PM360 recently spoke to James Berger, National Sales Director, Entyvio at Takeda, about traveling the world in search of the best wine and beer.
PM360: What spurred your interest in wine and beer tasting?
James Berger: It goes back a long way. I was a microbiology major as an undergrad and got into making beer, wine, and mead as part of my degree. This was back when no one made their own beer, but I got my professors into it and started a brewing club. Then after graduating, I started traveling to different parts of the world with trips based around cool wine or beer regions. At the same time, I started in pharmaceutical sales and had several customers who loved wine and taught me a lot. While I remain fascinated in the science, through disparate experiences, I have also grown to appreciate the historical, cultural, and communal aspect that goes into it.
Do you still brew beer or make wine?
Not as much anymore, mostly because it was really tedious, messy, and easy to screw up. However, I’d like to pick it up again. Nowadays you can buy pretty amazing equipment where everything is controlled and easy to clean. Even in the past five years, technology has come a long way for the amateur brewer.
Back when you were doing it, what did you brew?
Maybe I was ahead of the trend, but I always made IPAs. I was fascinated with the type of beer and hops available at the time. Over the years, it has been interesting to monitor the trends in the beer industry and see the evolution in available ingredients and hops and the genetic engineering behind it.
In terms of your travels, what have been some of the best regions you visited?
As far as wine making, I target as many areas I can. In California, my wife and I have thoroughly visited throughout Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara, and a few other places. I’ve also been to great spots in Oregon, Washington, Virginia, New York, and some smaller production areas. Outside of the U.S., we have taken a few trips to Bordeaux or the Loire Valley in France as well as wineries throughout Italy, Austria, Spain, Portugal, and even some places in Croatia. Lots to explore.
As for beer, in each big city or small town you can find breweries and get a great flavor for the area. I live in Chicago, which is a hot bed for new and different beers. Boston also seems to have unlimited options these days. But I love the small towns with microbreweries that you can catch on a drive across the country or on a casual stop outside a big city on a business trip.
Do you have any recommendations for beers or wines others should try?
A couple of labels in Chicago are doing amazing things: Hop Butcher and Phase Three. In Richmond, VA, Hardywood is a great brewery with a family-friendly environment. Lagunitas in Petaluma, CA is in wine region but is a great larger brewery. Plus, as they’ve grown, Lagunitas also opened a fantastic operation in Chicago.
