Why?

Why make wine and why write a blog about wine? Somewhere in my journey of the past few years, I came to believe that wine is an intersection of art, science, and humanity. I also came to think that on this basis creating fine wine was something of a virtue, something that brings all of us closer together. Okay, that’s a bit corny, but a true philosophy that underlies this obsession of mine. As for writing, well that’s catharsis and the need to share a story that will chronicle where I’m coming from, where I’m at, and where my family and I are headed.

My interest in wine was decidedly not inspired by lofty visions of beautiful bordelaise vineyards, historic chateaux, intellectual communion, or even a taste that bordered on anything approaching refined.

About fifteen years ago, during the torment of my undergraduate years (there were many), I decided that the perfect compliment to Mr. Noodles and Kraft dinner would be home made beer. In an oddly detached and remote way, like many of my erstwhile thoughts, I considered that it would be fulfilling to someday make beer commercially.

Haute cuisine didn’t exactly figure into my then lifestyle (no, not zen), but in some way those home bottles of high-test Danish Pilsner made me realise that quality didn’t come from a can of Old Stock. It came from your own labour, your own failure, success, and your own ideas bubbling about on your tongue like cold beer. It would just take me another decade to find out how much and what the pursuit of quality really meant.