Zen Breath 3-2-1

Note: You are receiving this email because you subscribed to my weekly 3-2-1 newsletter or you subscribed to the Koi Zen Cellars newsletter. Every Friday, I share 3 wine terms, 2 quotes from me, and 1 question for you to ponder. Occasionally, I also send out long-form articles on habits and self-improvement.


"Don't strive to be the biggest, just the best"
~ Zen Winemaker ~

3 terms, 2 quotes, 1 question

May 13, 2022


Happy Friday! Time to wrap up this week and get ready for the next! Take a deep breath and kick off the weekend on a positive note. Let's consider where we have been, improve it, and move forward next week. Packing the most content into the least words and trying to change the world, one glass at a time.

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3 - Wine Terms - 2021 Winery Facts


I love digging into facts and stats about the wine industry. So let's jump right in.
  1. Winery Sizes: there are over 11,000 wineries in the US (less than the number of Exxon gas stations in the US) and sizes vary considerably:
    1. 74 Large Producers producing over 500,000 cases
    2. 263 Medium Producers producing over 50,000 cases
    3. 1,720 Small Producers producing over 5,000 cases
    4. 37,53 Very Small Producers producing over 1,000 cases
    5. 5,243 Limited Producers producing UNDER 1,000 cases

      Koi Zen is considered Very Small and produces between 2,000-3,000 cases per year - but we have the biggest heart!
  2. Import and Export: the US exported over $400M of wine to Canada which is our largest customer. However, the US imported the most of wine from France, Spain and Italy (we imported over $2B just from Italy alone, so support LOCAL)
  3. Sparkling: In 2019, the US exported 5M Liters of sparkling wine, we imported over 150M liters (yet another reason to support local and Koi Zen has a nice sparkling waiting just for you)

2 - Quotes from Me:

  1. "Admit when you don't know something - but then find the answer" ~ Zen Winemaker
  2. "I you never fail, you will never learn." ~ Zen Winemaker

1 - Question to ponder:

David vs Goliath

The big excitement in Carmel Mountain is the grand opening of Total Wines which I hear is HUGE with over 8,000 wines. They are truly a Goliath compared to Koi Zen. Knowing that Total Wines was moving into our neighborhood, people have asked if I was concerned. And at first I was, but not anymore.

The reality is that you can buy wine myriad places from the gas station, to the grocery store, or even the new wine store in town. They all offer a diverse range of products and price points, but they are missing a few things in my humble opinion.

A few years ago, I was in Paso Robles attending a wine convention and the key note speaker was an exec from Total Wines - he talked about how they purchase, where they purchase, and then he dropped a bombshell in the middle of a room filed with wine producers.

He said, and I paraphrase, "Our mission is to buy wines from producers as the lowest possible price so we can maximize corporate profits." The 200 producers in the room were shell shocked.

Maybe he misquotes, or I misunderstood, but it drove me even harder to create a space with heart and integrity. We wanted  to create a place where people connect. A place that is welcoming, friendly, and safe. A place where we can all:
"Uncork, Sip Back, and Relax"

I think we succeeded.

I just received a notice from a friend that Yelp has rated Koi Zen Cellars as #1 Best Winery - thanks to all of the Koi Zen friends and family. You can read the article HERE.

I know I will never displace the Goliath's of the world, but I can always do the best I can regardless of the situation or the size of the opponent.

Question:


What perceived giants are preventing you from conquering your dreams and ambitions?

P.S. The first step of improving your life is to take action - so email me back and share your dreams and giants - take this step.

Zen Giggles:


Does anyone know which page of the Bible explains how to turn water into wine?
Asking for a friend.


After years of making copies of copies, the senior monk descends into the monastery's ancient archives to admire the calligraphy and artwork. Hours later the other monks find him crying amongst the stacks of ancient texts.
"Father, why are you crying?"
"The word is CELEBRATE not CELIBATE !"

~~ Notice ~~

The ratio of compliments vs complaints you give and receive

~~~

A favor:


We strive to foster a community who are excited to learn about wine and create a better world for all. We are a small business and appreciate your support. Please encourage others to subscribe to this newsletter and build the community of like minded people. And don't forget to give me some feedback on what you want to learn about - I love hearing from you.

Also, if you are at a point in life where you desire change, but don't know what, where, or how - I suggest taking my online class on Finding Your Passion HERE. It might be the best investment you ever made.

Cheers,

Darius Miller - The Zen Winemaker

P.S. Let me know what you think of the 3-2-1 newsletter - or better yet, share with your friends - it would be much appreciated.


Author of a #1 best seller:
'The Zen Winemaker - Follow Your Dreams & Overcome Your Fears'

Creator of:
'The Zen Wine Tasting Journal - Life is too short to drink bad wine, or to wear ugly underwear.'

Become Inspired:
ZenWinemaker.com