Co-founder, Executive Chairman, and Head Chef

 

I was asked to bring current my profile.  There is history in the existing one that hopefully won’t be lost; found somewhere on the site.  That said, The Wine Company is 35 years old which makes me 35 years older, more if you count the wear and tear.

These are fascinating years as long as one doesn’t yearn for past, for youthful glories.  Most of all that is the decline of my palate, diminishing alacrity and fading recall.  Years ago, if someone disagreed with me about a wine they were certainly entitled to their opinion.  Now I fear they actually might be right.  I recall wines tasted a decade ago with more clarity than impressive wines from yesterday.

Even decades of tasting an estate’s wines from barrel, then the following year bottled, then time and again over the years has lost some power to inform as global warming and generational changes at the winery have dated even my sharpest memories.  Oh but what memories they are.

I did not resign myself to fade away, instead I have reconciled myself to it.  There are great people contributing now; some have been with me for 20 plus years; others only a couple.  All and all an inspiring group.  I will enjoy the sunshine in my face, grandchildren and a substantial cellar of aging wines.

LARRY’S PREVIOUS PROFILE FOR POSTERITY

I am the co-founder of The Wine Company and currently it’s CEO.  I believe the wine business offers a retailer, a restaurateur or a distributor the opportunity to create for themselves a fulfilling life’s work providing their clients a stimulating, accessible way to live life more fully.  This ideal and its execution is beautiful in its simplicity. Wine is not the Holy Grail; it’s just what you pour into it.

Yes there are regions I prefer, but “mature wines” is the most precise answer as what do I like to drink.  In our business one is necessarily tasting young wines, often wines that aren’t even finished.  Mature wines close the loop.  I relax, take a deep breath and remember the line “slow down, you move too fast.”

Probably the most important thing I bring to the table is perspective.  This business has attracted very wine savvy people at every level; most much younger than I.  When we taste together all speak credibly to acids, tannins, minerality, phenolics and all that.  What Paul Daggett and I can do is comment on wines within the context of many previous vintages tasted.

I haven’t a pet for many years but there are plenty of dogs around the office to wrestle, chase and play tug-o’-war.  Of course, there is the Pooka, but Henry is more of a companion than a pet.

My wife of 40+ years and I have two grown sons of whom I am very proud; one of them has given us our first Grandchild, Colette.

I like to read; periodicals and books, occasionally tea leaves and old bones.  I like to travel.  I visit lots of galleries and museums; even have a recurring dream about this but that is beyond the scope of this profile.  I’m happiest in Burgundy; I love the wines and the food.