One night recently—at nearly midnight—I found myself (spontaneously) invited to dinner at the mega-posh apartment of two people who had, until that evening, been total strangers. Around the table were two investment bankers, an international headhunter, and a surgeon. (How I got there is long story..).
Fantastic wines appeared, and with them, larger and louder conversations. Until the moment… I could feel it coming… when one of them asked: so, how did you get into the wine business?
The table fell silent, and I thought to myself: shall I give the one sentence answer or the three sentence answer or the real answer?
To be truthful, over the last several years, I’ve often wondered myself why I’m in the wine business. After all, almost any reasonably smart person could make a lot more money in another field. Yet, countless times (and here was another one), people who earn three, maybe five, maybe ten times as much as I do say they’d trade places in a minute.
So what is it about wine?
I’ve come to think it is this: wine is one of the last true things. In a world mechanized to madness, a world where you can’t do anything without overhearing somebody’s cell phone conversation, a world where innocuous emails all exude infuriatingly false urgency–in this world, wine remains utterly unrushed. Still (thankfully) mysterious. The silent music of nature. For seven thousand years, vines clutching the earth have thrust themselves upward toward the sun and given us a transformative liquid in return. And so it is that wine ineluctably connects us to that earth. We don’t have to do anything. We drink… and the bond is there.
Wine matters because of this connection. Wine (and food) cradle us in our own humanity. Drinking wine–small as that action may seem–is an affirmation. It reminds us of other things that matter: love, friendship, generosity.
I took a sip of the Raveneau Chablis Montee de Tonnerre, and hoped I could attempt more than the one sentence answer.
Virginia Madsen’s soliloquy in Sideways may be momentarily more famous, but it is ineluctably true that why wine matters will soon rank right alongside in the memorable moments rollcall…another thing that still matters: poetry, and those whose words capture the imagination.
Jim: Thank you so much for the kind words! Look for the next blog, coming within a few days from Argentina.
Karen
Karen, thank you for the eloquent words and for affirming for me why I’ve chosen this path as well. I look forward to more of your thoughts.
Karen – After knowing you these last 20 some years, I am so happy to hear you make this statement in your usual literate and heartfelt manner. This is the true reason we have labored and luxuriated in wine. What a gift wine is and what a treasure you are. Thanks for the thoughts.
Diane
Karen, Thank you. Well spoken and it rings true. Which these days is a rarity!
I’ve experienced similar inquests (sans the investment banker, international headhunter and surgeon)and have never been able to capture it as eloquently and genuinely as you have. Thanks for sharing (from a former student of yours at Greystone). Your example has forever been an inspiration in my own wine life.
Karen – I love this! I’ve sent it around to everyone in our winery as a wonderful, welcome reminder as to why we do what we do.
Karen ~Like a great Gewurztraminer, you amaze and delight with your complex layers of grace, eloquence, and uncompromising purpose.
As with your classroom teaching, you have an amazing ability to craft and deliver such richly felt knowledge and insight with subtle, yet focused precision.
Gewürztraminer leaves its mark… as do you….
Once again,thank you!
Colleen
I completely agree and it’s why I hold on to my small part in the wine profession with dear life. Thanks for the inspiring words.
Thank you, Karen, for being such an inspiration to me and my career in the world of wine!
This is awesome Karen. Thanks for reminding us of the joy of this wonderful beverage.
Beautifully said Karen. Thank you! Jean
As someone who appreciated wine for many years from my corporate cubicle, I couldn’t be happier about my decision to change gears and move into the world of wine. Your post made me smile and even gave me a bit of a shiver. Very eloquent!
And right there, that is why Karen MacNeil matters. More than any wine writer in America, you bring the lure, the connections, the utter magic of wine to everything you write. There is not a lot of that in the wine writing world, and there is no one who does it with the power and the humanity that you do.
wine matteres because it is the earth,the climate,and the human that cared for the vine
and the care of the product.
Karen, we never knew you, but loved your words and even learned a new one. we will keep track from now on.
Karen, I spent 20 years in the wine business answering that question, always the short hand answer, because there wasn’t ever time standing behind a tasting table or chatting with overwheening keeks for the true answer. I’m now writing a book about our adventures in the wine business and have written the long-delayed answer. Oh, of course, it’s too long to tell here.
Bill McIver
Bill: I hope you and Sandra are both well. Glad to hear that two of Sonoma’s pioneers are writing their story!!! Can’t wait to read it.
Karen
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Thanks for your words about the wonderful adult beverage of wine. Your beauty and eloquence is #1…I appreciate the fact that you are such a great person, great wine lady, and an amazing writer on the subject. Cheers Tim
Thank you! My wife and I are shortly entering the Wine Industry and your words echo our feelings. We hope our wines enhance the human experience of sharing time with friends and loved ones. That is what truly matters.
C’est joliment dit tout ça. Félicitations pour la justesse de votre propos. C’est rassurant pour ceux qui sont passionnés, et pédagogique pour ceux qui demandent à l’être.
C’est joliment dit tout ça. Félicitations pour la justesse de votre propos. C’est rassurant pour les passionnés, et pédagogique pour ceux qui demandent à l’être.
Moving words, Karen. Thank you for writing –and sharing — such an inspiring story.
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It’s too bad that passion and income don’t always align in the world – think volunteers in the Sudan or on the food bank line here in Hollywood.
We have much to be grateful for – a chance to explore and interact with what is at the core of what we love – and yes, it would be nice if there were financial rewards too.
Thanks for sharing.
julie@womenwine.com
Bravo Karen, I couldn’t agree more. Thanks to you for inspiring me at the CIA I transitioned into a career I love!
As always, Thanks
Cindy
And here I’m thinking this is gonna be some sort of April Fool’s spoof (given the post date) and instead get treated to a deftly-written, moving, humanist touch on our fave beverage. Looking forward to more of these, Karen!
Ah, Dear Karen…we have not seen each other in a while, but I thank you for your eloquent statement. It is the quintessential question that is often asked of those of us in the industry in innocent earnest. We feel a great responsibility to answer the question in a way that infuses others with same fire that captured our hearts. Everyone has a chance to take their own road that leads them to the place we call home. Thanks for pointing everyone in the right direction..
Andrea
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