On my way to the office I stopped to take a few pictures of hot air balloons near Yountville. As I watched them peacefully land amongst the vines, I thought about the image they created. One balloon was red, white and blue. It was bulging at the seams with pride like a real patriot. It looked like it wanted to keep going higher. It wasn’t ready to call it a day.
I had the opportunity to tour a company that manufactures filtration systems for the wine industry. Their system removes impurities which can cause the destruction of the wine and make it worthless. I was fascinated by the complexity of the machinery and surprised at its portability. Their systems are a huge benefit to the wine industry and especially to small producers because it frees them from having to invest a significant amount of cash into limited-use equipment. Instead, a vintner …
As I was visiting with a customer and watching a hospitality employee walk us through the steps of a blind wine tasting, it occurred to me that there are some similarities between the tasting process and how we work as auditors.
1. You apply the smell test
Wine Tasting – you sniff the wine in the glass, and inhale the aroma. The smell influences the taste of the wine.
Audit – you apply the “smell test” to transactions to see if the substance …
I recently had the opportunity to go inside a winery and listen to an assistant winemaker provide his insights into cork selection. It was fascinating to discover how that closure device can be a real pain. The argument is often made that the cork contributes to the romance and is an important part of the wine experience. On the flip side is how this small organic product can destroy the wine it is meant to protect.
As I …
As accountants who live and work in Napa Valley we are fortunate to have an opportunity to be immersed in the wine industry. We know there is more involved than the numbers we see on paper. But when we step out of the office and into the vineyard we gain an even greater appreciation of the farming activities, hard work, and planning that go into every bottle of wine. Not to mention the sheer faith that is required to …
