Over the last 8 years, a gradual curiosity and wonder has developed in me concerning the multifaceted aspects of wine. Wine has a deep history throughout a diverse range of cultures going back thousands of years. Indeed, to talk seriously about wine, one must dive into the history and cultures of various people groups the world over. Wine is not merely something that tastes good or makes you feel happy. Wine has played a key role in bringing people together in the sharing of meals, enhancing local economies, and encouraging artisinal creativity. (i.e. "How can we make wine in better and more diverse ways?" "How can it be enjoyed more fully?")
More than anything, however, I've become taken with how wine is made and how it enhances people's experience of sharing meals together. For our honeymoon, my wife and I spent time in Napa Valley. We learned so much about how wine is made and how one can learn to enjoy and appreciate it more fully. Through conversations with wine experts and winemakers, we learned much about the nuances of aroma and taste in the wine itself. We also learned about the pairing of wine with food, that good wine can help you enjoy the food better, and vice versa. This time in Napa Valley really opened my eyes to some of the depths of the experience of wine, of allowing it to help shape the way we choose to live, particularly concerning hospitality and table fellowship.
My curiosity with wine has recently led me to investigate the possibility of having a hand in the production of wine as a vocation. I don't yet know if this curiosity with winemaking will lead to wonder and fascination, but I'm willing to take some time to find out. I'm working at a vineyard/winery, getting my hands dirty in the soil where the vines live, handling the fruit, crushing it, and seeing how the whole process works. Is this what I want to do for a living? I don't know yet. But my curiosity prods me onward.
Caleb Nelson, New York
More than anything, however, I've become taken with how wine is made and how it enhances people's experience of sharing meals together. For our honeymoon, my wife and I spent time in Napa Valley. We learned so much about how wine is made and how one can learn to enjoy and appreciate it more fully. Through conversations with wine experts and winemakers, we learned much about the nuances of aroma and taste in the wine itself. We also learned about the pairing of wine with food, that good wine can help you enjoy the food better, and vice versa. This time in Napa Valley really opened my eyes to some of the depths of the experience of wine, of allowing it to help shape the way we choose to live, particularly concerning hospitality and table fellowship.
My curiosity with wine has recently led me to investigate the possibility of having a hand in the production of wine as a vocation. I don't yet know if this curiosity with winemaking will lead to wonder and fascination, but I'm willing to take some time to find out. I'm working at a vineyard/winery, getting my hands dirty in the soil where the vines live, handling the fruit, crushing it, and seeing how the whole process works. Is this what I want to do for a living? I don't know yet. But my curiosity prods me onward.
Caleb Nelson, New York