The Time Has Come

The time has finally arrived for the Passaggio Wines Cruise...I will be leaving tomorrow for an exciting adventure to Italy...can't wait to tell you all about it!

Follow Your Passion

Cynthia Cosco

Napa Art and Wine

Passion - how do you define it? Each of us has a definition for it. My good friend, Linda Cordair, owns an art gallery in downtown Napa. It's a beautiful gallery. Quent Fine Art is located at 1301 First Street, Napa, CA. 

Linda's passion - art. She breathes, eats, and drinks art. She also loves helping others follow their passion. Linda sent me a text today that said "Check out" the Quent Cordair Facebook page. I did and to my amazement she had a photo of a beautiful piece of art with two bottles of my wine.

The Facebook status read:

Purchase "The Return of Joy" by Tamara Bonet this month and we will include some of our favorite Passaggio Wines as a thank you. 

See a larger image of this amazing sculpture and additional details at the Quent Fine Art Website.

If you haven't been to the Quent Fine Art Gallery, take the opportunity to visit. You won't be disappointed. When you walk in Linda may just hand you a glass of wine and let you enjoy meandering through her beautiful pieces of art. 

Follow Your Passion

Cynthia Cosco

Rose Colored Glasses

Looking at the World Through Rose Colored Glasses...

1951 Nick Lucas

2011 Passaggio Wines

Have Fun

Follow Your Passion

Cynthia Cosco

Inside Secrets

Luna Sei Winery

What a journey this has been...

This is a photo of a collective of great friends in Sonoma who grow their own grapes and make wine in their garage. It has been my privilege and blessing to be a part of their journey. Guiding them through the process has been so much fun and they are making fantastic wines. This year they harvested two barrels of Merlot, one half barrel of Syrah Rosé and one barrel of Sauvignon Blanc. What a story they have! A group of six friends getting together, making wine and sharing it with their friends and family…I can't wait to taste their finished product...

At the beginning of this year I was asked to read through a home wine making book to see if I would be interested in endorsing it. As I read through it I began to think of all the people who would benefit from such a book...people who want to follow their passion for wine and home wine making. I also thought this was a perfect opportunity for me to pay back all those who have helped me by helping you make good wine…let’s follow your passion and start your journey

My journey of wine making has brought me to this point in time and I want to share it with you...
Check out the Insider Tips

Cheers,

Cynthia Cosco
Follow Your Passion

Living Goals

I often look at the goals I have written for myself.  One thing I have noticed...they are ever changing.  The end result remains the same but the journey it takes to get there changes from time to time.  I believe our goals are ever changing because we are ever changing.  Our goals are part of us and change as we do.  They help us in our driving force for our passions in life.

Writing your goals down is an excellent idea but do not be too tied to them.  Let them be ever flowing as your life flows from day to day.  It's OK to change the path for the better from time to time but don't forget where it is you want to go.  Be creative...it's OK...




Follow Your Passion

Cynthia Cosco

My First Trip to British Columbia

It was an absolute pleasure sharing great food, awesome wines, and wonderful friendships on my trip to Canada...thank you Sandra Oldfield, Lisa, Susan, Yvonne Arnold, God's Mountain Estate, Melissa, Ken Oldfield, Jeannette, Brad, John...and all who made this possible...

Turn your speakers on and enjoy...





Follow Your Passion

Passaggio Wines

Mission: Possible

   Mission: Possible

   

   My business is my passion.  Passaggio Wines was started in 2008 following my 15 year law enforcement career. I moved to California to follow my passion to pursue a life making quality, food-friendly wines.  I left Virginia in 2004 and launched Passaggio Wines with my 2007 vintage.  Passaggio's flagship wine is an unoaked Chardonnay.  I love to bring great wines, awesome food, and wonderful friends together.  Sharing is all part of the Passaggio story.  After a few years I added a Pinot Grigio, Rosé, and Pinot Noir.

   Passaggio's success is based in the loyal customers and friends made along this wonderful journey.  Passaggio wines has given me the chance to meet some of the greatest people during this pilgrimage.  They have made my success.

   Passaggio Wines unique quality was birthed from it's passion.  Built on a shoestring budget, I was able to launch my dream.  The unoaked Chardonnay's of today are getting great press and I am proud to have been on the cutting edge.

   I need your help to receive 250 votes to be eligible for a $250,000 grant from Chase Bank.  Just click on the above icon.  Sign in...type in Passaggio Wines - Sonoma, California and cast your vote...

   

   Thank you for your continued support...




   Follow Your Passion


   Passaggio Wines

It's Never Too Late

I remember falling down when I was a little girl and my mom there to help me back up...life is kinda like that. We do fall down at times, we get discouraged, and have the tendency to stay down. It's not easy to just jump right back up again. Sometimes we need a little encouragement. Maybe even someone to hold out their hand and help us up.

There are times during your journey that you will need a friend or two to help you back up...find that right person who you know will be there no matter what the circumstance. Someone you know and trust to see you through the good times and the hard times.

Just remember that no matter what happens - dust yourself off, get back up again and keep going..."follow your passion"

Cheers,

Passaggio Wines

Liquid Gold for St Patrick's Day

What's on your table for St Patrick's Day...?

Passaggio Wines is all about great food, wonderful friends, and awesome wines.  Get together with some of your best friends this Saturday, eat some great food, and drink some green beer....celebrate life...

Although I may not be Irish, I will be raising my glass of Liquid Gold in honor of St Patrick's Day...

Cheers

Passaggio Wines

It's What's in My Glass Tonight

I can't think of a better title...so I'm going with this one.

 Each night (well, almost every night) I pick up a bottle of wine, look at the front label, read the back label, cut the foil, pull the cork and pour the wine into a glass.  Sound familiar?  It's a ritual that many of us do on a regular basis.  Then we usually take a photo of the bottle and post it to our friends to let them know what we are drinking for the evening.  It's like sharing it with the world...well maybe the Social Media world. :)

When we open a bottle of wine it's like opening a bottle of liquid passion.  It makes us want to share it (well most of us anyway - LOL) it makes us want to let others know what we are drinking.  The wine inside wants to be drank.  It wants to be shared.  It cries out " Experience the Passion."

So with that said - open a bottle this evening and share it with us...listen closely...you might just hear it speaking to you...

Follow Your Passion

Passaggio Wines

Watch Out for that Fork in the Road

According to Wikipedia "a fork in the road" is a metaphor, based on a literal expression, for a deciding moment in life or history when a major choice of options is required.

I was traveling to a friends house for a Superbowl party this past Sunday and had to use my Navigator.  Before I left the house I typed in the address and found the map directions to be quite far but it didn't look too difficult.  As I was driving, one of the instructions was to "take a right at the fork."  I started laughing, visualizing an actual fork sticking up out of the road.  The Navigator was telling me which way to turn and at that moment I realized it was much like my chosen career...the path I have chosen.  The directions were laid out for me and the destination was already known.  All I had to do was follow the instructions.  The plan was already in place. 

We often know exactly where we want to go, or what we want to do with our lives, but have no idea how to get there.  Writing it down and making a plan is often our first step.  Each twist and turn or stretch of road makes its way into our plan.  Then the distance is set with how long it may take us to get to each "fork in the road" and then to our final destination.

There have been several "fork in the road" moments in my life.  Was there a plan?  Sometimes yes and sometimes no.  At those times when I had no plan I found myself camping out a bit before traveling on.  (even in the literal sense, trust me, I don't do camping well... :) )

To get to where you want to be - get your directions first...don't try to wing it - you just might get lost. Keep your focus and follow your passion...you will find your way.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could just type our goals into a Life Navigator and get the directions...?


Follow Your Passion

Passaggio Wines

Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Passaggio Wines says "Thank You" to all who have supported me throught the year. Take time this year to support Small Business Saturday. Together we can help make a difference...





Follow Your Passion

Passaggio Wines

Spontaneous Generosity Filled With Layers of Passion

An awe-inspiring Thursday afternoon...great wines, great food, great friends.  Amelia Ceja, owner and founder of Ceja Vineyards filled the afternoon telling the story behind the Ceja label.  Imagine sitting in her vineyard, enjoying the sun, the peace, the amazing food prepared by Amelia and tasting her wines...I could go on and on...peaceful contentment surrounded us as we sat among the vines where the Ceja Chardonnay grapes are harvested.  This is only a glimpse of the wonderful day we had...

Ceja Vineyards - free slideshow maker

Cheers,

Passaggio Wines

Making the Connection

It was a pleasure meeting Tammi Ramsey for the first time. We sat and talked about our passions and our dreams. Tammi's passion for making wine shows forth in great style and confidence. Read about how she made her dream come true.

I love connecting people and I love connecting people with things they need or want. I guess you can say my career started out with the Girl Scouts of America. I loved selling cookies! Back then I wore my uniform and went door to door and when someone answered their door, I said "What is your favorite kind of cookie"? When they answered, I had the solution in my hand!

My folks never paid for summer camp because I sold so many cookies each year. I loved how people smiled when they had the cookies in hand. Thin Mints seemed to be a real "closer". Times have changed but my love of making connections has not. I love to help find solutions to people's wants or needs.

I became a design engineer. I love figuring out how to make something work or how to make things work better. This path fed my constant need to be challenged. One day the company I worked for moved me into a position as a sales engineer. I happened to "oversell" our capabilities and my boss said “Well, you told a client we can handle this project, so what are you going to do"? I replied, “I could go find more engineers to work here and they could work on the project".

At that moment I became a great recruiter and connector. Clients had needs and I could be part of helping them find the solution. Around the same time I was given a winemaking kit. After the first batch of wine was made, I was in love. I figured out that wine makes people happy and connects them with other people whom they would never have met.. It was my "AH HA" moment. I noticed the same love I had for connecting; I now shared the love of making wine.

I left the corporate world 2 years ago and have made wine in 12 states working under some amazing winemakers. It was an awesome learning experience. I have been to Rhone, France to compete on the PBS reality show The Winemakers Season II. I just returned from Chile as an apprentice winemaker for Lapostolle Wines. I will be releasing my personal wines, TJR Select, later this year. I have no idea how big my dream will become but I am excited to put my name on these wines and share them with you! I love connecting people with each other and my wines help that connection happen.

I hope someday we get to meet face to face and enjoy a glass of wine together!


Posted by Passaggio Wines

A Slingshot to Passion

If you haven't had a Tinhorn Creek Wine you have been missing out. Winemaker for Tinhorn Creek, Sandra Oldfield, talks to us about how she found her passion.

Following My Passion
Sandra Oldfield
www.sandraoldfield.com

Sandra and her sdopted daughter Melody 2005

I was not raised with wine in the house. My father was not a winemaker. There were not 7 generations stretching back to the “the old country” that handed their knowledge down to me. I never worked the land or grew up on a farm.

I backed into the wine industry as a diversion from a relationship gone bad.

If you go to work at a winery and find yourself staying later than you’re scheduled for, not taking lunch breaks, absorbing every tidbit of information you can glean--you may have to recognize you’ve found a career that is right for you. Even if you already have a degree in business. Even if you’ve never taken a college science class in your life. Even if your parents think you’re whacked. Even if you are on the rebound.

My passion for wine was carved out by myself. It was not handed to me. It led me to 2 ½ years of Chemistry, Physics, Calculus, and Biology classes in between working one full time job and one part time job in the wine industry. It led me to the Master’s Program at the University of California Davis. Once there, it opened up a world of learning that I could take to any level of my choosing—and I sucked the marrow out my two years in the program. I learned that a little bit of knowledge leads to a universe of knowledge yet unknown. I was treated as an equal by professors who I had only read about and admired for their lifetime’s work. Idolized. I also learned what it was like to attend a real college party—two or three times a week!

My passion for wine led me to my husband.

A Canadian studying viticulture at Davis, starting a new venture in some place called the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. It pulled me North. Away from my home and my family and the only life I had ever known. Away from my colleagues in the wine industry and away from my mentors and classmates. Away from my support network.

My passion for wine was now intertwined with a new life where I was once again very much on my own. Working through what would work and what would not work based on trial and error. Learning the rhythms of nature and seasons and weather. Walking row after row in our 130 acres of estate grapes to get a sense of place. Learning not only how to be managed but how to manage others. Employee after employee, consumer after consumer, and friend after friend, I began to build a new house of support. A new network of interactions. Not a home I had been given but one I had built myself.

A rebound that turned out to be a slingshot to a new life.

Posted by Passaggio Wines

Chase Down Your Passion

I would like to introduce a wonderful friend of mine, Elizabeth Smith. We met on twitter and have actually met in person a couple of times when she has visited wine country. She is known on twitter as @cestbeth and on facebook as Elizabeth Smith and Traveling Wine Chicks. Elizabeth has so graciously shared her passion with me. Read what she has to say...



Chase down your passion like it's the last bus of the night. ~Terri Guillemets

I fell in love with the French language in high school, yet I failed to see it as one of my passions until after my sophomore year in college. I began college as a political science major, then I became a computer science major, but I was always minoring in French. One day it dawned on me, "French is my calling." I talked to my parents, crying, as I told them I wanted to major in French. They supported my decision and gave me their blessing.


Between my junior and senior years, my dream of studying in France came true. I spent a summer in Paris, the Loire Valley, and studying at the University of Provence in Aix-en-Provence. From that sprang my second passion, traveling.


I continued my studies in French and language education through the doctoral level and have taught both French and Spanish at a Virginia community college since 1989. I met my boyfriend in 1997 and am in my fourteenth year of commuting to and from Yonkers, NY and around the world. In 2008, a virtual frequent flier friend of mine saw my love and gift for travel, and decided to take a chance on hiring me as his company's travel manager. From this, my part-time travel company, C'est Beth, was born. I also began blogging about travel and subsequently created a Twitter and Facebook presence for my new business. This year I took the next step and became an independent travel agent with Montrose Travel's home-based travel agent division.


Wherever your passion lies, seize it and live it now, for all we really have is today.

Posted by Passaggio wines

A Toast to the New Year

As you are toasting the New Year with your favorite champagne or favorite wine, I want to thank my family and friends for a wonderful 2010 and wish you a prosperous 2011.

"Follow Your Passion" for this New Year

Cheers

Passaggio Wines

Passaggio "Follow Your Passion" Picture Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

Enjoy,

Passaggio Wines

Sticky Note

Passaggio Wines is sending you a sticky note to remind you to order your wines for the holidays...cheers




Just thought I would help....I hope people still use these - LOL

Passaggio Wines

2010 Harvest

Well...what can I say about the 2010 harvest? I am predicting a great vintage. I guess we will just have to wait and see what the winemakers can do with it. I know I am looking forward to the 2010 Passaggio Unoaked Chard, Pinot Grigio, and Napa Valley Rosé. Did I just say Rosé?

That's right...Passaggio will be launching a Napa Valley Rosé for 2010. So this spring we will put on our hats...sit on the deck...turn on the grill...invite some friends...and open a bottle of Passaggio Rose...

Stay tuned...

Cheers

Passaggio Wines