Wine Chat with Therese Turner-Jones
Most will know Therese Turner-Jones as the Inter-American Development Bank’s General Manager of the Country Department Caribbean Group which includes Jamaica. What many might not know, me included, until this interview, is her knowledge of wines and her ‘wine personality’, for that matter.
Chris Reckord (CR): Are you a long-time wine drinker?
Therese Turner-Jones (TTJ): Fairly!
CR: How did you get into wine?
TTJ: Not sure, except I never drank spirits not even rum and don’t like sweet drinks. I have had some not-so-good good experiences drinking caipirinhas, for example. So, I stick to wine only, and champagne when I can.
CR: Was there an aha wine moment?
TTJ: Probably when I had the most incredible food experience at The Inn at Little Washington, Patrick O’Connell’s famed Inn at Little Washington, Relais and Châteaux, five-star, five-diamond property. It is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, only a short drive from the nation’s capital. Each course was paired with a wine which got me paying more attention. I have to thank Dennis, my husband, who treated me to this birthday extravagance that year; he had been a wine collector and lover of wines when we met.
CR: What is your preferred style of wine?
TTJ: I like full-bodied wines, my favourite grape is Malbec. I enjoy Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon also. For white, Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand).
CR: How often do you drink wine? 1 glass per month, 1 glass per week, or closer to 1 glass daily?
TTJ: Mostly daily. It’s good for my health.
CR: Which wine country have you visited recently? Were there any new finds?
TTJ: I have visited two wineries in Mendoza, Argentina, notably Corazon Del Sol and Monteviejo where I discovered La Violeta, a Malbec.
CR: Where would you like to visit next? Why?
TTJ: Italy, as I haven’t done a wine tour there and after Sonoma Valley, Chile and Argentina, I would like to do that. Also, I haven’t yet toured any French vineyards despite having been to both countries several times.
CR: Is there anything new and exciting that you’ve recently found on our shelves?
TTJ: I stick to the South African, Argentine and Australian (New World fan) wines locally as I find they travel best and suit my palate.
CR: What are your thoughts on the local wine scene?
TTJ: I love that there are good places to hang out, so shout out to Uncorked, Fromage and Cellar 8. The hotels are starting to beef up their stocks and that is refreshing. More demand from wine lovers will drive that change.
Christopher Reckord — Information Technology Entrepreneur & Wine Enthusiast. Send your questions and comments to creckord@gmail.com. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram @chrisreckord and on Twitter: @Reckord.
