Shot Gun Beers and $72 Wines

6/25/08 - I’ve just arrived in Buenos Aires for my three week wine and beer scouting mission. I’ve only driven from the airport to my hostel, but I’m amazed at how European it looks and feels. It is the Vespas of Italy, the language of Spain and the architecture of Brussels. Everything is slightly crumbly and it feels like people are working to keep it together. Though not frantically. People are dressed impeccably.

Starting this business is the most liberating thing that I’ve done. I’m free to succeed or fail. I can choose how I want to dress and present myself to others. The only people that I have to answer to are Ashley and myself. By far we are the toughest bosses that I’ve ever had, but that’s only because we together have everything to gain or everything to lose through this!

I quickly dive into my research:

-I go to two different grocery stores that specialize in bottles less than AR$30 (about $10US). There is a lot that I’ve never ever seen before. How are we going to narrow down our choices?!?

-I then go to Lo de Joaquin Alberdi, a wine shop near Plaza Serana. The wine steward shows me very high end items, AR$215. Yikes! I ask about the best value and he pointed out a few in the under AR$25 range. He said that AR$25 is the minimum that he'll go for. I think I may be in the wrong wine shop for our target market.

-I taste my first Argentinean beer, Quilmes. It is a light lager, with slightly more body than Budweiser. Not worth pursuing – except to shot gun later.

All I know is that Ashley will love it here.