10/18/2023
Fall has always been a time for me to reflect, dream big, and start new projects.
Something about the leaves and angle of the sun changing make me feel like autumn is when New Year’s should really be.
This last year was not what I thought it would be. It has been full of ups and downs, unexpected periods of waiting, and doubts about next steps.
It hasn’t been without disappointment, but I realize now that there’s been more purpose than I would’ve thought in this season.
Over the weekend I had the pleasure of drinking one of the best wines I’ve had in a long time.
The grapes that weren’t into it were grown in the south of France in harvested back in 2020. Following fermentation, the wine was held in cement tanks for 10 months, and then aged in wood for another six months.
Since then, the wine had been maturing in bottle until we enjoyed it just the other day.
It’s such an obvious fact to me that wine takes a long time to make, that sometimes the beauty and mystery of it has been lost on me.
Not every moment of the winemaking process is as beautiful or enjoyable as when you get to admire all that went into a glass of wine.
But that wine wouldn’t be remotely as enjoyable, (may not even be worth drinking), if it hadn’t been for the hand-harvesting, methodical maceration, racking, and other labor-intensive and patience-exercising activities on the part of the winemaker.
Well, I’m not planning on being consumed, so this isn’t a one to one analogy, I see how I’m not too unlike a fine wine being made.
This last season “in the cellar” is not without purpose.
Over the coming days and weeks, I’ll fill you in on the journey I’ve been on this last year, and what’s next for me and wine. Thanks for joining me. :)
