Quiet days in Venice tasting and reflecting on Gravner wines

by Richard Sagala Gravner wines: Are orange wines game changers or Hyperprism? Josko Gravner is an Italian producer from the Friuli region. Mr. Gavner created a reputation for himself from a radical winemaking technique that he has espoused (amphora) and the original wines that he produces, the so called orange wines. By the way, Orange

Zen moment, acqua alta and bells in Venice

30th  of November 2017

Tasting autochtonous and native grapes for IMBA in Italy

  Richard Sagala, in contex (Friuli, Barolo and Venice) is tasting Italian native wine grapes for the Cellar Management program of the IMBA. Italy produces many original wines that are worth cellaring. In Vino Veritas!  

Watch the Video intro of the new IMBA podcasts

(Script) -Welcome to IMBA, the International Montreal Butler Academy. -My name is Richard Sagala, I am the CEO of the IMBA. -In this series of Audio Podcasts, we will address topics that are deemed important to our profession. -At IMBA, we believe that the “Experience Economy”, brought to us a new playing field where Excellence

IMBA impressions, 2 minutes Video

Sartarelli Balciana Vertical 2015-2007

In Verdicchio Veritas! by Richard Sagala Italy August 2017, in the elegant new facilities of Sartarelli I experienced a vertical tasting of a rather special wine: the Sartarelli Balciana. A word about the new Saltarelli building: it is an airy and natural light filled small building hosting an original museum dedicated to the glory of

Richard Sagala on Butler skills, Firsts, training and experience

-The XXIst c. Butler and the Art of Service, a Swiss knife approach?- To excel in the Art of Service, the XXIst c. Butler must nowadays acquire a 360 degree skill set that includes: managing people, budgets, and take part in coordinating the maintenance of real estate, aircrafts, boats and cars, special equipment et al. The

IMBA CONFERENCES

7 ready made IMBA Conferences: 1- Know the invisible red lines, avoid entrapment! 2- The Butler Mindset for all-weather Empowerment 3- Knights and Ladies of the XXI st Century 4- Delight Customers with unparallel service and quality 5- Don’t expect room service -or- Why to serve is better than being served 6- Part of a

“The world was my oyster” EMPOWERMENT WORKSHOPS & CONFERENCES

  To IMBA Conferences page: link -Build your Human Capital, Business etiquette, Social etiquette, Protocol are the way of executive empowerment, the Antidote to toxic behaviour in the workplace and the best way to conquer the trust and respect of your clients and fellow workers. Richard Sagala at IMBA teaches it to individuals, groups and

IMBA Barolo tasting enrich Orford Music bursary fund by a thousand dollars

  October 21st 2017, It was a pleasure to see that Barolo wine lovers offered one thousand dollars to the Orford students bursary fund for a Barolo tasting workshop with IMBA’s Richard Sagala. Center of the picture is Mr. Wonny Song pianist, Artistic Director and General manager of the Orford Music Academy surrounded by the

In the wake of the Weinstein allegations a flurry of denunciations in my state; the IMBA Antidote: take a Butler course

by Richard Sagala In a few days this week, the career of three prominent power brokers came to a brutal halt in my own province of Québec, Canada. The IMBA Antidote: they should have taken a butler course (or our Etiquette empowerment workshops). Some people pointed to me a few times in the past that our

Marilisa Allegrini, Allegrini CEO, Hostess Extraordinaire

Tuesday the 17th of October 2017, It was a pleasure to meet again, in Montréal, Marilisa Allegrini, CEO of Allegrini wines. I had the pleasure to meet for the first time Ms Allegrini in Verona in 2015 at Vinitaly Opera Wines but, what I remember most was the superb evening for its quality, inventivity and

(real life situation) the Boss says “sort it out”

Real life situation: the Boss says “sort it out”. Would you rise to the  occasion? The Boss will notice it both ways…   In Vino Veritas!

Hotel des Indes 2001 & Mata Hari one hundred years ago (15th of October 1917)

My first ever butler assignment came November 2001 at Hotel des Indes in The Hague (the Netherlands). I kept a box of matches as a Souvenir of this day. I will always remember it. In 2001 this Historic Hotel sounded very exotic to me with its French name, especially due to the fact that it

Tiberio Fonte Canale 2015

In focus, by Richard Sagala Tiberio Fonte Canale 2015 This crisp wine comes from the Abruzzo region of Italy. It is crafted from 100% Trebbiano Abruzzese 58 years old vines grown under a canopy training system (see picture of Cristiana Tiberio under the canopy). How does it taste? Acacia flowers on the nose plus mandarine