Collecting wine to sooth the soul
The modern world moves at a breakneck pace. Moments of tranquility are rare gifts amidst the madness, usually induced through breathing exercises, meditation, reading, or spending time in nature. Our own dose of reflection this week has brought us to consider the therapeutic benefits of wine collecting. After all, building a library of bottles to last a lifetime (or across multiple generations) certainly helps us play with the dimensions of time.
Homage to Terra Mater (mother earth)
With roots stretching back millennia, wine carries the essence of history, culture, and geography. Each bottle is testament to the hard work and passion of growers who have often toiled in the vineyards for generations. Through our wine collections we forge links with each bottle – each representation of time, place, and person. In learning how wine is made, we appreciate the total dedication of winemakers to their land and liquid, and understand some of the environmental concerns plaguing our planet.
Life in the slow lane
Some of life’s most exquisite experiences are best when they unfold at their own pace. Collections of the wines mankind produces today – the best we have seen (and may ever see) – will certainly test our patience, since they’ll be at their best in 10, 20, 40 years or more. Not only are these pieces of history worth the wait, they are worth savouring once finally opened, since they are limited by nature. Amid today’s consumerist culture, bottles of the very best wines provide a valuable reminder that not everything is unlimited – we cannot simply order more on Amazon.
A feast of intellect
Like many collectibles, wine is an incredibly complex product. Wine experts dedicate their lives to understanding all the various wine styles, terroirs, grape varieties, and still only scratch the surface. While collecting classic cars or watches may leave you hungry for more knowledge, fine wines are intellectual conversations shared. As a truly subjective substance, your impressions of a wine are truly personal, and therefore always interesting to share across the table. For us, this activity continues to offer lessons in the art of balancing technical information with personal opinion, and how to share this with quiet confidence.
The next time you open a special bottle of wine, we encourage you to look at all it reveals – the flavours, their origins, the energy in the conversation it generates. We hope you’ll find the experience as enriching as we do.