This new narrative from you is just one reed in a bundle. There are the van life, digital nomadism, the side hustle, the take the raise and buy the house option, and many more. At 77, I mostly don't regret starting my basket over for a new one more times than I can count.
My regrets? Not trying new ones that are now precluded by age and fitness.
My ears are shot thanks to a stint in the Army and managing some very loud rock bands. My eyes are weak from long days staring at monitors from career #27 in tech. You get the picture.
But I have a shitload of small, often unfinished baskets. As I watch YouTube videos promoting choices that are out of reach for me now, I am still happy with all the ones I had the chance to make.
I've woven a tortured metaphor (rim shot) to get to my real comment. Give winemaking a go for a few years. You're young enough to move on if it's truly not for you, or if life on a sailboat or being a grade school teacher starts to call more loudly. You'll figure it out….just like always.
Your (and the Intern’s) winemaking style seems so compatible and akin to fellow Portuguese winemakers of the younger generation: Pedro Capucha, for instance - possibly the most talented winemaker in the Lisbon area. Or even the wines by Ana in Cortes de Cima and the whimsical Xisto Ilimitado - and perhaps, but a bit on the heavier side, Antonio Madeira in your region.
I hope you can find your way and that you’ll be able to take advantage of the free time to hop back to the city - Lisbon is bustling with new openings and low intervention wines are the rule more than the exception here and in Porto.
As for myself I look forward to plunge in Dao again, the Glacier valley of Serra da Estrela is calling me 😍
I'm not surprised it's calling you! Yes all of those wines can be considered inspiration (and Ana and Luis Seabra are friends of ours). We shall see what the future holds!
This new narrative from you is just one reed in a bundle. There are the van life, digital nomadism, the side hustle, the take the raise and buy the house option, and many more. At 77, I mostly don't regret starting my basket over for a new one more times than I can count.
My regrets? Not trying new ones that are now precluded by age and fitness.
My ears are shot thanks to a stint in the Army and managing some very loud rock bands. My eyes are weak from long days staring at monitors from career #27 in tech. You get the picture.
But I have a shitload of small, often unfinished baskets. As I watch YouTube videos promoting choices that are out of reach for me now, I am still happy with all the ones I had the chance to make.
I've woven a tortured metaphor (rim shot) to get to my real comment. Give winemaking a go for a few years. You're young enough to move on if it's truly not for you, or if life on a sailboat or being a grade school teacher starts to call more loudly. You'll figure it out….just like always.
Cheers, JD
Love this, thank you John for your words
Your (and the Intern’s) winemaking style seems so compatible and akin to fellow Portuguese winemakers of the younger generation: Pedro Capucha, for instance - possibly the most talented winemaker in the Lisbon area. Or even the wines by Ana in Cortes de Cima and the whimsical Xisto Ilimitado - and perhaps, but a bit on the heavier side, Antonio Madeira in your region.
I hope you can find your way and that you’ll be able to take advantage of the free time to hop back to the city - Lisbon is bustling with new openings and low intervention wines are the rule more than the exception here and in Porto.
As for myself I look forward to plunge in Dao again, the Glacier valley of Serra da Estrela is calling me 😍
I'm not surprised it's calling you! Yes all of those wines can be considered inspiration (and Ana and Luis Seabra are friends of ours). We shall see what the future holds!
I am here cheering for your winemaking journey - whatever it will look like 🤩
I've never heard anyone call growing up in the country as a "bucolic prison," and I've never felt so seen :') Thank you for the new turn of phrase