Perhaps the most noble utility of the artisanal farmer is to nurture into existence that which nobody cares about or isn't the least bit commercially viable, but represents a gift from nature to humankind. Having virtually no experience with farming, I can only imagine the mercantile sacrifices that must be made in order to do so; but nature isn't concerned about fiscal gains, only about the occasional provision of altruistic blessings.
"My people were entirely Nordic, which is to say idiots. Every wrong idea which has ever been expounded was theirs... Until I was about ten years old I never realized that there were 'warm' countries, places where you didn't have to sweat for a living, nor shiver and pretend that it was tonic and exhilarating. "
- Henry Miller
I assure you that this will not be a year-end retrospective nor any shot at clairvoyance about the year ahead, no, really, I promise!
I just want to set you a task different than the English Sunday Times Holiday crossword (or the more easily obtained Globe & Mail version).
There's a wee book that was published nearly 15 years ago called Oberon Kant's Big Book of Wine. This very small tome is as rare as poultry dentures, and the god-like Amazon may well have to be invoked to obtain it.
The Soil to Glass Transfer (henceforth STGT) is a great term coined by legendary Rhône authority Jonathan Livingstone-Learmonth (henceforth JLL). He applies it to “wines that reflect a sense of place, or terroir, the expression of their sector and also the vintage style delivered by the year`s weather.” We love this kind of stuff at Metrovino.
“I love Sherry because when Magellan was preparing to circumnavigate the world he spent more on Sherry than weapons. I love Sherry because she sounds like a kind, wise and loving middle-aged woman. I love Sherry because I can buy and consume something older than myself. I love sherry because it makes almost any food better. I love Sherry because I can taste and smell Manzanilla right now without any being near me. I love sherry because it makes my hands sticky.”
