Ma duc diseara la CINEMATECA cu gandul ca am ajuns… de VINOTECA!
P.S. Daca gasesc pe baieti (echipa, regizorul) cu chef, ii chem la un pahar de vin in Experience (Pasaj Vilacrosse). Din pacate n-am montat inca incalzitoarele de terasa.
Sper sa fie puse macar saptamana viitoare.
Va astept sa ne incalzim!

Daca va spun ca in pasajul Vilacrosse, acolo unde-i Experience-ul, autoritatile sustin ca fumatul e interzis, m-ati crede? E de crezut?
Acum, mie unul, chestia asta cu fumatul nu ma deranjeaza foarte tare. Acolo e „club” de vin, iar vinul se descurca bine fara fum. Eu insumi, dupa 25 de ani de fumat, am parasit acest obicei, neobligat (multumesc lui DUMNEZEU) de vreo amenintare medicala. Cu toate astea, mi se pare revoltator sa ingradesti libertatea cuiva. Mai ales in aer liber!
Acolo nu sunt usi, zboara porumbeii!
Doar de ploaie esti ferit, insa, acelasi lucru se intampla si sub umbrela si, cel putin pana acum, n-am auzit pe nimeni sa ia amenda ca fumeaza pe strada, sub umbrela lui. Da’ cine stie?!
Curios e ca, pe de o parte, autorizatiile sunt emise pentru „terase” cu taxele aferente, iar – pe de alta – fumatul este prohibit ca intr-un spatiu inchis.
Traducere pentru vocatia noastra de a respinge orice formula posibila de turism. Nu stiu de ce – si nu ma intereseaza – unele tari exagereaza cu restrictiile in baruri, restaurante. Stiu doar ca doua tari diferite, daca nu chiar la poli opusi, Grecia si Germania – nu si-au batut capul cu astfel de prostii. De ce nu ne-am inspira din stiinta unor state unde turismul si comertul merg bine?
Retorica, retorica… dar ce costisitoare!

Slowly, but surely, people have started writing about Romania like we have waited for a long time: as part of Europe

In the past years I was mentioning (if not even reproaching) Romania’s weak presence in the world’s wine yearbooks. Moreover, I was even deploring the debatable ratio between the importance of a wine-making country and the number of lines written about it, a ratio by which insignificant countries from the wine making point of view were overtaking by several pages the very few lines written about Romania. Lines with mistakes, both in form and in substance. I was then saying that, although it looks like it’s the writer’s obligation to thoroughly research a piece, a culture’s affirmation is first and foremost done through own resources and just after that it can expect external appreciation.
I was pointing out that we do not communicate enough but, at the same time, I was underlying the importance of communicating to the local market as well. I saw then (and I see now) the increase of elevated consumption as a tool to adjust production. A fastidious demand would have triggered unknown springs for the wine producers, the final result meaning excellent wine. Knowing WHAT we needed to promote we would have found the way towards HOW to do it.
Just look that, in just a couple of years, the Romanian wine reality has changed. With the exception of delays in replanting vines, the industry now looks different.

The field’s maturity is also seen through the consolidation of several entities which follow a coherent, synergic line. APEV, PNVV, ONDOV, ISCTV, the Product Council, ADAR and so on, they all manage to positively mark the change.
With the help of foreign missions and programmes, special courses, masters programmes and exhibitions are organised, yearbooks are being edited, international wine presentations and tastings are being held, with the invitation of foreign journalists.

In such a context, the visit of Mrs Gilby in Romania can seem as just one depending on the circumstances. This is just an appearance. I will explain.

Mrs Caroline Gilby is Master of Wine, a writer about wine also specialised on eastern Europe. We find her by-line (shared or individually) in Wines of the World, Wine Report, Decanter, Harpers Wine and Spirit Weekly and Off License News Scientist. She is also present in the board of Journal of Wine Research.

Mrs Gilby has written about Romania before. I was surprised to find references to our country in Vintage Report for 2005, 2004, 2003 and until… 2000!

So we all owe her thanks at least for the consistency.

On the occasion of a visiting tour for local wine producers, the Vinexpert Gallery hosted a wine tasting. This way, as Mrs Gilby was joking, we sound overcome the disadvantage of having such a big country.

I couldn’t help myself but reporting for you on the sympathy and warmth this foreign journalist has towards the wine making Romania. Her advice (and just think what king of overlook such a journalist has), the findings, the wishes, were all well received by participants (Vinia, Cotnari,. Serve, Da Vino, Mulfatlar, Vinterra)

In a hidden way, Mrs Gilby also drew attention to the new type of commercial confrontation which will be in force starting 2007: tax-free trade within EU member states.

I am particularly glad about Romania’s “interior” position we hold in Europe, now also in an official way, but also about the fact that there are voices – independent, without any doubt – who argue there are some corrections producers have to make. If the lesson to implement new procedures has been well learned, if the modernisation course has been passed, one more exam is still there: the MARKET.

The bad management of the local market, the excessive support for hyper and supermarkets can only lead to “squeezing” the producers.

Meaning exactly those who pay thousands of Euro in taxes for listings and other “marketing” operations.
Mrs Gilby points out in an explicit way that the consumer needs to be educated, encouraged to grow fondly of the Romanian wine. If not, we risk losing him to  global offers.

Or worse, like it happened in Hungary, where, in a German chain, Hungarian wines were de-listed in favour of own labels from Germany, and the local consumer is in the unfortunate situation when he cannot find Romanian wine.
For making the effort to visit us, for the pleasant conversation, for the free lessons, for anticipation and for honesty… lots of thanks.

Tot am ascultat comentariile de dupa meciul STEAUA – REAL.
Nu sunt un ahtiat al acestui gen de vanzare de publicitate – fotbalul. Totusi, e un show bazat si pe performanta sportiva. De aceea, spun drept, m-am cam mirat sa nu aud de la nici unii dintre cei implicati (fie ei si comentatori sau fotbalisti de la celelalte cluburi) ca pe langa “alt fotbal” pe care l-ar juca galacticii, extraterestrii (scuze, dar parca suntem nebuni) ai nostri ar putea aplica si niste lucruri mai… pamantene: o mie de abdomene in plus pe zi, zeci de sprinturi, sute de suturi si de preluari, antrenamente de legiunea straina, psihologie de trupe speciale, nu fumat, nu petreceri, nu “avioane” pe post de masina… Un an petrecut intre aceste repere ar schimba multe! Culmea e ca, desi ne-am bucura si noi, schimbarile ar fi – in primul rand – pentru ei.
Ce legatura are asta cu blogosfera noastra?
Va spun… Amicii nostri, fotbalistii, asculta manele si beau vin cu cola!!!.
Din naclaiala asta (in care sunt si majoritatea conducatorilor de club) este greu sa te ridici la stele…
Catalin

Am promis ca am sa „apar” si asa, adica pe blog, si iacata-ma-s! Pana la urma, nu e vorba numai de promisiunea facuta lui Cezar (activ blog), ci si de dorinta mea de a comunica fara bariere. Nu sunt filantropul ipocrit.

E un schimb pe care mizez. Eu comunic, ceilalti comunica. Din schimbul asta sper sa gasesc si eu raspunsuri pentru viata mea.

Pentru unii, miza pare mica. Pentru mine, e foarte important sa stau mai mult cu… mine!

In felul asta as fi mai mult cu copilul meu, cu iubita mea (care mi-e sotie de vreo 17 ani!), cu prietenii…

Nu sunt lacrimogen, si nici nu-mi plang de mila – mai ales intr-un moment, in care toata lumea pare sa fie intr-o agitatie fara precedent. Numai ca, atentie, s-a strecurat un cuvant: „pare”! Ei bine, m-am intors de la Iasi, unde am avut norocul (?) sa fiu prezent la celebrarea Sfintei Cuvioase Paraschiva.

Si sa vedeti de ce spun ca lumea toata „pare” ca e prinsa in vartejul nebun al acestui inceput de mileniu.

Pentru ca doar de aici, din Bucuresti, sau, poate, inca din alte doua locuri ale Romaniei (sezoniere) se „simte” sfarsitul lumii. In locurile normale, in asezarile romanesti (Bucurestiul se extrage voit din aceasta categorie, iar cel mai tare il ajuta consumatorismul) lucrurile sunt… asezate!

Viata are farmec si gust. Ritmul este unul suportabil. Un om din Iasi (daca e sa luam un exemplu) e mai sarac – cu banii, dar are mai multi prieteni decat am visa noi pe aici, se si vede cu ei, iar orasul e un aliat, si nu un dusman pe care sa-l infrunti zilnic: ”sa-l strabati”, „sa-l ocolesti”, in care sa nu „ramai blocat”, s.a.m.d.

S-ar putea sa fiu prea morocanos, dar incadrati gandul meu in contextul acestei dimineti de luni: in Bucuresti e frig si ploua.

P.S. Ca sa ne veselim cu o constatare: cei mai putini vizitatori pe evinoteca.ro se inregistreaza – ati ghicit – luni dimineata!