Featured User: Nick Hodne

Nick Hodne is a native of Des Moines, IA. He’s an attorney by trade and currently advises a large financial services firm on legislative and regulatory compliance issues. In his free time, he enjoys cycling, tinkering with his FJ Cruiser, finding the strongest cup of cold brew, and planning his next trip to a new country (Japan for the 2020 cherry blossom season). Delectable: What sparked your passion for wine? Nick Hodne: I was fortunate enough to grow up with very close family friends who also have a passion for wine. From a young age (attorney answer: 21), I was able to experience wine from many of the best producers spanning a wide range of vintages, regions, and varietals. This allowed me to get a foundational knowledge and appreciation for wine early on in life. As an added bonus, I was nudged to get on some long waitlists so that, by the time I could afford it, I’d be an active member. D: What wine region are you wild about right now? NH: While Napa Valley will always be my first wine love (an Oakville Cabernet is my happy place in a glass), I’ve been pivoting lately to Paso Robles (after a detour to the Columbia valley) for domestic wine exploration. There are so many great up-and-coming wineries to discover and support ( Fulldraw being a current favorite) who have the entrepreneurial spirit and fledgling creativity to experiment with proprietary blends and more of the Rhône varietals. D: What is the most unusual wine you’ve ever tried? NH: A Vinsanto from Domaine Sigalas in Santorini, Greece. My cousin and her husband were gracious enough to share some with me that they acquired after a visit to the producer on vacation. It was a phenomenal dessert wine with massive amounts of tropical and stone fruits and caramel, but with an acidity that still cut through and kept everything balanced. It was such a departure from other dessert wines I’ve had over the years, and it certainly piqued my interest to seek out other wines from the region. D: What is your golden rule for wine? NH: Relax. It’s so easy to become self-conscious about what and how you’re drinking when you start to surround yourself with other self-proclaimed experts. Everyone has a different palate, different preferences, and different opinions on wine and how it should be enjoyed. It’s always a delightfully humbling experience to do blind tastings with The Wine Group in Des Moines. A room of 20+ developed palates trying to place which wines they’re tasting, along with a ringer, within a certain theme and winding up all over the board certainly reinforces that you shouldn’t beat yourself up too much for not having the abilities of a Master Sommelier. D: Say you’re not allowed to have wine, what is your second option? NH: A Paloma or a Manhattan: up, with Makers, light on the vermouth. Beyond that, I have a broad interest in other beverages outside of the wine realm, whether it’s sipping mezcal, cooking up flavored syrups out of the garden for cocktails, or enjoying one of Iowa’s world-class craft beers (see: Toppling Goliath , Pulpit Rock, Big Grove, etc.) D: Choose a movie, book, quote, or song and pair it with a wine NH: One of my favorite quotes is from Bill Watterson, who opined that “there's never enough time to do all the nothing you want.” It reminds me to take that time to unplug and relax, even though you never seem to get enough of it. During the past few summer months in Iowa, a lot of that ‘nothing’ time has been spent on my patio with a fire and a glass of Aesthete Sauvignon Blanc or paper planes Rosé . D: If you were a wine, what wine would you be? NH: I’d aim to be an Oakville Cabernet: big and powerful, yet smooth and seductive. Although I may still be trying to find my way right now, I should have a long, well-integrated life ahead.