AR Wine Reports is the product of a simple exchange, in a van with colleagues, on the road in Spain.

 

I had recently left my job at Chambers Street Wines and was weighing the road ahead, considering how best to contribute to the world of wine that had given me so much in the way of freedom, joy, and intellectual stimulus. My priority was to continue my work in Spain, to continue building relationships with growers in emerging regions, and to support their businesses by selling their wines and telling their stories. 

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Back in the van, discussing Spanish wine coverage and content in the United States, an intrepid West Coast distributor and former buyer, whom I knew of but had just met, informed me (with a hint of concern) that she had come to rely on reading my tasting notes on the Chambers Street Wines website for details about Spanish wines. This was echoed by another distributor and former buyer in the van from the East Coast. As much as I obsess about the importance of content -- gathering it, checking it, communicating it -- I had never explicitly imagined fellow wine professionals reading my notes, let alone needing them. Until that moment.

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It was always part of the plan to offer accurate, up-to-date information about the wines in my own portfolio. These can be found in the Portfolio tab. AR Wine Reports is a log of information and experiences I compile about all kinds of Spanish wines, not just the ones I specialize in or the ones I sell.

 

I spend a lot of time on the road in Spain, tasting and talking with everyone who has time to see me. In many cases, the producers of these wines have their own representatives, most of whom I know and respect, but none of whom I am not officially affiliated with. In contrast to my tiny, focused portfolio, Spain has a broad, deep, and varied wine heritage, which is not covered nearly as thoroughly as is deserved. It is important for everyone working in Spain to share what we learn, commercial self-interest aside.

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All data and details in AR Wine Reports come directly from conversations with the producers themselves. Sources are noted where this is not the case.

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Please submit questions, comments, and (most importantly) corrections to reports@ar-wine.com. I will post them as soon as I can respond. Thanks for reading!

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Cheers,

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Ariana

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