Last week, I had the pleasure of catching up with one of Atlanta's "local wine celebrities" to talk about wine, life, and passion. I'm delighted to introduce Ted Field of Domaine Wine Distributors. He is a wine enthusiast and the man behind the ViniCode labeling system. He and his team are serving retailers and restaurants in the Atlanta metro area by specializing in distribution of quality wines from boutique wineries. Not only does he have a palate for crowd-pleasing vino, but he also has a warm personality that shines through when he is hosting events to showcase his hand-picked portfolio. He believes that wine is an art that facilitates adventure (and I couldn't agree more).
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| 2013 Holiday Wine Party at JavaVino in Atlanta featuring Domaine Wine Distributors (Ted is the cool guy with glasses in the middle) |
We've thrown some great events together in the past, and I'm looking forward to planning and coordinating more wine-centric events with Domaine this year. If you are in the Atlanta area, stay tuned for food pairings, varietal seminars, and social events for a chance to clink glasses with Ted in person.
ACR: Is there a special meaning to the name of your distribution company? How'd you decide on the brand?
Ted: Of course the name of the company has to be something you like. But another big consideration is "Does anyone else have that name?" I started going through a list of wine terms writing down the ones I liked the most. My business partner, Andrew Tokas, did the same. Then we sent each other our lists and lo and behold Domaine was on both! AND it happened to be my favorite. Domaine is generally the name of a producer in the Burgundy region of France, much like Chateau is in Bordeaux. But I liked the idea of "my domaine" and luckily, the name was available so we registered it with the Secretary of State.
ACR: Because it's contagious, where does your passion for and interest in wine come from?
Ted: It started about 20 years ago. The very first wine I ever had was (are you sitting down?) Sutter Home White Zinfandel. And I felt so sophisticated as I drank it.
ACR: "gasp"
Ted: But I knew there was much more out there! Wine lovers had a secret language that I knew nothing about - and I wanted to be a part of that club. As my knowledge of wine grew, so did my passion. It is amazing that no two bottles are the same which means every purchase is somewhat of an adventure. I love that!
ACR: What's your favorite wine region (or even get more nerdy with specific AVA or even vineyard)?
Ted: I would love to say Burgundy or Bordeaux or Napa or something like that...but those wines are too intellectual for me. The wines of Italy have a certain rustic quality and they are all over the map as far as taste. And besides, Italy feels like home - warm and welcoming. For a bubbly, there is nothing better than L'Antica Quercia Prosecco.
ACR: Because we agree that wine elicits adventure, to what wine regions have you traveled? Any still out there as a "dream destination"?
Ted: I have been to California, France, and Italy. My background is Art History, and I taught for years before getting into the wine biz. So Italy holds a special place in my heart not only for the wine, but also for the magnificent art. One of my favorite memories is sipping wine in the ruins of Hadrian's Villa outside of Rome. I have no idea what the wine was, it was cheap cheap cheap. But on that day it was...incredible, the world's best wine. As far as dream destinations? It would have to be Spain. I don't know a lot about Spanish wines, but I am learning and they are getting my attention. We work with three Spanish producers - Finca El Refugio, Altolandon and Pardo Tolosa - and their wines are gorgeous. Amazing values! And as luck would have it, I will be in Spain in May for their Fenavin Wine Exposition. I am beyond excited. So one off the bucket list.
ACR: Take me with you? ...ok, so what restaurant have you been to that you'd say has had the most interesting wine list?
Ted: Without a doubt, Barcelona right here in Atlanta. They have one of the most extensive collections of Spanish wines I have ever seen. Frankly, it is a little overwhelming.
ACR: You are also an inventor, so tell me about Vinicode - what is it? And how and why did you come up with the whole idea?
Ted: I have a pet peeve... I just want to know what is in the bottle of wine that I'm drinking! Just a simple description. How hard is that? I don't want to read the back label and see a story about sunsets and romantic walks along the beach - don't give me something subjective, I just want an objective description. That is the reason Steve Beville and I invented the ViniCode. It was very selfish and was what we wished was on every bottle of wine. Simply said, the ViniCode is a scale which describes the wine based on seven categories: sweetness, acidity, oakiness, fruitiness, earthiness, body and overall complexity. In other words, by looking at the ViniCode, you can easily see if the wine is sweet or dry, full bodied or light, etc. I have learned so much about the style of different wines by using the ViniCode. In fact, for a wine to become part of Domaine's portfolio, a tasting panel must ViniCode and approve the wine.
ACR: Have people ever made fun of you for being a wine nerd? Have you been called a "snob"? Do you even care?
Ted: I don't mind being a "wine nerd" but I never want to be a "wine snob". Snobs turn people off, and I want people to love wine as much as I do! Here is what I have realized: snobs know just a little bit about wine, enough to make them dangerous. But most wine lovers know that you can never "know wine" because every year, every producer, every spot of land is an opportunity to learn more.
ACR: Very wise, my friend. Have you ever tried to become a sommelier? If not, why not?
Ted: No. There are many people out there who know way more about wine than I do and I am fine with that. I am a teacher. I'm good at it and I love it. I mean honestly, do most people really care about the soil composition of a particular vineyard? I don't. But tell me something useful, like how to pick a wine from a wine list at a restaurant. Don't impress me, excite me! And that's exactly what I hope I do for others.
ACR: Speaking of inspiration, what's your favorite wine-related movie or documentary?
Ted: To be perfectly honest, I didn't love Sideways. But, I thought Bottleshock was wonderful. But my real favorite, and this is going to sound crazy, is a TV show called Cougar Town. In that show, the wine is basically another character. They sit around talking and drinking. I want to live in their cul de sac.
ACR: And if you do, I'm coming over to visit. Do you have a favorite wine and food pairing?
Ted: I love the pairings that surprise me, and two jump right to mind. Years ago when I was just learning about wine, I decided to host a wine pairing dinner...which was way too ambitious for me at the time...but anyway, each couple was to bring one course of a seven course dinner and the perfect pairing wine. For the soup course, a dear friend of mine said she had just read that Sauvignon Blanc and tomato soup were great together. The thought of this pairing made me wince. But it turned out to be fantastic! The acid in the wine and the acid in the soup were great together. The other instance was when Chef Andrew prepared an antipasto platter with peppers, olives, and capers and paired that with a Bardolino - a light red wine from Italy. In my mind this just didn't work. But in my mouth it was spectacular! Brilliant pairing.
ACR: Since we both call it home, how would you describe the "wine scene" here in Atlanta?
Ted: From what I have heard, Atlanta is a great wine city. A booming population of folks wanting to learn about wine. From my own impression, I wish retailers and consumers would not take it so seriously. Let's be honest, if wine were just fancy grape juice I'm not sure we would be talking about it. The fun part is the alcohol!
ACR: Love it! And what's your favorite part about being a wine distributor?
Ted: Let me start by saying that Georgia has what is called a three-tiered system. This means that you can be an importer, a distributor, or a retailer - but only one. When I first became involved in wine as a business it was as an importer. And that is my real passion. I want to do the research, find those wonderful little gems out there, and then bring them back to let someone else sell them. As an importer, I would have to sell my wines to a distributor and most distributors consider wine as just a commodity. For me, it was different. I had met the winemakers, and I considered them friends for whom I had a responsibility to their wines. I only represented about 10 producers and they were all special to me, but they were not being well-served by our distributor. So my business partner Andrew said to me one day, "Why don't we become distributors?" and I left the import company to start Domaine. Although I hate the sales part of it, I love meeting people and sharing my wines.
ACR: Do you have a favorite "value wine"? Like one that is under $20 but drinks with a quality way above it's price?
Ted: Two come to mind right off the bat: Pardo Tolosa Senda de las Rochas - 100% tempranillo,
incredible value - and D'Angelo Sacravite - 100% Aglianico from Basilicata in Italy, Gorgeous and unusual wine.
ACR: What are some of your favorite words in your wino vocabulary used to describe wine?
Ted: My favorite words are, "But would you buy it again?" because I realize that a retailer can talk you into a wine so you buy it once, but when we are tasting wines to include in our portfolio, I always say, "But would you buy it again?" That to me is the mark of a good wine!
ACR: I'm going to keep that in mind! So if you were going to introduce someone to wine for the first time, what would you serve them and why?
Ted: Easy... Il Falchetto Moscato d'Asti [photo above]. I know everyone is rolling their eyes and saying, "Not moscato." But this is Italy's highest rated moscato according to Gambero Rosso - the Italian wine guide. This wine is indescribable and everyone loves it. A very soft, but classy, entry into the world of wine
ACR: I agree. I "don't do moscato" but that one stole my heart. What's the most interesting type of tasting event you've hosted? Did it have a special theme?
Ted: Six years ago, I hosted a year's worth of wine tastings in Decatur when we were first test marketing and refining the ViniCode. Every month we tried a different grape while exploring the range of stylistic possibilities it had to offer. I had so much fun at those tastings, and I met some people who are still dear friends of mine to this day. I would love to repeat that same series of tastings now.
ACR: Well, let's do it! And tell me, what's the "best wine you've ever tasted"...?
Ted: For my birthday a while back, I was given a bottle of 1976 Barolo. But it's not just the wine that made it the best bottle ever, it was everything that came with it: good company, great dinner. A perfect evening underscored by that lovely wine.
ACR: ...and finally...what's your dream for the future of your company? What's the goal in the next 5 years?
Ted: I want Domaine to survive, of course. The wine business is tricky and we still have not figured it all out. But, we always said that we want to be a different kind of distributor. I don't want to sell trends or the latest wine fad, but rather I want to sell bottles that I would buy and drink again and again. I want to be honest and loyal to our producers. When people think of Domaine, I want them to think of Zeni or Finca El Refugio or Altolandon. Domaine means quality, and I always want to remember and be appreciative of the support that our community of friends has given us. We made it one year! And we couldn't have done it without the help of many wonderful friends.
So cheers to that. Thanks to Ted for his time, thoughtfulness, insight, and energy. He certainly has a way of inspiring people to enjoy the full experience that wine can offer, and right now, he has inspired me to go have a glass of wine...for fun, for art, for enjoyment.
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