I am very intense and passionate. My interests are a bit more Commonwealth than Californian. I enjoy the complexity behind
-a great glass of claret
-the polished big orchestra sound of the Karajan Berlin Philharmonic
-the nerve in test cricket
-the sarcasm and wit in my magazines
-the fine floral flavor of a first flush Darjeeling tea
I am an advanced analytics architect for a large consultancy, producing customer and risk models for the financial services industry. Three years ago, I bought a flat about 50 meters from the office and have lived there since. Being so close supports my workaholic tendencies (2480 hours last fiscal year), but you can find me on the pool deck on a sunny weekend afternoon, sipping wine, barbecuing, sitting in one spa or tanning.
While in school, I played rubber bridge for money. For bridge tournaments, I have visited Thailand japan Turkey, Holland and over thirty states. I have made a habit of travelling with a purpose, which may include wine tasting or sport.
I have always enjoyed wine, but my passion for wine took off in summer 2009 with biweekly visits to Napa. The bottles are stored in a small cellar, which contains about 250 bottles, mostly Bordeaux and California cabernet sauvignon. During a June 2010 trip to Bordeaux, I tasted each of the first and super second growths, including barrel samples from the highly acclaimed 2009 vintage en primeur. Several of my favourite samples include the Pichon Baron, Pontet Canet, Suduiraut and Lafite. With the vintage 2010 en primeur tastings, Bordeaux is starting to become a regular destination. Do you see yourself as part of the next trip?