Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2001 2:14 PM

Subject: Wine at Orangewood Consulting - 4

To recipients of this newsletter,

It has been over a month since I put out WOC-3 - "The Newsflash" so here I am again. This is going to be short because I need to start packing for our vacation in Tuscany. We will be gone for two weeks. It's possible that we will try some wine while we are over there - this is a tough business, but someone has to do it.

I keep on thinking there will be a major breakthrough, but the reality is to keep chipping away. It is interesting to watch well run restaurants in operation and to meet the people that work to make them successful. It's just like Jerome K. Jerome said in his book Three Men in a Boat, "I like work, I can watch it for hours." (Brief interlude while I find that this book still is in print and available at least at Amazon.com).

And now to the news. Please note that I will only be naming names when the place actually has the wine - promises don't count!

Retail outlets:

The 1999 Noceto Sangiovese is now available at AJ's on Central at Camelback. They have been selling the Frivolo for some time and a thank you to any of you who bought some. Wendy (cellar master at AJ's) had to buy a second case. This is good news - except it was the last case of Frivolo. If you want some, hurry, it's now or wait for the 2001. Tom Hamilton at www.winesupply.net will supply cases of wine at a small markup but has not done so yet. There is another retailer who expects to carry the wine starting in October.

Restaurants:

Still only one restaurant carrying - Territorial Bar & Grill in Cave Creek. There is a new owner as of this week - Charlie. I was up there the day after the sale closed to try to show my best responsiveness. Six other restaurants say they will carry the wine starting in September. I'm sure some of them will. Perhaps September will be the breakthrough month.

Wine Bars:

I have decided that there is a trend towards wine bars - I am finding a lot them about. Laurie and I are wondering if people are eating at a wine bar in preference to an expensive restaurant. Easier on the wallet and the waistline, while not sacrificing wine quality. So currently I have two wine bars signed up to carry the Noceto Sangioveses – starting in September!

New territories:

I drove up to Flagstaff last Friday to spend time with some friends and to check the restaurant wine lists. I have subsequently spoken to the wine guy from one of the restaurants. He told me that their season is just ending - he might be interested in the spring. He told me that some days in the summer the place is packed with people all from Scottsdale. It seems that there could be a complementary seasons with the Phoenix season and the Flagstaff season hardly overlapping. Now why didn't I think of this back in June?

Portfolio:

We decided to carry the wines that we had sampled. The winery, Il Poggiolino, is in the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany. They are a smaller winery even than Vino Noceto. We are carrying their 1995 Chianti Classico Riserva and their Super Tuscan 1995 Le Balze. "Il Poggiolino" translates, Laurie tells me, to "The little hill". The name of the Super Tuscan translates to "the ancient terraces". We think the vines may be on the terraces on the little hill. But speculation is not enough - we will be checking this place out next week! No sales or even prospects for Il Poggiolino so far, but our emergency plan can always swing into action - drinking it ourselves. Our inventory is always liquid. Finally, we were visiting the Napa region and we found ourselves, surprise surprise, in a winery. They do a tasty Cabernet Sauvignon and a pretty good Zinfandel. They would like us to carry their wines, but I am concerned about being lost in the mass of Cab Sauvs and Zins already on the market. However, they also breed thoroughbred race horses – so if we could identify a couple of restaurants that have a race horse theme, it could be a winner? Turf Paradise and West World come to mind - anyone know of any others? Remember, however, that this is pretty expensive wine so those places that serve their "house red" from a box are probably not going to be selling this. Let us know your thoughts.

I did receive some feedback from the last newsletter, it was appreciated, thank you. Keep those cards and letters coming!

In the meantime enjoy your wine drinking.

Richard and Laurie Corles