Wine on the Rocks was born, or better said, first entered Finkus’ melon back in 2007. The trigger was nothing else than a 1996 Valentini Trebbiano d’Abruzzo he was enjoying with a fish dinner in one of his favourite Central Italian restaurants: so complex, intense, length till Tuesday (this was a Sunday night may we add) and ever, ever changing in his glass. He doesn’t remember what exact dishes or type of fish he had that night but he never did forget that wine.

It was its ever changing character which made him blurt out “If this wine was a singer, it would be David Bowie.” Which was followed by “Why isn’t wine compared to singers, bands or their music? Who cares about all those scores? Everybody feels music, wheter they like what’s playing or not… it triggers emotion. WTF does a 91 score trigger other than merchants and consumers to purchase these wines… where’s the emotion?” Needless to say, Miss Earlywood, Finkus’ partner in crime, wasn’t paying much attention as Finkus tends to ramble on all the time anyway… and yes, that’s how good the fish was. “I know, I’m gonna start a wine blog one day and do exactly that, couple wine with music, or the spirit of Rock… something like that. Whaddya think?” With Miss E’s reply going something like this “Did you try the calamaretti? What? Ya, sure, great idea…” pointing to her empty glass.

Needless to say, WOTR is “this”: the result of an idea in a quaint little restaurant in Abruzzo (La Sfoglia in Guardiegrele by the way) – did we mention how good the fish is there?

Welcome! Hope you enjoy the ride and keep on keepin’ ON!

About Finkus Bripp

Finkus - early years

Finkus Bripp, Sommelier and Host of WOTR

Finkus was born & raised in Canada, is of Italian heritage and has called Munich home for the past 14 years. He speaks four languages fluently (English, German, French and Italian) and has been passionate about wine as long as he can remember. It’s always been a part of his and family’s life: they’ve been growing their own grapes in Abruzzo, Italy and making wine for personal consumption for over 100 years – they still do so today – and his father continued the tradition in Canada by making wine at home – in the garage. So Finkus’ dad – as many other Italians “away from home” – has been a Viticulteur Garagiste before the phrase was made popular by vintners such as Jean-Luc Thunevin of Chateau Valandraud… with the only comparison being the garage.

Finkus finalised his Business Marketing studies at the Algonquin College of Applied Arts & Technology in Ottawa, Canada, has worked in various roles in the Fundraising and International Sales sectors before moving on to the Web sector in 1999. He’s also performed in four professionally staged operas – that was his short cultural stint. It was at the peak of Mont Ventoux back in 2006 that Finkus was enlightened and decided to become a “Gourmet Consultant” as he called it. Becoming an accredited Sommelier (Associazione Italiana Sommeliers  – A.I.S.) was the first step in achieving this goal.

During the day, under his real name – Daniele del Gesso – “Finkus” is a professional creative consultant (split up between web consultancy, design & photography – creative worx media) and by night slips into his Sommelier role by offering wine seminars in downtown Munich to anyone willing to listen. WOTR is therefore Finkus’ 2nd project in the wine sector and first ever blog.

Email: finkus_at_wineontherocks.com (anti-spam)

Links to other Finkus projects:
www.finkusbripp.com Personal blog
www.color-odor-sapor.com COS Wine Seminars
www.inside-abruzzo.com places to eat, drink & sleep in Abruzzo
www.creative-worx-media.de Finkus’ day job