You may have noticed a new reviewer on our WineCollective Dal Cero Soave tasting card this month, fOURevrWine. Curtis Litun and Andrew Albert launched fOURevrWine toward the end of 2013. While the company and website are new, the pair are both experienced wine specialists that we have recently had the pleasure of working and chatting with.
Mainly through podcasts posted on their website fOURevrWine.com, Curtis and Andrew aim to bring entertainment, news and know how to wine enthusiasts everywhere. By removing the pretention that surrounds enjoying wine, fOURevrWine is meant to be a fun and relevant means of bringing wine knowledge to all of those willing to learn.
A popular podcast of theirs is #trendingsips, where Curtis and Andrew share what they are drinking, and what maybe you would like to drink during local and worldwide events. For example, the most recent post focusing on Calgary’s Sun and Salsa Festival, and what they recommend pairing with delicious Mexican cuisine.
Curtis says that he encourages wine drinkers to go beyond their norm, to explore their preferences and find new favourites. As WineCollective has mentioned before wine education is continuous, and Curtis feels very much the same.
“I will never know everything there is to know about wine,” says Curtis. “But my goal is to continue to learn and share the stories behind wine.”
Curtis compares the wine world to a “modern library,” where within every spirit, beer and of course wine bottle, there is a story to tell. “Wine has as a culture and history. There is so much more inside the dusty bottle if you want to explore.”
In order to expand their palate, Curtis suggests that wine drinkers move on from what they know, or assume to know. “People should know that Malbec doesn’t just come from Argentina,” he says. “You will never try your next favourite if you never put it in your glass.”
Even more, Litun admits himself to not having a favourite wine. “There are things about certain wines I will always enjoy, but there is a time and place for every wine.”
As an example, Curtis touched on big burly men not wanting to drink rose. A concern we posted on our last blog, as many roses are perfect for hot summer days, and as a pairing with BBQ. To those men out there, Curtis says to move away from the norm of big Californian Cabernets and expand what you know!
Even though we were fortunate enough to have Curtis write a July review for us, and another for August packages, fOURevrWine does not typically concentrate on ratings and reviews.
“What we try and do is give you a starting point, offer some flavours you may taste and then have you try it,” he says. “If I tell you a tasting note, before it’s even hit your lips, chances are you’re going to agree with me.”
Even though Curtis has tasted wines through his wine career over the last decade, he still admits that a review or note is just his opinion. “Just because I think it’s really good, or someone else thinks so, it does not mean that you are going to think the same.”
Instead, Curtis wants to encourage all wine lovers to really drink, enjoy and experience the wine in front of them, and more, to think and talk about it!
“It’s comparable to life with travel, where you visit places, take pictures bring back a little trinket and tell people the stories about it,” he says. “It’s the same with wine in that you can pour a glass, taste it and talk about it.”
As a previous bartender, retail operator, and current wine representative himself for some WineCollective features such as the 2008 Baluarte Crianza, it is no doubt that Curtis Litun is a wine pro. However his work is not done yet.
“I want to experience of all facets of wine. From picking grapes, to pulling corks,” he says.
Hoping to forever be in the wine industry, and forever moving forward, WineCollective can’t wait to watch fOURevrWine continue to grow. We hope each of our members gets a chance to visit their site and social media channels full of tips, tricks and trending sips.
