Advice from Wine Expert, Brent Simpson
You never really know much about something until you encounter a specialist who is willing to open up about all the richer aspects of the art at hand.
“As a young man I became interested in wine and took it upon myself to travel to France and go through main wine areas there,” said Brent Simpson, 35 year devout General Manager for North America Hejos,.
“At this point, I was very interested in the wine gig.”
Post college graduation, Simpson took on a job as a merchandiser for a local distributer in Orlando, Fl., which linked him directly to in-store brands such as those carried in large alcohol companies such as Wine and Spirits.
Simpson’s association to the real world working lifestyle allowed him to redefine his to-be long term interests and passions from a perspective different than he was used to as a student of higher education.
Simpson eventually realized that the wine industry was one that he could willingly and enjoyably climb the ladder in.
Upon his return to the States, Simpson held several sales and marketing positions at various companies, which ultimately led him to his current work force reality.
A very light hearted man to speak to, and a very informative source for those who may not understand all of the aspects that configure the art form of wine—Simpson suggests a few specifics for all to consider.
“Novices should know that between 10 and 15 dollars, they can find a lot of high quality wine,” he said. “The price shouldn’t be confusing. 13 dollar wine may taste better than a 50 dollar bottle.”
This bit may not have been true, or as easy to believe a couple decades ago when wineries were more focused on saving money than they were on producing truthfully tasteful bottles of wine.
“45 years ago, it was very common for a lot of wineries throughout the world to focus on making as much wine as they could for as cheap as they could—and, they got away with it,” said Simpson. “This means that there was a lot of poor quality wine sold to the masses around the world. But, now, it has become so competitive in the industry that if good wine is not made, that producer has no chance in the business.”
Simpson also obtains great insight in reference to culture and classifying wine as a universal bond.
“We all have to eat! We all have to have something to get the food down too. Historically, it has been the compliment to food. But, additionally, it is a natural relaxant, and helps us enjoy ourselves,” he said. “I think that it is really what ties all cultures together.”