About Guy du Vin

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Guy du Vin Guiding Principles

1.  Wines with Soul:
Guy du Vin offers wines that reflect distinctiveness; that emphasize a connection to their place of origin; and that show true craftsmanship. We focus on wines with elegance and balance. We search for wines that reflect personality and uniqueness, even in the least expensive bottling.

2.  Trustworthy Recommendations:
All of the wines offered by Guy du Vin are the wines we drink ourselves. If we can’t thoroughly enjoy a bottle of wine down to the last drop, we won’t offer it to our customers. David Holstrom, President of Guy du Vin, has over thirty years of experience in the wine business – studying, consulting, purchasing, visiting wine regions and producers, and selecting wines for wine programs as well as for individual consumers. He serves as a judge on various wine panels both in the U.S. and around the world.

3.  Exceptional Value:
We only offer wines that we feel are of exceptional quality - regardless of price. Whether it’s an $8 bottle of wine or a $100 bottle of wine, we will only present wines that we believe are the best examples of their type available in the Portland market.

4.  Wine Scores - How We Use Them:
We believe that scoring or ranking wine is ultimately meaningless. The best wine advice comes from those whose tastes you know and have come to trust. Good advice seldom comes from a tasting panel or a marketing company, and only rarely from a newspaper. However, we recognize that for many wine drinkers scores can be a useful shortcut in helping to choose a wine. Guy du Vin NEVER uses scores or any reviews in selecting wines to offer our customers. After our selections have been made for a newsletter, we will occasionally include a wine score or comment from a critic that we trust. We only do this for wines that we feel are particularly good and that you should not miss. We hope that this may add a level of comfort for those of you who are not as familiar with the types or styles of wines we choose at Guy du Vin. We are convinced that as you try more Guy du Vin selections you will recognize that these scores are unnecessary. The wines we select were great long before any magazine or critic scored it, reviewed it, spun it or turned it into something other than simply what it is.

5.  Discovery and Refinement:
We want you to develop confidence in your own ability to select good wine. Developing self-assurance in your own choices necessitates tasting wines and grape varieties beyond those that are already known to you. It means experiencing flavors and textures in wine that may be completely unfamiliar. If you are interested in expanding, refining and educating your palate, Guy du Vin would be honored to be your guide.

Who is David Holstrom?
David Holstrom has been involved in the wine industry for over 20 years and has consulted for The McCormick & Schmick Management Group, Restaurants Unlimited, Lauro Mediterranean Kitchen, Nel Centro, Genoa, Palisade and Vindalho. He is a frequent contributor to Santé Magazine and has received numerous awards and accolades for his outstanding wine programs including the Monterey Wine Festival, Wine Spectator, Restaurant Hospitality, Food and Wine, Bon Appétit and many more.