Recently there have been a string of controversial articles about wine. Articles about changing wine consumption, the rise and fall of wine writers, and the sommelier’s role in restaurants, to name a few. The vineyard is our home and wine is our business, so we pay close attention to the current trends we see, even though we live in a world where we plan years in advance for any changes we make — fine wine takes time in every sense of the meaning. And we’re not in the business of trends — we’re in this for the long haul.
An article recently written by Karen MacNeil called “Nothing Left to Say? The End of Wine Writing,” was poignant, emotive, well-written, and direct— exactly the type of article we’ve come to expect from Karen. Although the points were many, one specific aspect of the article we found intriguing is an incredibly simple, yet shockingly complex question, “Why is wine important?”
A philosophical question in nature is always more challenging to answer; however, we all thought hard about “Why is wine important?”. If we can’t communicate the reason clearly upon a moment’s notice, we shouldn’t be in this business. The reasoning for many is personal, so I wanted to share some of the answers our team sent me:
“Wine is a time capsule – capturing time in a bottle and reliving it every time it is opened. Memories, good or bad, transport us. As a winemaker, you only get to make one expression each year — there will never be a repeat of a vintage with the exact same conditions. Wine also adds pleasure to any meal unlike any other beverage. It complements the food, thoughtful in what variety, year, or region it comes from. Food and wine bring people together in the most important situations and the simplest.” – Winemaker Natalie Bath
“Wine historically started as a beverage to keep people safe as the water supply was increasingly contaminated. Now of course, it’s more than a beverage, as great wine is connected to a specific place and to people. The importance in wine for me lies in the fact that it connects us socially. It encourages us to share conversation, ideas, emotions. Not many other beverages can do that. In a time when society is steering away from social interaction it becomes more important to spend time together and enjoy a glass of wine. As discovered in the 5 ‘blue zones’ on this planet, a glass of wine is part of the daily ritual. It keeps the population happy and, in these zones, specifically people become over 100 years old.” – Managing Director Oscar Henquet
“Wine if not an essential product has been around for thousands of years for a reason. It pairs beautifully with food, and it bring people together with great conversations.” – Beatrice Bion
What is my answer? For me, wine is deeply personal, yet incredibly inclusive. Wine is a rare artform which creates so many memories with many people attached to them —it does truly bring people together, even though each person still has an individual interpretation and experience of the wine. Wine to me is so many things, but most importantly, it’s a connection. A connection to my land, a connection to my employees, a connection to our customers, and an easy connection to the many people I meet every time I leave home. And I pose the question to you, "Why is wine important to you?" I would love to hear your thoughts.
Lastly, and most importantly, today I want to share two wines with you that we consider an introduction to our wines — the 2022 Crossroads Sauvignon Blanc and 2021 Crossroads Cabernet Sauvignon. These two wines have the same pedigree of all our wines — 100% estate grown and farmed organically using biodynamic practices with our own team. Unlike some of our other wines, the Crossroads wines are not allocated, and they’re not meant to be squirreled away to drink in ten years. Drink these wines now, as that’s how they’re intended to be enjoyed. And as always, enjoy amongst friends and forge new connections.
All the best,
Samantha Rudd