It had been an unseasonably beautiful October. The nights were cool, not cold, and the days were glorious explosions of vivid autumnal colours and welcome warmth, the low sun emitting enough heat for comfort in T-shirts at midday. With the approach of Halloween, Mike had been fully immersing himself in horror, as he did every year.
I've been in Priorat for just over 24 hours, and considering the brisk winestyles that I customarily advocate, I'm still not over the irony of going out of my way to be in this wild outpost of Northeastern Spain. But I have to admit something — I love Priorat! The place, that is... but also the wines that I encountered today!
My father made his living selling sporting goods. As an adult I'm entirely apathetic about sports and the goods that they require, but as a youngster, I didn't know that there was any other option but to participate in endless variations of physical activity. Dad made sure that I was well equipped for all of them.
It hit me really hard one night. It wouldn't have been so bad had I been on an early morning vineyard walk or reading in a hotel room, but it happened during dinner in a busy restaurant. I'd had my share of Riesling (including some from the 2022 vintage, about which, read on), but it was finally catalyzed by the glass of Henrik Möbitz Spätburgunder that I had in front of me.
Richard handed the book to me and said, “I think you should read this". The first time that this happened I found myself holding Baudelaire's Paris Spleen, and thus in the 15 years hence I've never declined his literary recommendations. This time, the book was Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization, written by a UBC Philosopher named Edward Slingerland. It's a fascinating and engaging read, and its brilliant message couldn't be more timely.
Wine's age of innocence is over. Admittedly, I'm too young to have experienced it, but I caught enough glimpses of it early in my career to recognize its continuing decline. I long for simpler times, and embrace every facet of wine—as a drink and an industry—that reinforces its beauty and integrity.
