W(h)ine ..

I don’t intend this space to be an outlet for my frustrations within my career. But I preconceive this initial post as doing just that. Not to set the tone, but to clear the air in my conscious before I set about re-filling my half empty wine glasses, of which I have the full collection from a Burgundy to a Viogner, most of which are sat, with different varietals of 2015’s vintage. Most of which now leave a sour note on my palette.

I wonder how many of these wine puns I can blend in for some much needed satirical notes, after all who doesn’t love a bitter characteristic in their medium bodied young bottle?

Use the spittoon, don’t swallow it, you’ll consume something that wasn’t ready, It hasn’t had a chance to breath.

As I write I am trying to digest what 2015 meant for me. I was ready for my ‘lightbulb’ career move. I turned 26 in April and was in my own home, with my career as steady as I needed it to be, penniless, but had a real thirst to absorb as much as possible surrounding career leads and opportunity. I had been working alongside a manager within a restaurant that really understood my enthusiasm about wine and allowed me creative license and listened to my opinion, this of course had come to fruition after I had proved my palette and knowledge was up to scratch. A task I shall touch on at a later date but one of I should add is an almighty challenge. You say the words ‘aspiring wine manager/sommelier/master of wine’ and society doesn’t picture a 26 year old women from the midlands. Alas, I chose my battle.

Then in May I lost it all. Never before as a glass shattered into as many pieces as mine did. I spilt the reddest of wines of the whitest of carpets and despite trying to blotch with paper towels, add white wine to the stain, sweep up the broken glass I just panicked like most of us do when we spill wine and covered it over with a tea towel of another opportunity I took without a seconds consideration. Again, Society doesn’t require you to expose your downfalls. A jobs a job.

The rest of the year had included 4 house moves in 7 months and 3 jobs in which my hours clocked up doing things I resent that haven’t developed me further have hit an all time high, working 80 hour weeks builds stamina, work ethic and resilience but it destroys foundations.

I know what I want to do with my career. Its never going to be about earning the most money I can. I want to learn. I want to work hard. Its about wine. I want to use this tool here as my way of explaining myself to myself, as I don’t explain myself clearly in situations where I feel I am answerable. I become defensive.

I believe its ok to drink up a wealth of experience, having let it been fermented, second fermented, filtered, tank stored, bottle stored and aged. Because that, along with the correct soil, aspect, variety, location and weather conditions to list but a few of the integrals to a grapes growing process. The finest wines develop. The best take years. It’s worth the wait.

I will harvest myself when I am ready. But its very close to being my autumn.