the true meaning of contentment

as we are getting closer to the end of another harvesting season the word that springs to mind after this crazy time is contentment. it is always a season where normal life seize to happen and you survive the days on adrenaline. days that never have enough time to complete your daily task and the hope that it will not be too late if it is left till tomorrow. yet in all this turmoil to find contentment is such a great sense of achievement...and also purpose. my conviction defines contentment as: desiring what you already have. thus not to strive towards things that are unattainable. things that fill your worries to the level of unrealistic. issues and ideas that distract you from that which is in front of you. how often do you find yourself in that place of wanting to be somewhere else. or doing something else. after every harvest season a time of reflection is needed. this usually takes some time and is an ongoing process. time to revise what has happened and the things that can be improved upon. but as most things in life work-related issues and life-related issues are intertwined and therefore inseparable. and that is how i came to this junction of answering my own question of whether or not i have reached that place of contentment. to be honest i dont think i have nailed it completely but definitely got very close. taking some time out this past weekend at the beach house did help to put some things into perspective. a clearing of the head was needed to re-focus on the task that awaits in the few months to come. allocation and blending is another challenge all together it being more creative and inventive. the truth remains....to be content with your day to day is a massive luxury in life that very few people have. i count my lucky starts and will continue with a thankful attitude.

mid-harvest euphoria

it’s that time of the season when everything is such a rush that you hope you get to do all the essentials. it’s a time of pressure. but it’s a time of character too. it’s the time when you see new wines born. old ideas dying. the young wines are bubbling and foaming cause of the fermentation. the old wines in the barrels sighing cause it is time for them to come out of their three years of hibernation. it’s their time to become blends and champions in their own right.
this season we have played our hand with some new faces on the cultivar shelf. varieties such as carmenere (from chile), graciona (hailing form spain), tempranillo (also from spain)….only to name a few. in total we have (thus far) harvested over twenty different cultivars. exciting stuff. and they are looking good already. i realize that it is a honor to be exposed to such a variety (excuse the pun) of varieties. hehehe.
the sense of satisfaction is rising as the harvest progresses. it has taken a lot of time and effort of all involved to make this season another memorable one. this mid-harvest euphoria reminds me why i have decided to do what i do….to make the best wine possible. and i am still loving it. as a matter of fact – i am loving it more than ever.

the heat of the harvest

every year for a few months my job requires of me to turn into this working machine. where days are endless and weeks never seem to begin or end. i wake up in the morning asking my wife what day it is. it is a turmoil of thoughts and ideas. it is a mixure of tribulations and victories. we call it the harvest… and that is what we winemakers do. it is what we live for. it is the eager anticipation that last for months. and now finally it is here.
the harvest requires a serious level of multi tasking, the processing of information and the eclipse of the performance is off course the day ritual of tasting. decisions are made every split second and some plans and dreams of blends, aromas and flavors take center stage. the harvest is the culmination of a growing season that ebb and flows according to the weather. these patterns are the blue print of what underwrites the potential of the vintage or that particular year.
emotions run high. a lot of shouting takes place. instructions are passed on. analyses are captured and deciphered. more decisions are made, more instructions churned out of the brain of the winemaker. eager anticipation. each tank. each barrel…a potential masterpiece. but only time will tell. patience and persistence is the name of the game. we can only wait and see what the outcome will be.
raise a glass to another good year.

DIY – do it yourself

if you have lost your inspiration….you have come to the right place. lost inspiration in my opinion is often a case of blurred vision or you complicating matters in your head. we have become masters at over-thinking the smallest of issues. this is a frequent problem for most people. instead of steam rolling over it with positive attitude we stop to over-analyze. but don’t fall into that trap. you will only become your own worst enemy. it is my understanding that most people walk around with this deep-rooted self pity. a bad case of feeling sorry for themselves. and we justify it with the most bizarre arguments. often we feel that the world owes us something. the truth of the matter is that the world owes you nothing. and the saying that goes: “life is unfair”….utter rubbish. it is not about fair or unfair. it is about taking responsibility for your own life and living it. stop outsourcing your responsibility. stop outsourcing your future. other people will not make it happen for you. other people will not invest so much into your future. and why should they. if you want it….whether time, money or sanity…you have to do it yourself. don’t outsource your inspiration either. find what works for you. hold onto that which makes your heart beat faster. keep a journal or write it down. find a dictaphone from the 1960’s if you have to. do something. but don’t just sit there waiting. don’t sit there criticizing and moaning. DIY…do it yourself.

partner in crime

on our BIG day...with my new ETERNAL partner in crime!

new perspective

since the last time wrote on my blog, life has had a dramatic change….for the good. it is as if i have been given a new pair of eyes or spectacles to see the world differently. and the change has been exciting. i reckon life is to short to remain negative all the time. for many 2010 was a tough year. but i have decided that for 2011 my motto would be: “every challenge yields an opportunity”. i am writing new unrealistic goals. i am planning a round-the-world trip with my new partner in crime…aka MY WIFE. i have decided to take more holiday and spend less time wondering and worrying about crises that will never happen. i plan to see the lighter side of life and to smile more at strangers. i have to confess….my new partner in crime has had a dramatic effect on my life. nothing looks the same, nothing smells or tastes the same. perspective and attitude has changed. i have been challenged, inspired and encouraged. i realize that my life will never be the same again….and i love my new reality.

STOP! ABSORB...

time to reflect. to take stock. to see where you are at. there comes a time when you have to slow down and stop to look around you. to look up. to escape from the rush of life. if not life will pass you by. you will not embrace the moment when it comes. you will miss the moment. rushing off to the next moment only to miss that one too. STOP! look up. smell the flowers. enjoy the sunset. smile to the people on the underground. show acts of kindness. slow it down to a blur. your life will be richer. your life will be fuller. small things will have new meaning. you will have more purpose. more focus. more drive when this drug of ABSORBING life gets into your blood.