there will be no white flag above my door ...

2011 Venus Dido 'La Universal' | DO Montsant

I witnessed a great kindness from a stranger this morning. The sky was grey, all was cloudy - a storm in Barcelona. There wasn't rain, so I made the call to leave the ridiculous golf umbrella at home. But sunshine isn't sunshine without a bit of rain, no? So not 15 minutes later, I stepped out of the metro into a downpour. Like a wet dog, I waited for the bus ... when I felt the rain stop. A girl was holding her umbrella over me. With a smile, she kept a stranger dry until the bus came. Angel.

We sometimes ask for too much from wine. We want it to be intense, to be rich ... to be value-priced, yet taste 'expensive', whatever the hell that means. I can't even begin to emphasize how hard I disagree with that perspective. My blood boils, my insides tighten. Do we no longer have the capacity for imagination, to allow ourselves to be surprised? Are we so cynical that we assume we know everything about a wine before tasting it, and anything surprising about it is a flaw?

I want to share a wine I had a few months ago, but am still processing. The Venus Dido - and you have to check out their story. From Montsant, a region of Catalunya that I'm discovering, and that I'm becoming head over heels crazy about. On first taste, the wine is what it is - unapologetically Spanish, that rich voluptuousness of vines grown in hot, dry climates. But like all good things, all good people, a true measure of character and quality comes with time. With an open mind, over a few days - the wine, initially throwing off stiff alcohol fumes, becomes more integrated, more in harmony. The acidity becomes a bit more focused, contributing as well to that balance. There's complexity, a minerality and chalkiness on the finish.

The 'La Universal' is a blend of 75% garnacha, 15% syrah, 5% merlot, and 5% cabernet sauvignon. Grown in an organic way, 40% of the wine is aged in concrete tanks, while 60% is aged in oaks of different origins and sizes (300-4000 litres) for 16 months, with a small amount in clay amphorae. Looking forward to seeing the direction owners Sara Perez and Rene Barbier take this wine. An honest interpretation of garnacha, full of vigor and character.

Man, that Champions League Final was a nail-biter, wasn't it. And this from a guy who really couldn't care less about soccer. A full range of emotions on display, especially from the Real Madrid fans. Confidence, excitement, fear, despair ... until finally elation, first cautious, then a full eruption of joy. That winning goal was what they paid €100 million for, I suppose. I'm quickly realizing that although the spirit is willing, I've reached my physical limits with partying here. So although no white flags will be raised (just yet), I do need a full 12 hours of sleep the night before a partying night. This week will be heavy - 5 days straight of events planned. Not that I'm complaining. Of course not. Of course not ...

DF

mystery in the glass

2012 Ferré i Catasús Somiatruites | DO Penedès

Dreams bottled, waiting patiently for its time, for the right person, for the right moment. And all it asks for ... all wine ever asks for ... is unselfishness, humility, and generosity. Too often we drink wine to impress people, to be peacocks, to somehow use wine to present ourselves as more than what we are. Tragic, really. The vines weep. We open bottles and share them with our loved ones, because wine brings us together in a spirit of joy and conviviality - the vines give us all she has and she asks for so little in return but for a moment of honesty and truth.

We had this wine way back, way back, during the first wine event I hosted here at IESE, before IESE Wine & Spirits existed. Exciting times. When we bought this wine, the shop owner couldn't even tell me what it was. A white wine from Penedès, a blend of who knows what grapes. Well, now I know. Chenin blanc, muscat à petits grains, sauvignon blanc, xarel-lo and chardonnay. Delightfully French, with a Catalan twist. Oooo, and it tastes French too. A waxiness on the palate, a definite richness, reminding me of those big Rhone whites. Freshness on the palate though, and some great dry extract that carries it through to a stately, dry finish. And what a beautiful label.

There's a feeling of impending doom here, that first year is drawing to a close and with it, a little bit of innocence, a little bit of carefree-ness. Well, maybe at least for me. My summer is far from figured out, but it's all a process isn't it. We stumble, we bumble, but in the end, we figure out the right blend. A bottle of dreams, mystery in the glass ... 

DF

Eye of the Hare

2010 Casa Mariol Ull de Llebre Criança 12 Mesos | DO Terra Alta

I've been in this country, this amazing city now for 9 months. And what have I learned so far, here in Barcelona? Silly question. It's far too late, and I'm far too sober to answer that properly. Bueno. But we've drunk some great things, no? I'm still getting my head around Catalan wines, but this is a delicious one. 

So ull de llebre is simply Catalan for tempranillo, and is literally eye of the hare. It's from Terra Alta, which, from the DO website, is in:

... the south of Catalonia, between the River Ebro and the borders of Aragon and includes the 12 municipalities of the county of Terra Alta. The landscape has all the features of an interior region near the Mediterranean Sea: Pre-coastal limestone mountain range (Ports d’Horta, Pàndols and Cavalls mountains), small rivers (l’Algars i el Canaletes), rocky conglomerate mountains, holm oak and white pines woods and, above all, the agricultural soil coloured by typical mediterraean farming: vineyards and almond and olive groves. Here we must add the three agricultural landscapes that are clearly defined: the plains, plateaus and valleys.

The cultivated soil is generally of medium texture. Its common denominator is its limestone richness and its lack of organic material. In the DOTA’s catalogue there are 17 soil profiles, the most prominent is el Panal (the type of soil peculiar to the Terra Alta).

Another feature of the character of the mediterranean interior is the climate. Abundant sunshine and little rainfall which make two distinguishing characteristics: a unique balance between two prodominating winds, el cerç (NW) i les garbinades (seawinds from the south) and a cold winter that is typically continential.

Very cool. Casa Mariol also has a wine bar here in Barcelona, which I really, really should go visit. I hear they pour their vermut too. This wine is aged 12 months in Hungarian oak. Bright orange label, because really, we buy wines on price and label. Intense, powerful wine, and although not altogether complex, an authentic hot climate wine, full of that richness and density that tempranillo can bring. Soft texture, some heat from the alcohol on the way down. A Spanish wine, if I dare be a little political.

Man. Nine months. This Friday was graduation day for the second years. Time flies, and although I haven't been really drinking tonight (yet), it's a trip. Need to get my act together a little, in all those things - academic, professional, personal. Otherwise I'm going to leave here having had the time of my life with nothing to show for it. Had this conversation last week ... have we really changed? Do we just do these programs and take for granted that we develop, we somehow just become better? Nonsense. It's a process that we have to invest in, that we have to commit to, and it takes much more than just lip service to achieve betterment ... much more. So we keep going, we keep pushing ourselves to be uncomfortable, to be a bit anxious, to be hungry. Eye of the hare baby.

DF

apples and fizz

M. Busto Sidra Natural Selección | La Rasa, Villaviciosa, Asturias

Authenticity. Truth. La verdad. That's all we want, isn't it, in all things. Cider included. I've been drinking a lot of it here. A lot of great examples, with special emphasis on those made organically. And while many have been cleaned up and made more palatable, they all show that same character - the sharp acidity, the balance, the notes of pickled veg that make sidra so incredible with richer foods. Delicious. Unapologetically authentic.

This, a cider of sweet, acid, and bitter apples, fermented in chestnut casks - this is one of those drinks that takes you on a ride. An unfamiliar one, yes, but an exciting one. I like these drinks, much as I like foods that initially seem simple, but reveal complexity after complexity with every bite. The layers and layers underneath. That's excitement. That's mystery. That's imagination.

My summer plans are still far from being finalized. In other words, no clue. I might be in Barcelona, I might just be back home. Who knows. But that's a little exciting too.

DF

From Niagara to Barcelona, a taste of home

13th Street Cuvée 13 Sparkling Brut Rosé Méthode Traditionelle | VQA Niagara Peninsula

A taste of home. My mother came to visit and I could have asked her to bring a number of things. Fresh underwear. Medicine. Even Q-tips. But I'm me and well, I know what I'm about. When I say I 'miss home' I should be more specific - it's not so much missing my townhouse as it is missing the wine, the beef, the weekend trips to Diana's Seafood. Happiness. And while La Boqueria has been a dream, paying €15/kilo for berberechos is stomach-churning.

Of the 22 kilos permissible on economy flights, roughly ½ kilo of my mother's baggage was taken up by this. One of my favourite Ontario wines, the non-vintage sparkling rosé from 13th Street Winery, a blend of 55% pinot noir and 45% chardonnay, mainly from the 2010 vintage. Aged 18 months on its lees, before a dosage of 6 grams of sugar and their reserve pinot noir was added. The wine was aged for another 3 months, to let all the elements integrate. No oak, no malolactic fermentation. Only 2500 6-packs made. Always a joy to drink and share with friends. This whole méthode traditionelle moniker is so abused by New World producers but 13th Street makes it happen. So what exactly does this term mean? Or rather, what should it mean? In this wino's opinion, wines that make this claim are simply saying We want to be a French wine. Which isn't a bad thing. Aim high right? Aim high. Specifically though, this emulation suggests that these wines are made from the same grapes, using the same processes as the French model, Champagne in this case. And we see that. The two most heralded Champenois varieties (pinot noir and chardonnay), using the same riddling and bottle-aging process as in Champagne. You see where this can go horribly wrong right? The whole point of it though, is that no matter the winemaking you apply, the wine still has to have a distinctive identity. I could slap on a beret, pick up a few hand gestures, learn to love stinky cheese, but at heart, I'm still what I am (ie. not French). And that's why I love this wine. It's still a Niagara wine, a Canadian. It has this brightness and purity, along with the leanness that I always associate Niagara with. Finishes dry and linear, with very fine bubbles. What this particular winemaking contributes is an elegance in texture, a delicacy. The wine is at once fine and regal, expressive and complex - it truly has become better and better with every bottle I've had. Bravo!

In the end though, people still unfortunately make comparisons. And yes, people will want to claim that this wine is 'better' than Champagne. Whatever. My Infiniti G could run circles around a 3 Series, but hey, a BMW is still a BMW. They are simply different experiences. And if you can't take it at that, you're not getting the point right? We have to have the capacity to appreciate wines for what they are - some more than others - and an inability to have an imagination, to dream is simply unfathomable to a true wino. I opened this wine with a friend. We talked, we enjoyed sitting in the sun ... we had a great time. And any wine that can encourage that is a beautiful thing. We have to try to stop being impressive and simply be what we are.

Here's to 13th Street - muchas gracias for giving me a taste of home.

DF

IESE Wine & Spirits - The Grand Wines of Spain

2013 Marques De Caceres. Ecológico Bio | Rioja
2012 Legaris Roble | DO Ribera del Duero
2011 Arzuaga Crianza | DOC Ribera del Duero
2009 Marqués de Murrieta Finca Ygay Reserva | DOCa Rioja

As in life, wine is about time and place. Time and place. A few hundred metres in one direction, a few hundred in the other ... a few months early, a few months late ... it's all to give a sense of identity, a sense of purpose to the wine, isn't it. And just like in life, the best wines represent those three immutable qualities: authenticity, honesty, and character.

I was excited for this. IWS hosted a tasting of the two most famous wine regions of Spain: Rioja and Ribera del Duero. A pair of wines from each, of varying ages. What we wanted to achieve was to give our members a sense of how differently the same grape varietal - tempranillo - can react depending on where it's grown, and the winemaking applied. So we started with the Marques de Caceres, an organic wine. Young and fresh, a bit nondescript, but a good, simple wine for the table. The Legaris was a clear step up in quality. A wine I've tasted before, and what I felt was a good representation of the modern Ribera. Fruit forward, but remaining balanced, a plushy, well-textured wine. The Arzuaga was a major discovery for me. Grown just downwind from the vineyards of Vega Sicilia and Pingus, this was a throwback Ribera del Duero. Structured and tight, but with the most beautiful red fruit character and integrated oak. Creamy vanilla and bright fruit, finishing focused and tensile. Square-shouldered yet remaining elegant. And finally, the Marqués de Murrieta, the grand old man of Rioja. Superbly delicate and fine, all silk and cashmere on the palate. The ballerina to the blockbusters of Ribera. A slight orange hue on the rim, but youthful and linear. Sheer elegance, class in a glass.

Time and place. We look for these inimitable influences in wines of quality and distinction. Is there really a framework for tasting? I don't think so. Sure, experience teaches us to look for certain things, for certain attributes that tell us about a wine. But is that the only point? Put in another way, should we be tasting or drinking? Perhaps a discussion for another time, another bottle. Let's think a bit on it, the next time we reach for a glass. The tasting brought up a lot of interesting discussion - about tasting, about the influence of winemaking, about the language of wine. Let's keep those conversations going.

Many thanks to my officers for making this tasting happen, as well as to our members who continue to show love and support for IWS.

The culture of drink endures because it offers so many rewards ... above all the elusive promise of friendship and love

Pete Hamill, A Drinking Life: A Memoir

DF

of seafood and rice

 I been holding off on paella. I want the authentic thing. In Valencia. But my mother wanted to try it, so I found a decent place in Barcelona. La Llosa, where the paella is actually delicious. The most intensely perfumed rice, mounted with a rich seafood broth, perfect shellfish, a deceptively difficult thing to do since they all cook differently ...

... their steak is good too, a big brick of meat. Bloody. Beef and arugula with parmesan, the holy trinity.

At another joint (too touristy to mention), we had the arroz negro, rice cooked with squid ink. Richer, but the shellfish again gives it a vibrancy that was very, very nice.

Switching gears. We just finished midterms, and yeah, I've been lazing around. We had a heavy night partying last night, and although I stumbled home quite early, around 2, the drinking (starting on campus 15 minutes after I turned in my exam) had clearly gotten to me. Today was a total write-off - a run to sweat off the hangover, then groceries and back to bed. I took my multivitamin with a Ginbraltar gin tonic. No shame in my game. My teammate from Peru has been excitedly sharing his country's cuisine with me. One of the places we've been to most often is Mochica, run by Peruvians from the north. I like this place. Simple, unpretentious, authentic home-cooking. Starting with the ceviche, spicy and powerful, but staying balanced ...

... and the tacu tacu de lomo saltado, rice and beans, stir-fried with pork ...

... to a fried stuffed potato dish ...

... and even a duck leg. So what's Peruvian food? It's all a fusion, no? A bit of Chinese, a bit of Japanese, a bit from the mountains ... but done in a way that's very unique, very unique. Delicious. And them pisco sours sure go down real easy ...

DF

surf and turf in the capital

Man, Madrid has some good food. Zamburiñas a la plancha at the Mercado de San Antón ...

... followed by the best tapa we had the whole week, langostinos alistados a la plancha, with a few glasses of albariño that ended up cheaper than drinking water. Love this country.

It took a bit of searching, but we did end up finding Sin Reservas in the end, just off the north east side of Parque del Retiro. Starting with a plate of jamón ibérico, of course ...

... and then onto the meats. A sirloin seared pink ...

... and a delicious braised beef cheek, served with an exquisitely simple pasta.

The details are what make this place. The beef was accompanied by 3 kinds of salt - the standard sea salt, along with a pink and black Himalayan rock salt.

And with the preceding dishes making such an impression, we had to have the tiramisu made in-house. Rich, balanced, going down like silk.

One sits on top, the other supports. And with tonight's meat-heavy dishes, the only wine that would do was a simple, dry, fresh Lambrusco. A fabulous few days eating in Madrid.

DF

Semana Santa in Madrid

Now's the time to focus. And get back into the routine of things, get back to working, get back to hustling. The past few weeks have been a little too comfortable, too soft. And we all know what softness does to a person. Come on, we the young bloods. Now's not the time for 2 hour lunches and a siesta.

Easter is a week-long event here in Spain. Semana Santa. Holy week. And we just happened to be in Madrid. Caught the procession on Friday evening in Sol - seeing the purple hoods was a bit jarring, but hey, this is culture. A fantastic few days in the capital, a good break away from Barcelona. Lots more pictures to share, food and wines to reminisce about.

It's been a strange day. My Raptors got eliminated, a 1-point heartbreaker. And we had to submit an essay for our self management course with topic write your own obituary. And so we get a little creative. An obituary, by definition, requires a death. And now it is upon me to take my eternal rest. Just odd, and very uncomfortable actually writing about an as yet un-lived life. I have no problem with death - shit, I think about dying all the time. But to have to put down in writing acknowledgements, and milestones you want to be remembered for ... that's not right. That's not right at all.

DF

hey guys, I'm 18

I'm making a habit of spending birthdays out of home, out of Canada. But it's cool. Because I always seem to spend it with my mom. It's late, we have to get to the airport early tomorrow for her flight ... but it's been a great 2 weeks. But hey, we can't in a vacation all the time. Now's the time to focus, to do some work. Many thanks to all the friends, loved ones who've sent the most lovely birthday wishes. Will write more later, but yeah, it's been the best birthday of my 18 years yet.

DF

back and forth, push and pull ...

Sorry for my absence. I've been busy. Not feeling up to it, lots of things on my mind, whatever - those are all excuses.

So my mom's been in Barcelona for the past 2 weeks. When she came, she brought me multi-vitamins. Strength for the body. But what she also brought was fortification for the spirit. As it turns out, I needed more of that. Life has been fantastic here, it really has ... but I really needed some time with my mom.

We spent just under a week in Madrid, and have been going all over Barcelona these past few days. Not easy to attend classes (on minimal sleep already) and then muster some energy to go out at night. But what are we going to do ... stay at home to rest? What will we talk about in 10 years - how I was able to rest well while she was here and do all my cases, or all the adventures we had that one week in Barcelona? Easy choice here.

I wanted to just say one thing, these last few hours of being 27. It's been an incredible year, but this birthday seems extra special. I feel like coming here has taught me so much, and above all, despite all the talk about the need for me to be more selfish, I'm more capable of caring for others. I've learned that happiness - true happiness - comes from my ability, through actions small and seemingly insignificant, to make those I care about feel loved, appreciated, and cared for. That's where my happiness comes from. So now, before my birthday, and before my mother goes back home, I feel a bit sentimental, a bit melancholy, a bit, dare I say, sad. But all that is temporary, because I know why I'm here, that this is exactly where I need to be.

Pushing and pulling, a constant back and forth ... but as long as we stay true to ourselves, we'll find the way.

DF

Mi mama is here!!

We talk nearly everyday, but FaceTime or WeChat is never the same as being in person. I've been waiting for this for a long time. Just lots of stuff happening here, that I'm finding it hard to share with other people. But my mom understands. My mom always understands. Arriving Sunday afternoon, I got to El Prat early. If you want to see humanity at its best, see the arrivals gate of any major airport. Pure joy is what it is. As soon as she saw me, mi mama started crying all the way over. But she's here, and I can finally show her my home for the past 8 months, this life I've built for myself here. And it's great, because she's the only person who truly feels the excitement I feel, can see the happiness I'm experiencing here. And please, coming from Toronto, this weather and sun is paradise.

A first day of visiting IESE, and doing a quick walk around of Barcelona. Cool. In need of a good night's sleep - tomorrow's going to be a great day. Brunch in the morning, a stroll through Passeig de Gracia ... and then back to El Prat to catch a flight to Madrid. Let's go!!

DF

and a week passes

What a week. So many things going on, my brain is shot. And I still made it to Spanish class - a newly minted módulo 6 student(!). Undeserving? Perhaps. But we reviewed the exam results today, and the number's don't lie. I'm exhausted. And why am I still up? Because instead of going out with the Japanese guys to the beer fiesta at Drassanes, I stayed in to finish up an assignment for our Quantitative Methods class. Due just before we return to class from Semana Santa, but let's be honest, I'm not touching schoolwork in between. So let's get this wrapped up and submitted, and free our minds to worry about other things.

Lots of uncertainty man, lots of things I need to figure out still. But I'm getting better at it. 

DF

that long, rocky road

It's been a long week. Fun and exciting, lots of stuff going on ... but long. Had meetings, of all kinds, with MBA committees, professors, clubs ... had my final Spanish exams for módulo 5. Tried to squeeze in some time with friends, some social events, including today's Fun Run 2014 up Tibidabo. By all means, in the top 3 of the busiest weeks I've had here so far. But I've survived. So far. One more day to go tomorrow, but really, really ... let me rest. Three more days until my mom arrives to Barca.

DF

no rest out in the wild

Yeah. We like it like that. Frosty, with a drop of Angostura bitters on top. Outside of (of course) all the incredible Spanish and Catalan food (see what I did there) I've been learning about here, another new experience has been Peruvian food. Man. That stuff is good. Ceviche. Lomo saltado. Tacu tacu. And of course, the Pisco Sour. Apologies to Chile. Balanced, with great extract from the lime juice, spiciness from the pisco, texture from the egg white ... delicious.

So apparently there's a sizeable Peruvian population in Barcelona. And yes, I'm pretty determined to visit every single Peruvian restaurant in town. Good, honest, unfussy food.

DF

high and lonesome

What is bluegrass? Songs of sorrow, of weariness ... songs of salvation to salve the soul. A high and lonesome sound. That good old-timey music.

How's all, son?

Not too good. 3rd term's starting off on a rough note. Beat down after 8 months here. Still no internship.

Can't be all that bad. 

No it can't. We are, after all, in Barcelona. It's 23°C outside. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and runs on the beach clear the head and lift the spirit. But man, my ribs are getting sore. I don't know how much more punishment I can keep taking.

We're doers, son. Stop bitching and just get on with it. We do the best with what we have.

Big weekend here. School event and all, for business schools across Europe. Partied hard for 3 nights now. What a waste of time. It's all the same, no, no matter where you are?  How many drinks am I going to have? How late am I staying? How come the music is so bad? Who am I (trying to) taking home tonight?

Focus is key.

Right. So a big week ahead. Lots to deal with before Easter.

Take a minute, take a breathe. And then get to it.

Easier said than done. But yeah. Yeah. At least we have bluegrass.

At least we have bluegrass.

DF

a box of chocolates

Oh bury me beneath the willow,

under the weeping willow tree

So He may know where I am sleepin' and

perhaps He'll weep for me

- Weeping Willow, The Stanley Brothers

A tough week. That's an understatement, no? Life is tough. And sometimes, despite the effort, the sleepless nights, the suffering ... things simply don't come out the other end like you expected. Like you wanted. So we sit down, take a moment, re-visit, re-assess, re-evaluate ... all those things good MBA's are taught. Last term was tough, no doubt. Did my efforts pay off, those long nights studying, those sunny weekends spent at my desk? Maybe. Maybe not. As in all things, it's a matter of perspective. But of course, that's not how the world works. There are rules. And regulations. And guidelines that must be enforced, in the name of standards. 

We move onto happy things. I went out for calçotada last weekend, a seasonal tradition in Catalunya. Calçots are a type of spring onion that are in season now. A local custom, they're grilled, and eaten with a dipping sauce, sort of like a tomato-y hollandaise. And they're fantastic. Tender, yet retaining that beautifully robust texture, sweet and soft in the mouth. Delicious. A fantastic Sunday lunch with my favourite people in the program.

No complaints man, no moaning. The things that've transpired ... it's over and done with. Let's figure out next steps, what we need to do to move on. 

DF

taking a moment

We get so caught up in day to day nonsense, don't we ... or rather, I get so caught up, worked up, messed up, thrown up. We need to take a moment, and smell the roses. To remind ourselves yet again that while the MBA is our absolute priority, there are other things too that we can't neglect. We need to be good to ourselves and take a beer - a good one, undoubtedly, but you already knew that. A quiet afternoon, alone, doing some work, doing some thinking, a good brew alongside. Who cares what this beer was. It served the most noble of purposes - a faithful, constant nod to the old ways, when honesty, respect, and integrity still meant something.

Going south here. But it's late, and this weekend has been all over the place. I can't deal with so many emotions man ... from finishing final exams to starting a new term, to finally feeling like I can hang out with my friends to getting grades back ... it's just too much for this wino to handle. So like all introverts, I go to my safe place, to sort out my head, to get things straight. At the moment, maybe I don't know which way is up, what the right thing to do is. So in these moments of uncertainty, we take a brief respite to collect ourselves, and then continue on ahead, head down, ready to work. Let's go get it. And this time, I mean it.

DF

settling in

Cervesa del Montseny Negra | Barcelona

First day of our 3rd term here - unbelievable how fast things are going. Yet, looking back, so many new things seen, heard, tasted, smelled, experienced. I'm a lucky, lucky man. Every term, the MBA Office likes to spice things up, and change our seating arrangement. And every term, I end up closer and closer to the front ... the hot seats. The professors all know about the (totally justified) 3rd term apathy among students, and have already warned us that we will be cold-called and quizzed mercilessly. And I've got the best seats in the house. But I'm happy. I'm sitting with my best friend in the program, and well, you take the good with the bad. 

Stout being brewed in Catalunya. Correct in every way, albeit a bit lacking in texture and roundness on the palate. But this is a good one. Satisfying. Started booking travel plans for the upcoming Easter holidays, and I'm debating whether to get my mother to bring Canadian wine or craft beer. Tough decisions.

But now that I'm all settled in here ... let's just keep seeing what Barcelona has to offer.

DF

brevity

Beer is good. German beer, even more so. Man, I'm so behind, and when I actually get to sorting out the photos, going over notes again, I lose interest and don't even bother actually writing about the bottles. It's all good though. My drinking life doesn't revolve around tasting notes. 

So, German beers from El Corte Ingles. Decent selection, I suppose, but it's all relative. Good, solid, satisfying brews - nothing terribly exciting, but like a good hug from an old friend, something to soothe the soul. 

Just like that, our short break is over. Second term ended last Friday, with the final 2 exams. Confident about how I performed? We all know the answer to that one, so yeah, let's move on. I tried my best though. A nice, relaxing weekend of going out to brunch, enjoying the weather, going for long runs by the beach ... fantastic. Got some culture too, seeing the Le Corbusier exhibit at the Caixaforum. Spent some time with buddies outside of class (finally!), and got to know some classmates better as well. And yes, drank copious amounts of gin cocktails. A long day today, dragging myself out of bed on 3 hours of sleep to go to campus, to film a video promoting the exchange program here. A fun day of shooting, and really, really excited to see the results. Will post it as soon as it's completed. Let's make me a Youtube star chicos. 

Is the worst behind us? Can I finally focus a bit, and figure out a plan to get a summer internship? Let's get it on!

DF

Heart and soul

I walked a tightrope during our last day of Operations Management class last week, and was rewarded for it. That thin line between honesty and stupidity. A fool I remain. But at least a brave one, to the end. At the beginning of the term, we were given the option of submitting a 'Show and Tell'. Something, anything we came across, experienced, whatever, that was applicable as an operations case. And so I submitted something about wine, to the surprise of no one. I know what I'm about son. 

I talked about sherry - specifically, the complexities of the solera system, and the scale of the number of botas these bodegas manage. The night before, I get an email from the professors asking me to prepare a short presentation for the class. Right. I had to make a choice. And I decided to go in a direction opposite of where I was probably supposed to go. At a fork in the road, and I went left instead of right. But hey, always be true to yourself, right. I went up there, in front of all my classmates and professors, and proclaimed that for sherry bodegas, operational efficiency was not important, and would destroy its heart and soul. Bold statements. Maybe not the best thing to say before the final exam. No, definitely not the best thing to say. But I said it, the class voted The Cask of Fino as the best out of the 3 'Show and Tells', and I walked out with a bottle of Cava. A good final day of classes.

I'm reminded of why I love wine. In a word, honesty. Because to begin understanding and truly appreciating wine, we have to first find that honesty. In wine, and also in ourselves. A wine will never lie to you - all the marketing, all the nonsense critics come up with - it's all for naught, because what is in the glass cannot hide. But to be able to see through the smoke and mirrors requires honesty from ourselves too. To put aside egos, to know that there's far more that we don't know than what we do ... to always be curious, to always have a sense of excitement, of mystery. To still be able to be stunned speechless in wonder by a glass.

In front of an MBA class, talking about heart and soul is, well, pointless. But if I can get one person ... just one person to see what I'm trying to get at, to feel instead of analyze ... I will be very happy indeed.

Heart and soul baby. Heart and soul. 

DF

a bit of variety

Martin's IPA | Belgium

Belgian beer! IPA!! Sunshine and brightness!!!

Last week was, by all accounts, a shitshow. Among many shitshows so far in the MBA, but this one stood out. You see, dear reader, I came to Spain with the promise that I would be different - more positive, more social, more engaged. Ah yes, that magical, wonderful, meaningless word. We've been through periods of intense work, high stress, a crush of deliverables ... but I've always managed to (more or less) get through it all with a smile. Last week felt different. I felt defeated, overwhelmed, but most concerning, a bit deflated. Just in a bad place emotionally. And we all know how emotional this wino gets. Terrible. But last week, I let it get to me. It was a combination of personal issues, lack of sleep, stress, whatever ... but my mood was awful. 

I needed a moment.

Some time alone, just as the weather here is beginning to get balmy, was just what I needed. Had a good afternoon of wine and jamón shopping on Saturday. Perfecto. A bit of time to reflect, to get my head straight - remind myself of all the reasons why I came here, why this is such an amazing time in my life. A few sips of a Brunus Montsant, a few slices of jamón, and I was back. 

Beer is dismal here. Spanish beer is, well, Spanish beer. And the variety (and quality) of imports leaves much to be desired. But occasionally, one finds the exception. An IPA from Belgium, full of that bright, citrusy hop character. Finesse and balance on the palate, finishing with a most pleasing bitterness. Can you see I've been desperate for some good beer? What I wouldn't give for some proper North American craft brews ...

So things are getting better. I'm always hopeful. The sun is shining, Barcelona is hitting 20C, and final exams or not, I'm going to enjoy myself. Because that's what I came here to do ... to be happy. Simple, isn't it. 

DF

as the night blurs

Man. I'm feeling under the weather. I need to get better soon. Why? So I can die this Saturday. And what's happening Saturday? Only the biggest show of debauchery at IESE, Multi-Culti. Straight and reckless alcoholism, in the guise of diversity and multiculturalism. But what am I saying. We're only living up to that greatest and truest of MBA traditions - push yourself to the limit, in everything and anything you do, no?

This was the lineup way back, for Christmas Eve dinner. All sorts of things - a rosado (for me), some whites, some Rioja, a bit of Ribera. All cheap and cheerful bottles. Good stuff. Things started getting a bit hazy after the 3rd bottle. But, we celebrated, we enjoyed ourselves, and I made it home, safe. Fantastic. Schoolwork's been tough, really taking a chunk off my ass this term. But, we power through. Claw, bite, punch, whack, kick, jab ... whatever we need to do to get the job done. And then we celebrate, but only if victory is well-earned. A question to keep asking myself ...

DF