With a little bit of (possibly wine-fuelled) bravery, I tried my hand at writing a piece for a recent competition. It was, rather unsurprisingly, not the winning piece but, like a drinkable bottle of wine, I feel it's rather sad to let it go to waste - so here it is:
Wine is, as it’s core function, a drink – a beverage for
quenching thirst with a secondary function of overcoming social awkwardness.
The latter being attributed to its containing a trace of the social lubricant commonly
referred to as alcohol.
This most lovely beverage does, however, have an admirable number
of other remarkable roles. These roles
range from giving the economy a much needed boost by employing those uniquely
skilled with grape picking and wine-making skills; to creating masterpieces
from what would otherwise be shamefully simple food the world over.
To many folks, both lovers of wine and those who have the
occasional sip, wine plays some form of role in their lives whether they
directly realise it or not. For those more inclined to enjoy wine on a more
regular basis, it rather obviously plays a far, far larger role.
For some, a glass of wine is a nice touch to round off a
nice dinner. For wine-lovers, a nice meal is created around the wine on hand –
the wine list takes precedence over the menu. Lovers of wine, such as myself,
are most especially in their element when they can create dishes including
wine. Although it often happens that the wayward bottles of wine intended for
the pot, and honestly purchased solely for this function, somehow always manage
to slip a glass full of their contents down our protesting throats.
For some, a glass of wine is a lovely way to unwind after a
particularly challenge-filled day at the office. For us, it’s a particularly
challenging day at the office for the sole reason that we have yet to enjoy a
glass of wine. This or may not indicate a slight leaning toward an unfortunate
addiction to the negligible alcohol content in the wine – I can, however, most
zestfully assure you this is simply not the case. We have just come to view the
first glass of wine of the day as the beginning of the best part of the day.
The thought of that first sniff of a tall, delicate glass of Chardonnay is
filled with more than aromatics. It is filled with the butter-like hug of a
good friend, the jasmine scent of a fond memory....I beg your pardon, my
concentration appears to have floated off on a whiff of citrus for a brief
moment. I remind myself that it is, in fact, almost time for that glass – but not
quite yet.
For some, a glass of wine is a suitable way to meet new
people. For us, wine is the secret handshake into the clandestine society. A
society which becomes much like a surprisingly functional family that tends to
get along rather famously when discussing our favourite varietals and even more
so when sampling them. The more we sample, the more we get along.
It is notoriously difficult to know how exactly to go about
becoming a member of this society mainly due to the fact that everyone outside of
this society is unaware of its existence. They may at times refer to the wine “community”,
but community is not the true descriptor. How does one know when one is a part
of this society then, you may wonder. This is almost as tricky as discovering
its existence because, the only way to know is simply to know. One day you will
innocently be sipping wine rumoured to fall within the class of “good” and a
few bottles later (most often not on the same evening, however), you will
realise you have an almost fluent understanding of an entirely new language and
your wine bills suddenly easily overtake your grocery bills. Some will,
however, argue that wine is the only grocery one needs to be purchasing.
For some, wine is a luxury occasional purchase. For us, as mentioned
above, wine is an essential grocery item. Sauvignon Blanc makes up the green
vegetable requirement; Chenin Blanc the summer fruits; Chardonnay the winter
fruits, butter and flowers; Cabernet Franc the red meat; Syrah the spice; and
Cinsault a delicious chocolate cupcake for dessert. Where traditional groceries are prized for
their freshness, the older our choice of groceries the better in our minds.
Dust and the occasional cobweb, to us, is generally a most wonderful sign.
For some, a glass of bubbles is a sign of a celebration. For
us, a well-made MCC is a reason to celebrate. The yeast and brioche on the nose
and the tiny, delicate bubbles in an endless race to the surface of the glass
are a form of art in themselves.
For me, a glass of bubbles is imminent as a celebration of
art – and the finishing of my very own little piece of art - this art-icle.
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