Today’s blog was to have been about the wining-and-dining scene in Charleston, S.C.
I wrote the story last night and was going to put the finishing touches on it this morning before posting it.
But this morning, I awoke to a malfunctioning MacBook. I couldn’t help but think it had something to do with the passing of Apple guru Steve Jobs. Of course, it doesn’t, but the timing is impossible to ignore—especially when I’m the one with the apparently broken laptop.
Anyway, I have borrowed a friend’s computer—also a Mac, thankfully, as my only experience with PCs is in internet cafes in faraway lands—and am quickly assembling a replacement blog for today.
The looming deadline does not permit the usual insertion of thought-provoking commentary or captivating prose. So I will simply share some information that has come my way about an expanded series of (mostly) wine-themed events that have been planned at 28 Park Hyatt properties around the world in 2012.
You might call it an expanded take on the Masters of Food & Wine event that Hyatt introduced in Carmel, Calif., more than 20 years ago.
At the Park Hyatt in Zurich, Switzerland, for instance, guests will take part in the Swiss grape harvest, attend a seminar with Swiss winemakers, and then embark on a boat ride on Lake Zurich—with a picnic lunch included.
At the Park Hyatt in Mendoza, Argentina, there will be olive oil tasting at a nearby grove, along with a winemaker dinner.
You can read more about the program here.
One of the wonderful things about wine is that is can be “experienced” in a number of ways.
You may enjoy sitting down with a good book, some favorite background music, and a good glass of vino.
Or you may prefer, as I do, to seek out the best possible food-and-wine pairings.
Perhaps you savor the opportunity to visit winery tasting rooms as part of a getaway weekend.
But when you can immerse yourself in the wine “experience”—whether it involves picking grapes or sitting down for a meal with a vintner—well, life doesn’t get much better. And in 2012, the folks at Park Hyatt will be making those special moments possible for many of their guests.
With that, I’m off to the Apple Store with my laptop. Wish me luck!
