In 1981, after helping establish the Monterey Peninsula’s first and only wine bar (Firehouse Wine Bar, now Montrio Restaurant), George Edwards began a nineteen year career with the Pebble Beach Resorts. By the mid-‘80s he had risen from Retail Wine Manager to Wine & Spirits Director for the Resorts which soon included a second property, the Inn at Spanish Bay. His responsibilities included development of wine and beverage programs, wine and spirits selection and purchasing, staff training, and beverage logistics for all Special Events (to the tune of two Crosby and fifteen AT&T Gold Tournaments, fifteen Concours d’Elegance, and two US Open Tournaments). All was going swimmingly until the early 1990’s when he began to dabble in food and wine pairing to give focus to staff training, only to become immersed in the subject as visiting groups eschewed the Banquet Wine List for recommendations from the “wine person”. The die was cast. Never one to fudge, George took advantage of access to all those chefs and kitchens and wine options to determine first hand what worked and what didn’t. A whole new personal wine perspective began to evolve as reflected in the current WineMarket concept:

* Success or failure often hinges on textural compatibility, an observation that re-focused the wine evaluation process on the fruit, acidity, and overall balance that contribute to mouth-feel. This in turn prompted a shift in interest to a whole new set of food friendly varietals – Pinot Gris, Riesling, Viognier, Pinot Noir, and the Creative Blends and Dry Roses - that help define and distinguish the WineMarket inventory.

* Wine is a critical member of the supporting cast but food is viewed as the star, hence the arrangement of WineMarket selections by food type rather than by varietal. Just makes sense.

* Viewing wine in this “natural” context opens the entire spectrum of possibilities regardless of color, producer, varietal or blend, and country of origin. Rules are out the window, the mystique of “tradition” is gone, wine is now fun!

* For wine to become a beverage that simply adds to the enjoyment of lifestyle on a more frequent and casual basis it must be “affordable” and represent value at all price points. And this is our daily quest.