime, I am happy that I can partner up with Goldie Hazrah of Monsoon in Edmonton, and Dawn and Eric Chabot of the Continental in Calgary for two final wine dinners to share stories of an eventful career, pass on some tips, and mainly to present some wines that are very special to me, for one reason or another. Goldie and her team at Monsoon and Dawn at The Continental have created special menus with dishes that will pair wonderfully with our wine selection. I hope you will join us:
Wednesday, March 25 at Monsoon
Thursday, April 16 at The Continental
Cheers,
Eberhard