I own my own art store. What's so hard to believe about anything I write? I'm not trying to prove anything, I've just never heard so many questioning people. You guys must get lied to a lot or something.

Why is it so difficult to believe you? I do not know any other 21 year olds spending $70-$100 a day on wine, considering the purchase of a winery, and asking life defining questions over the internet. One of us is gullible, and I'm beginning to think it's me!

I thought I would get some good pointers on how to get started in the wine trade in these forum pages. It's not my fault I'm so young. I guess most people here are just too old and out of touch with a new generation of wine drinkers.

You are very fortunate to have access to so much money at such a young age.

Unlike buying a house, starting or buying a business has very different requirements. When you buy a house, the worst thing that a lender might face is repossession of your house which could be sold for enough money to pay off most or all of the money you owed them. Business loans are different. You must convince whoever will lend you the money that you have enough knowledge and experience and a sound business plan to become profitable within a reasonable period of time. You have to prove to them that their risk in lending you money is not so great that they would likely lose all of the money they put up. A good way to do this is to get a good college education in both oenology and business, learn the industry through hands on experience, and find partners who have the skills and experience to compliment your own. I know when you are young and ambitious you'd like to get started right away because you are enthiastic and impatient, but you'd be jumping the gun and running a high risk of failure if you dont'come up with a good game plan first. Take your time, learn as much as you can, and if you're still as excited and do what I said, four or five years from now there will be great opportunities in store for you. Best of luck.

Thank you Mouton, that is exactly the type of feedback I am looking for.

I was priveledged to mentor many young people in several large corporations I worked for. A combination of a formal education, hands on experience, a little real knowledge of a particular business, together with the enthusiasm and energy of youth is a powerful force that will have all the ingredients for a successful lifetime carreer. Even if you should decide that this industry is not for you, the experience you gain from what you do in the next few years will be extremely valuable to you later on in anything else you try. Try to meet as many people in the industry as you can, especially the wine producers themselves. Talk to them, ask them for a tour of their facilities, ask them about their problems, their successes and even their failures, and sooner or later, you'll find some of them who will want to be your friend. Learn as much from them as you can. Even the worst failure is a lesson in what not to do. Try to put the theory of classroom learning together with experience of what goes on in the field. Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty. Winemaking like all farming is about the soil, This leads to real understanding and knowledge you can always count on. Five years, give it just five years.

Do you know anything about Sonoma States wine program? My girlfriends family knows some people there and could get me in their wine program.

Look into it. Explore every avenue. But don't give up your chance for a college education now. It's the best investment in time and effort you will ever make in your life.

is it possible that Shanewn1 is really one of Joneswine1's multiple personalities? I find it hard to believe that someone else could drive so many people crazy.

First, I'll answer his question because it's a reasonable question. I moved to the Bay area from Ohio to join my fiance who was attending Med School at Stanford when I was 24. I worked in the financial services so it was a good move professionally too. Anyway, until then, I had never touched wine outside of church... I was a beer guy.

Once here, we tried a box of White Zin. It was okay and we drank it over a couple of weeks... I was told by a co-worker who liked wine to start with the cheapest stuff and if I liked it, stay in that price range. It would be too easy to blow too much money chasing wines I wasn't ready for. (maybe this could have helped you a little bit).

Eventually we had a bad box of Franzia Chillable Red (is there a good one?) and moved to bottles under $10 and occasionally splurged on a $15 bottle. My in-laws to us to Napa and I was hooked on the whole culture. Now, I'm 30 and I'm somewhat of a wine snob although I'll drink a glass Woodbridge if that was what a friend was serving and wanted me to try.

My wife and I consider wine a great hobby and companion to food. I enjoy reading on the process of winemaking and information on the great wines of the world. We are far from knowing a fraction of what we'd like to learn. We purchase an occasional trophy but have a hard time coming up with an occasion to crack it open. For now, they gather dust in our cellar.

My problem is that I can't relate to the life that you are explaining. If you are spending almost all your money (you use the term "your last dollar") on overpriced wine in the most overpriced restaurants in the country, I think you have bad priorities. Now you're saying you have a child... that makes your priorities a real problem. Maybe your child should be on your mind instead of wine being "on your mind constantly".

At the core of the whole thing, I don't believe you. If you're telling the truth, I don't like you. You sound like a spoiled brat who enjoys thumbing his nose at the rest of us who try to balance a life where mortgages, car payments, work dedlines, and in my case a wife who is 8 months pregnant.

Also, you say going to UC Davis and learning enology is too technical. It sounds like you are plain lazy. A fool and his money were lucky enough to get together in the first place... never has a saying been more appropriate than here and now. I find it hard to believe that someone could be as shallow and artificial as you purport to be. However, I couldn't resist replying.

I don't feel that shallow and artificial are accurate words on describing me. I think drinking wine from a box is shallow and artificial. I left home when I was 14 and also moved to the Bay Area and became involved with the Grateful Dead community. Since then I have travelled all over Europe a few times and I frequent Central and South America in the winter. I have a house on Texada Island British Columbia where I stay in the summer. I am deeply rooted in my community.

Although winemaking is an "art", there are many technical aspects to it since the science of oenology serves a winemaker as a vital tool. So is running a business. Hard work and discipline have no substitutes. They are the keys to getting what you want. If winemaking is the life you choose for yourself, you will have to reconcile to this. If you want to become a "gentleman" winemaker and hire other people to do the work and run the business for you, you can still make a profit at it and be quite successful but it's like the difference between a car enthusiast being chauffered in a limo as opposed to driving the racecar himself.

The longer you wait to get a formal education, the harder it gets. Responsibilities of a family eat up precious time and energy needed for study. If you can't be a full time student, at least take some courses. There are outstanding self taught people in many professions (my father was one) but they are rare and the odds are against them.

If you are really what you say you are, don't let anyone deter you or discourage you. Follow your dream.

This one is a hot potatoe. I had to brew up another pot o coffee, just to read your responses to this kids line of bull. Sorry guy, but I ain't buying this line of crap that that you are feeding us. Mouton 8888 and a bunch of others, your soft side, your desire to teach and mentor, is laudable, but I think wasted on this one. Shallow, would be an understatement. Let's see...a few years in the "Greatful Dead Community", now 21, with a kid, and all that income to spend on wine? We have not read of any knowledge of the wines that this one claims to have consumed, tasting notes etc.. Anyone can drop names and dates, WHERE'S THE BEEF? I can read that some of you may to beleive this one, but no way.
On the other hand, I will not be judgemental and tell you how to run your life. Some of us older guys are not out of touch with reality, as you seem to be, but our life experiences are going to be wasted on this line of crap that you are feeding out into cyber-space. If, it walks like a duck, etc..
The only advice that I will give is... come down off the acid, or coke, and well, start a life.

Let's see now. I'd like to get into the art world. I'm only 21. I don't know anything about art. I don't want to go to art school because it's too technical. And I spend all of my disposalable cash on art. I think what I'll do instead is go to the next Sotheby's auction and buy 8 figures worth of Monets and Picassos. Anyone got any suggestions on how I should get started?
OK Shane. When put in these terms, doesn't this seem to be just a little over the top? One would either have to be a pathological liar, or a complete %&*$#%^* to come up with this. I'm not sure which makes me more sad. To know that you are making this up, or that you are truthful and sincere.
By the way, you say you left home 7 years ago to join the Grateful Dead crowd. Jerry Garcia died 7 years ago. Weren't you just a little behind the curve on that one? And you say your parents won's sponsor/support you. Go figure.

I bet your parents are still celebrating.

I just wanted to take the time to thank you all for the many laughs this topic has given me today.

This guy is like JonesWine1's evil Twin.

He's Bizzaro Jones!

TCK

Makes for a great read! When I was twentyone I hithhiked to the planet Uranus with the Grateful Dead.
Really, I'am not Kidding? REALLY
PS We could barely find our way back..Wow What long long trip that was..REALLY
cheers
joe

Maybe we should start a Hall of Fame.

I may have to print and frame this entire thread!
PE

Shanenw1....

There is quite a string here. Regardless of the age, $$$, or other characteristics here is my recommendation. If you are that serious about wine you could easily get involved with the growing wine community in the Woodenville area. Both Delille and Betz Family are very encouraging and helpful. Given the youth of the industry here, both are quite willing to talk with you about your interest and possibly assist you in developing the contacts necessary to get involved with the business. They have been very encouraging with me thus far as I hope to make my first wine newxt with their assistance.

I do admit that I get a kick out of distrusting peoples angry responses.
Board-0 is no doubt a funny man. The only reason I posted this is for real non-judgemental reponses from people like Mouton and the person from Redmond. All the other useless crap makes me laugh all day thinking about how distrusting people in the world really are. If Board-0 ever comes through Seattle I'll give him a bottle of Leonetti and a pound of truffles. I do appreciate the legitimate responses I have recieved, everything I write is the truth.

Hey Shane, for the past 2 years before you turned 21 how were you buying your wine, fake ID mabey? I've got a brother in college who is always on the look out for a good new way to score some beer. What was your secret!

TCK

I never got carted at first because I was buying 100 dollar bottles or buying off the internet. It didn't take long to develop personal relationships with local wine merchants. I am their dream customer. As far as your beer drinking brother goes.... I have know idea, I don't really like beer, maybe give him an old i.d. of yours if you'd like.

i am only 23 years old, however, i have been around wine since the day i was born (no not drinking). my grandfather and grandmother (both from italy) made homemade wine in their basement every year. i have been around it since i was born, and have made it since the day i ccould help. i recently started to drink wine outside of what our family made, but what i can tell you is that making wine has been one of my greatest experiences. so to answer your question, i have never had to find wine, it found me.
if your dream is to make wine, do it! but do not just enter the business, experience wine making on some level before buying a vineyard, it will open your eyes, and make you appreciate wine in a whole new light. my family made wine to drink, it was a part of our way of life, we did not make it for any other reason then enjoyment.
the one thing i would want to tell you (even though i have probably only bought 10-20 bottles of wine in my short lifetime), wine is not about buying $100 dollar bottles of wine, and spending tens of thousands of dollars on it. wine can be, and is a lot more (at least to me). i would rather drink wine that my family or i have made (even though the majority of the wine world would consider it worthless), then any bottle of wine from any vintage, or at any price. wine is wine, a $7 dollar bottle of wine could be a lot better then you think, if made with your own two hands, or enjoyed with the right person.

I was given 500 lbs. of pinot grigio and 500 lbs. of cabernet franc last year and am in the process of making wine with some friends. We'll see how my wine comes out compared to that of which I'm used to drinking, (although I'm not used to drinking pinot gris or cabernet franc by itself.)