The New Chardonnay

Review of “The New Chardonnay,” by Heather Cabot I had a lot on my mind, the past 6 months, what with Covid-19, publishing poetry chapbooks, finishing 3 paintings and starting a new job. So I was reading The New Chardonnay by my friend Heather Cabot, for purely recreational purposes, you understand. I’m reading along and reading along, in the evenings, after work. Reading about a housewife/professional woman with a personality and a bank account I’ll never have. And I’m reading about some vague company, Tweed, in Canada – how they got their start and all the mistakes they made, when I got to page 98. Holy shit. Tweed went IPO (listed in the Canadian stock market) as Canopy. Then I remembered. About 3 years ago, with a nothing investment portfolio, I sat down and thought hard about the future. I decided that the future of even the conservative United States was headed towards marijuana. Why? Because look at the way Middle America embraced on-line gambling! When people want it, it becomes legal. After several months of intense study – who grows it, who packages it, who sells it - I logged into ‘alientrader.com’ and put a not-too-shabby percent of my wieny investment portfolio into 12 marijuana companies, mostly Canadian. And then I forgot about it. Why? Because it’s a long-term investment, I expected them to bounce around in value, and life does not stand still, as I mentioned before, I have Other Things on my mind. [Here on New Jack City TV you can see Snoop Dog drinking beer on a beach. Next year - weed !] I rushed to check if I owned Canopy. Hell, yes ! The New Chardonnay is the second in a (hopefully) series of digestible, eminently readable history books about aspects of American culture that would never show up in standard American classroom histories. The first book, which Ms. Cabot co-authored, documented the rise of women as CEOs of Silicon Valley Hi Tech companies. Her current book, “The New Chardonnay”, solely authored by Ms. Cabot, records the slow rise, acceptance and gradual legalization of the marijuana industry. This industry has many key female owners and managers. Don’t expect Tolstoy. The author is a veteran of ABC Broadcasting which means that her mind is trained to the 30 second news slot. (The History of Pot on Speed Dial) That’s not such a bad thing. After all, it’s unlikely that you want to read 700 pages about cannabis. She even brought in Jewish descriptions where appropriate. So much writing (e.g. Phillip Roth?) never explains Jewish holidays or dietary rules for what they are. The only annoying thing I can say is her habit of describing women (and not men) by their looks, and designer wardrobes. Who cares ? Nevertheless, both books are valuable commentary on the immense cultural changes going on, “soto voice”/ under the radar in American culture.There are 3 areas which Ms. Cabot is actually tracking:1. The businesses which underlie seismic shifts in American culture2. Unusual career paths3. New and different opportunities for women The future has been founded (in Canada and the western US). It has not yet migrated to the entire US. And with Covid-19, the Disaster called Trump, and the effects of self-induced climate change, we have Other Things on our minds and in the news. However, if you want to understand an important future US industry, read this book. Whatever version of this business America finally adopts, it will have a unique and slightly twisted American flavor.Claire L Frankel, Author

Cabot, H. (2020). The new chardonnay. Currency.Heather Cabot is an author, award-winning journalist, keynote speaker and former ABC News correspondent and anchor.This book describes the historical trajectory and cultural shift towards the favorable legalization of marijuana production, sales, and use within the United States and Canada. Specifically, the author tells the stories of Beth Stavola (Queen of Cannabis), Ted Chung and Snoop Dogg, Jeff Danzer (aka Jeffthe420chef) and Bruce Linton (the Willy Wonka of Weed). According to the author, these people "didn't possess the same backgrounds or professional experiences. They didn't travel in the same circles or even share the same views about casual drug use." Even so each were visionaries of the financial and lifestyle potential of marijuana.A side story to Beth Stavola's experiences is how she was treated and often underestimated within a man's world. Ted Chung and Snoop Dogg developed intentional marketing and programming strategies to normalize marijuana use including recruiting Martha Stewart. Jeff Danzer experimentally and systematically worked with marijuana to control the buzz and ultimately create delicious food. Bruce Linton's learn as he went approach transformed a former chocolate factory and a small town in Canada, thus earning him the nickname Willy Wonka of Weed. Such an entertaining and informative read.

I was really interested in learning more about one of the most interesting "new" industries--legal cannabis. Heather distilled the intricacies of getting into the cannabis industry--including a focus on a pioneering businesswoman--and the changing culture around cannabis. While this may sound dry, it was a fascinating and entertaining read that I shared with friends.

Writing this review before I have finished the book because I am delaying the end!I knew no detail about the cannabis industry. This is filled with learning- including challenges related to racism and misogyny. So timely!!The added treat is that the learning happens through the introduction of such fascinating characters. You want to keep reading so you know what happens next with each person.I carve out my available free time for this treat of a read.

I heard about this book from a friend and I CANNOT PUT IT DOWN!! Such a fun read. I hope it gets made into a movie!