Lorre White, The Guru of Luxury

Musician, Dave Matthews, owner of Blenheim Winery Near Charlottesville Virginia by Lorre White

Two centuries later than Thomas Jefferson had hoped, the state of Virginia is coming into its own as a 

wine producing state.  It is now the 5th largest state in terms of wine production in the US. Most of the over 230 Virginia wineries are privately held boutique wineries and they are attracting technology icons like AOL founder Steve Case, flashy Billionaires like Trump, and Rock Stars like Dave Matthews. In fact Blenheim is the immediate neighbor to Trump Winery (formerly Kluge vineyard and estate).  In true "Yankee down south fashion", Trump in a not so neigborly fashion insisted that Blenheim take down their tasting room sign.  So just follow the directions to Trump's tasting room, and  just past it on the left side of that road is Blenheim winery.

Matthews was a long time resident of the historical city of Charlottesville, where Thomas Jefferson founded and designed the University of Virginia.  It is not surprising that he chose this location to build his winery.

 

 

31 Blenheim Farm, Charlottesville, VA 22902

Blenheim Vineyards in Virginia owned by American singer-songwriter, musician and actor Dave Matthews

 

From 2000 to 2010, his band, the Dave Matthews Band, sold more tickets and earned more money than any other act in North America.

Designed by Dave Matthews and master craftsman William Johnson and finished in 2000, the Blenheim Vineyards winery building was designed to have minimal impact on the environment. The building is split into the tasting room above, from which you can peer through paneled glass floors into the wine production facility below, which is kept cool by being nestled into the side of a hill. 

This photo (above) is shot from the upstairs tasting room looking through the glass floors into the production area.

Constructed from reclaimed wood fitted together with mortise and tenon joints, the timber frame tasting room is lined with south-facing windows and skylights, which facilitate daylight to fill of the space. In fact, no electricity is required to light the space in the summer. In the winter, the lights are only turned on once it gets dark outside, and the tasting room benefits from passive solar heating throughout the day as well.

 

The property and the facilities are lovely, but not as spectacular as some of the boutique Virginia wineries.  Like most of these small wineries they do rely on weddings and other events.  The wine is drinkable but nothing noteworthy.  They do not have many wines.  Wine prices run from $15 to $25 a bottle.  The $5 tasting includes a small number of wines. 

The staff was pleasant but only marginally informed.  I think most people visit more out of curiosity about the famous owner.  Despite that really seeming its biggest draw, there is no Dave Matthews memorabilia or photos.  I think they would increase their profits greatly if they played to their strengths.

The bottom line is that the place is pleasant, the architecture interesting, the wines drinkable but not exceptional, the staff pleasant but not particularly knowledgeable.  Its close proximity to Trumps makes it a natural to visit the two in the same outing.  Music fans will be disappointed that there is nothing that visibly ties the place to the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist that you love.  But it is worth the visit.

 

 

 

 

Unique Luxuries that Virginia offers, a continuing quest to share the local state gems with my global luxury connoisseur following.  Look for more upcoming features and Google already published ones under "Lorre White, Virginia Wineries, Luxuries, Travel"

  *******

FORBES says "Lorre White has a following that includes Royals and Billionaires"

   Lorre White, has been a international luxury marketing expert for 2 decades and is the founder of White Light Consulting an international luxury marketing consulting firm working with luxury brands to reach the world's wealthiest 1%.  She is the founder of a luxury blog with an exclusive UHNW following www.LuxGuru.Typepad.com and the only internationally recognized luxury media personality “The Luxury Guru”. Lorre frequently contributes to luxury magazines globally, including having had her own monthly column in Portugal’s #1 rate luxury magazine. For more information just Google her.  Twitter:@Lorre  or sign up top left under the photo www.LuxGuru.Typepad.com

http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonydemarco/2013/01/17/what-people-dont-know-about-lorre-white-the-luxury-guru/

 

*******

 

 

Links To Some Virginia Winery Articles by Lorre White, "The Luxury Guru"

 

Afton Mountain Winery: Lorre White "The Luxury Guru" visits Afton Mountain Vineyard in Virginia.

http://luxguru.typepad.com/lorre_white_the_luxury_gu/2013/10/lorre-white-the-luxury-guru-visits-afton-mountain-vineyard-in-virginia.html

 

Barboursville Winery: Lorre White, "The Luxury Guru" says Virginia's Barboursville Winery is a 'Must See'

http://luxguru.typepad.com/lorre_white_the_luxury_gu/2013/10/lorre-white-the-luxury-guru-says-virginias-barboursville-winery-is-a-must-see.html

 

Barren Ridge Winery: Lorre White "The Luxury Guru" visits Barren Ridge Winery in the Shenandoah Valley.

http://luxguru.typepad.com/lorre_white_the_luxury_gu/2013/10/lorre-whit-the-luxury-guru-visits-barren-ridge-winery-in-the-shenandoah-valley.html

 

Cardinal Point Winery: Cardinal Point wines were terrific says Lorre White, "The Luxury Guru"

http://luxguru.typepad.com/lorre_white_the_luxury_gu/2013/10/cardinal-point-wines-were-terrific-says-lorre-white-the-luxury-guru.html

 

Early Mountain Winery: Steve Case, the Ambassador for Virginia Wines by Lorre White, "The Luxury Guru"

http://luxguru.typepad.com/lorre_white_the_luxury_gu/2013/11/steve-case-the-ambassador-for-virginia-wines-by-lorre-white-the-luxury-guru.html

 

Flying Fox Winery: The Flying Fox Wines get a good review from "The Luxury Guru", Lorre White

http://luxguru.typepad.com/lorre_white_the_luxury_gu/2013/11/the-flying-fox-wines-get-a-good-review-from-the-luxury-guru-lorre-white.html

 

Glass House Winery: Lorre White "The Luxury Guru" says Glass House Winery On The Monticello Wine Trail is wonderfully quirky place and a must visit for wine enthusiasts.

http://luxguru.typepad.com/lorre_white_the_luxury_gu/2013/11/lorre-white-the-luxury-guru-says-glass-house-winery-on-the-monticello-wine-trail-is-wonderfully-quirky-place-and-a-must-vis.html

 

 

Jefferson Winery: Lorre White, "The Luxury Guru" rates the Jefferson winery as a SKIP.

http://luxguru.typepad.com/lorre_white_the_luxury_gu/2013/10/lorre-white-the-luxury-guru-rates-the-jefferson-winery-as-a-skip.html

 

King's Family Winery: Lorre White visits King Family Vineyards in Virginia.

http://luxguru.typepad.com/lorre_white_the_luxury_gu/2013/09/lorre-white-visits-king-family-vineyards-in-virginia.html

 

Michael Shaps and Wineworks

http://luxguru.typepad.com/lorre_white_the_luxury_gu/2014/01/how-the-wine-works-at-wineworks-and-michael-shaps-by-lorre-white-1.html

 

Pippin Hill Winery: Pippin Hill Winery in Virginia gets good marks from Lorre White,"The Luxury Guru".

http://luxguru.typepad.com/lorre_white_the_luxury_gu/2013/10/pippin-hill-winery-in-virginia-gets-good-marks-from-lorre-whitethe-luxury-guru.html

 

 

Pollack Winery: "The Luxury Guru", Lorre White, Give A Neutral Review To Pollack Winery In Virginia.

http://luxguru.typepad.com/lorre_white_the_luxury_gu/2013/11/the-luxury-guru-lorre-white-give-a-neutral-review-to-pollack-winery-in-virginia.html

 

Trump Winery: Virginia's Trump Winery reviewed by Lorre White, "The Luxury Guru"

http://luxguru.typepad.com/lorre_white_the_luxury_gu/2013/10/virginias-trump-winery-reviewed-by-lorre-white-the-luxury-guru.html

 

Veritas Winery: Veritas Virginia Winery visited by Lorre White, "The Luxury Guru".

http://luxguru.typepad.com/lorre_white_the_luxury_gu/2013/10/veritas-virginia-winery-visted-by-lorre-white-the-luxury-guru-.html

 

Related articles

Pippin Hill Winery in Virginia gets good marks from Lorre White,"The Luxury Guru".

Virginia's Trump Winery reviewed by Lorre White, "The Luxury Guru"

Steve Case, the Ambassador for Virginia Wines by Lorre White, "The Luxury Guru"

Links To Some Of The Virginia Winery Articles by Lorre White, "The Luxury Guru"

How the Wine Works at Wineworks and Michael Shaps by Lorre White

Lorre White, "The Luxury Guru" says Virginia's Barboursville Winery is a 'Must See'

Record-Player Revival

Tech DAS Airforce One

  

With Vinyl feeling a newfound resurgence, a great collection needs a matching player

Media reports suggest that 66 years after the format was introduced, the vinyl LP is enjoying a renaissance. In truth the convenience of streaming music through wirelessly connected speakers is almost irresistible, but that takes nothing away from the appeal of old-fashioned records. LPs - those 12" slabs of vinyl also know as "long-players" and "records" - continue to appeal for a variety of reasons.

The first is that they are big enough to come in handsome, often lavish, 12x12" card sleeves so you can study the artwork and read the liner notes. 

But most importantly LPs sound better than any digital format. Music is analogue - digital formats chop it into bits and it cannot be reassembled to its original state. Think of a jigsaw puzzle: regardless of how few or many pieces there are, the original design will be spoilt by the visible cuts between each segment.

 

 

 

Pro-Ject Elemental

Thorens TD 209

Rega RP 10 Skeletal Turntable

Linn Soundek LP12

SME 30/12

TechDAS Airforce One

 

 

 

 

 

 

Digital playback has improved considerably since the late 1970s and early 1980s, but any "golden-eared" audiophile will tell you that digital playback inserts far too much processing between the recording and the sound that comes out of your speakers or headphones. And you can hear it. Ever since hi-fi began, the goal has been to make reproduced music sound real, and while analogue approximates reality, digital can only be artificial. Period.

LPs are played on a record deck that consists of a motor turning a platter, rotating at 33 ⅓rpm (or 45rpm for singles). An arm on a pivot holds a stylus that follows the groove in the record's surface. Turntables plug into an amplifier through something called a phono stage, because the signal is too low to use the same sockets as CD players or other sound sources. Happily this needn't be an expensive exercise: record decks worth owning start at around £150, phono stages at £50, and the records themselves are available for as little as 50p at your local charity shop.

For six of the best turntables, look through the gallery above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://luxworldwide.com/

Lorre White, The Luxury Guru says it is hip to be SQUA.RE

Lorre White the GURU of all things LUXURY is sharing her luxury wisdom with the young affluent of the social on line invitation only private London based video networking club on line.  This unique net working site allows their elite members to create video or slide shows to express themselves and share with their network of trend setting friends worldwide.  Be SQUA.RE with Lorre! 

CultureCatch.com and the Italian retailer Napapijri are co-hosting a private Film Salon with the NYC-based actor Kevin Bacon on Thursday, Feb. 7th from 7 - 10 pm. The Salon will take place at the Napapijri Soho store, 149 Mercer (next to the Merc Bar).

Cocktails, screening of his movie, and a private Q&A after the movie.

This is a very small audience; assigned seats.

All interested attendees must RSVP to: [email protected]

ANOTHER OUTRAGIOUS LUXURY GIFT by LORRE WHITE, THE LUXURY GURU

GoldVish has designed the most luxurious and exclusive cell phones in the world. In the collection there are also three 'Pieces Unique', each valued at  € 1 Million/ $ 1.298.000,- each.  Besides this, GoldVish has a regular collection of six different up-grades, with a starting price of € 19.500.  A limited edition of 100 pieces will be distributed worldwide. The PLATO collection is only available on special request. GoldVish makes cell phones of unparalleled luxury backed by the highest levels of Swiss craftsmanship and precision.

The details of the GoldVish cell phones are: 

 

Physical 

• Yellow, white ore pink 18 carat solid gold
• VVS-1 top-quality diamonds
• 198 grams (depending on version)
• Advanced high res. 176x220 (262k) TFT display
• High capacity Li-Ion 950mAh battery
• Up to 400 hours standby time
• Speaker with Crystal Clear technology
• Sapphire glass display
• Back cover exclusive croco leather

Multimedia: 

• Photo/ video camera with optimised (8x zoom) CMOS lens
• Top quality and comprehensive MP3 player
• Worldwide FM radio
• Stereo sound
• PC interchangeable 2Gb memory for songs, pictures, movies

Basic features 

• Personal organizer
• Audio recorder
• E-mail/ SMS/

  EMS

  / MMS
• Conference call
• Hands-free calling

Connectivity 

• Worldwide GSM coverage (Quad band)
• GPRS Class 10
• EDGE Class 10
• USB

Luxury is Redefined By Lorre White

Luxury is redefined.  Lorre White, “The Luxury Guru” defines luxury as a “quality of life”, not simply amassing quantity.  Luxury is an experience.  The fastest growing luxury segment is the one that supplies an emotional component, experiencing life to its fullest.  Not just buying crystal glasses but learning how to create them. Not just staying in an expensive hotel but staying in something unique and sleeping in a 15th century king’s bed.  Luxury supplies a very special opportunity to experience something new.  It is often educational and can be shared with friends and loved ones.  The Robin Leech 80’s excessive decadence, disrespectful wastefulness of resources, and gaudy gluttony is gone.  It is now an enlightened approach to living.  It is about creating last memories.  Don’t just exist… Live!  Luxury, as Lorre defines it, is the Art of Living.

Five Questions Answered By Lorre White

Q: As “The Luxury Guru” How do you define luxury? 

A: Luxury is the art of living well.  It is everything from taking the time for yourself to sit and look at the ocean, doing yoga or lighting a scented candle and taking a long bubble bath.  Luxury is surrounding yourself with beauty and positive energy from the people in your life to the cashmere sheets that you sleep in, to the fabulously styled clothes that make you look and feel beautiful.  Luxury can be in a meal that you cook at home or a fabulous restaurant that you go out to eat. Luxury is living every aspect of your life to the fullest not merely existing day to day.

Q: I see that you ran the Marketing and Sales for the M Club of NetJets and the “the 25 hour cards” of Marquis Jets.  What is the difference?

A: NetJets was the creator of the fractional ownership of a private jet.  The smallest amount is 1/16 of a plane.  You have all the expenses of ownership but also some tax benefits.  Marquis sells the NetJet product but breaks to down into 25 hour increments that you purchase.  Which is better depends on the amount of time you fly and other considerations that you or your financial advisor should take into consideration.  The M Club was for the Boeing Business Jet 737-700 which is their largest plane with 2 bedrooms and 3 marble bathrooms with showers, dinning room, etc.  It is like a flying apartment.  A very luxurious way to travel.

Q: I want to dress in designer clothes and can afford to do so but I find that they just don’t fit.  I am not fat but I am not the stick that these clothes seem to be made for.  What do you recommend?

A: I find that different designers fit different parts of my body better.  For me Armani pants fit the best but I prefer the sweaters by Ralph Lauren.  You have to find the designer that cuts best for your figure.  A good fit is paramount.  A beautiful expensive outfit will look like a dime store rag if it fits you poorly.  Find good fitting basics and jazz it up with accesories where size us not so much of an issue.

Q: As the luxury guru, what do you think about animal prints?  Are they over done?  Is it a fad that will pass and we are all stuck with unusable items?

A: Absolutely not.  Animal prints have been incorporated into every fashion period in clothing and interior design going all the way back to the cavemen.  Animal prints are not a fad but a classic.  I see them as staple items that can be used for longer and transcend the moment as long as they
are not covering a fad  For example over the knee boots are great this year and next but will go out of style, so if your trendy over the knee boots are in leopard print, they will become passé.

Q: I live in a major city on the east coast and I want a romantic special long weekend with my girlfriend to propose.  I am willing to fly.  Where do you recommend?

A: I like long weekends at the Hotel Villa D’ Este about 40 minutes outside of Milan.  They  have a driver that meets you at the Milan airport.  I prefer the main hotel to the annex.  It is one of the best rated hotels in the world.  Great food and fabulous wine list.  The hotel is an old Villa on Lake Como.  I think you will find it to be quite exceptional.  Fly out on Thursday evening.  You arrive on Friday Morning.  Take the afternoon flight back on Monday.  She will have to say yes.

Thanks for your questions. I welcome more! See you online,

Lorre White

President & CEO

"The Luxury Guru"

What is Luxury?

Luxury is capturing a feeling of living well and treating yourself to more.
This does not mean expensive or decadent. This can be as simple as grabbing a few minutes alone to rest, having a cup of coffee on your porch while enjoying the sunrise, or to eat a delicious piece of pie.

It also can mean that you wrap yourself up in a Russian sable coat, while sailing on your yacht, eating caviar, while a handsome young man massages your feet.
Enjoying the small moments as much as the large ones…
That is the real luxury of life!