About Kenn Pogash "the guy wearing the bow tie"

Shortly after my 21st birthday I became curious about wine.

It was probably a combination of things.

One being a fantasy I had about freely traveling the world living and learning about people of different countries to really feel the culture; visiting museums and historical spots and taking a trip back in time (like I did in New York after reading Time & Again but that's another story for another time). I wanted to capture on film all that a saw and experienced and then return to the United States to share my thoughts, my feelings, my beliefs that through wine we can all connect to each other.

It also might have had a little bit to do with the image I had of relaxing in the countryside on a blanket with the girl of my dreams nibbling on bread, cheese, and assorted tidbits (hors d'œuvres).

It also might have been the image I had about sitting at a table with a group of friends, enjoying foods from a particular country matched with the perfect wine from the region, while we discussed everything from Aristotle to Zoology.

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Beginning to Live the Dream

Anyway, in 2000, the software company (like many companies in technology) needed to make severe financial decisions and decided to cut salaries to stay afloat, which left me in an interesting dilemma. I could get a part–time job doing anything or I could get a part–time job doing what I always wanted to do... Learn about wine from the inside.

It became a no–brainer for me.

I found a position working Friday evenings and Saturday.

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Seriously Studying Wine - I mean really learning about this!!

I then realized that I had given myself a wonderful reason to pursue a formal education to learn about wine. To learn what I always wanted to learn in a structured and meaningful way.

In 2001, I passed my exams and obtained Certification by the Wine & Spirits Education Trust. I needed to display knowledge of wine labeling laws, appellation systems, major wine–producing regions, grape types, grape growing, wine–making and tasting technique.

I want to be very clear, I am not an "expert" because I passed some exams. I continue to study, When I write wine reviews I go into my books and read (again) about the region, the grapes, the characteristics of the wines. It is my personal refresher course.

I put my tasting notes on my blog so you can read them, comment on them, and let me know how I am doing.

I accept the reality that I will never know it all – and everyone is in the same situation...Even the so-called "Experts".

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Hyper–linking Wine with a Sustainable Lifestyle

Then I wanted to be able to put my passion on the internet...

...so I taught myself Adobe Dreamweaver, HTML, and Cascading Style sheets (CSS) in order to create and maintain kennuncorked.com. Yes, I designed and built the entire kennuncorked.com website. If there are things that do not work, let me know and I will attempt to fix it.

I am also the network administrator.

I am learning about twitter, facebook, and other social network platforms in order to better link us together. Yes, I am learning about these although my kids and my wife have been using them for months and months. It's like going to a wonderful party and engaging in wonderful conversation with people from all over the world. For me it is an exciting opportunity to connect.

Podcasts are in the learning mix along with any other form of technology I believe relevant to "Linking Wine with a Sustainable Lifestyle".

I do enjoy public speaking, teaching, and entertaining whether it is one person or 100 people. I can tell you that I do not take my presentations lightly because I prepare and practice, practice and prepare, prepare and prepare, practice and prepare... Well you get the idea.

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Document Management & Systems Design, Clinical Social Work

During my past life I have owned and sold my own business, Kennington Industries, Inc, won numerous awards for creating efficient and effective document management systems, and for a short period of time worked as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, in part with families suffering from Alcohol and Substance Abuse (ironic huh!!).

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A Little Anecdote about One of My Dates

New York City, and I am in my early 20's...

I remember reading about French "jug wines" and their place in everyday life in France and that same week I had made a date for the the following Sunday afternoon.

I know it may sound crazy, but I really wanted to do something different, and relatively inexpensive, after all I was in my early 20's living in New York.

So, I began thinking about what I thought would be a wonderful afternoon and realized I could create a "Sunday Afternoon in the French Countryside". Well, actually Central Park, but I could not afford the airfare for two to Paris.

I went to a wine store across the street from my apartment on 36th Street and 3rd Avenue and purchased a large bottle of white wine, a "jug" from France. The bottle was an unusual octagon shape and the glass was slightly green in color.

I picked up my date bearing a blanket, food, and the "sophisticated" bottle of "French Jug Wine" and we traveled to Central Park and found a romantic spot reminiscent, I thought, of the French countryside.

We were enjoying the slower and relaxed lifestyle of a warm summer breeze, the scent of wild grasses, a loaf of "French bread" and an assortment of "European hors d'œuvres and sweet cakes.

When I make a presentation and tell this story I am always asked how the date ended and if she is my wife... I had a wonderful time and we dated for a time afterwards. No she did not become my wife. Marriage came later to a wonderful woman who bikes, hikes, and camps.

I reside in the State of New Jersey, USA

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