Someone recently described our wine club members as “people with brains.” I took it as a compliment—but more importantly, as reassurance.
Reassurance that in a world chasing quick fixes, viral trends, and instant answers, some of us still prefer to slow down and ask: Who made this? How? And why?
Patience seems out of fashion these days. We’re impatient in our actions, and we demand instant results. Headlines flash faster than we can read them. Trust in mainstream media keeps sliding downward—record lows, year after year. Yet the world just spins faster, as if speed alone could replace clarity or truth.
This came to mind last week during a call I had with a Champagne producer in Reims. He’s one of only a handful of family-run houses still quietly operating near the famous cathedral, working carefully with local growers he’s known for years.
He called me because he was feeling uneasy. Prices were rising again. Talk of tariffs. Uncertainty all around. He asked, hesitantly, if we should pause our plans.
“Panic never helps,” I told him. “Stay alert, but keep going.”
It wasn’t just tariffs bothering him—it was how quickly the big houses moved, buying grapes indiscriminately and pushing prices up for everyone.
“Those guys set the prices,” he sighed. “They buy everything to control supply, and we’re all left dealing with the consequences.”
It reminded me of the gambler named Théo, who you might recall as the mysterious trader who made nearly $50 million betting on Trump to win the 2024 election. Théo didn’t trust mainstream polls. Instead, he quietly ran his own surveys, asking not who people were voting for—but who their neighbors would vote for. Indirect, subtle, and ultimately more honest.
Théo’s instinct paid off spectacularly. He saw something hidden in plain sight—simply by asking the right question.
I realized I often do the same when visiting winemakers. I gently ask:
“If I invited you home for dinner and asked you to bring a bottle—not your own, but from your neighbor—which wine would you pick?”
A quiet “neighbor poll” that reveals more truth than any marketing campaign could. Winemakers don’t recommend neighbors unless they deeply respect their approach, integrity, and patience.
That’s how you really know someone—by the company they keep. We’ve all had a friend who instantly offers that stamp of approval: “If they’re your friend, they’re mine too.” It’s an automatic filter for trust.
When the world moves faster than we can follow, when headlines shout and patience runs short, perhaps quiet, neighborly trust is exactly what we need.
Not louder voices, but clearer ones. Not more choices, but better ones.
Today—March 21st—is the start of spring. Warmer days, longer evenings, and the uplifting air of spring simply calls for bubbles. If you’re ready to replenish your Champagne stocks—or you’re just in the mood to celebrate patience, trust, and brighter days ahead—let me know. We’ve got some bottles quietly waiting for their moment to shine.
Finally, thank you for the trust you’ve placed in us. If you’re enjoying the club, I’d love to hear it.
If something could be better, I’d love to hear that, too. Like a good bottle of wine, we’re just trying to improve with age.
Cheers,
Diego
