Wine has been intertwined with monastic life for centuries, but what if I were to suggest wine tasting as a kind of spiritual practice?
Some of you might know that I love to meditate, I practice it *most* days. I mean we still have three kids so… I won’t hide that some days get missed. Mindfulness is one practice everyone seems to have heard of and that I tried out when I was pregnant with my first. I’d go on walks and just try and be fully in the moment. Noticing the feeling and rhythm of my feet on the ground or noticing how many types of green I could see in a given moment, the feeling of the air on my cheeks. It’s checking out of the stress and worry and instead being available to the present moment.
When I first started my wine studies I had to slow right down. I’d spend several minutes just smelling the wine before ever tasting it. It can’t be rushed. Having two different wines helps me notice differences or similarities especially when starting out. Taking the extra time means I remember where I’ve smelled these aromas before. I don’t mean this as snobbery but just as fact, it takes time to smell, to taste and to fully appreciate anything. Try it the next time you have two different types of salt. Taste and compare. If you simply add it to your food you’ll likely miss the nuance. I say all this as someone who has to really make an effort to slow down.
If you ask me why I love wine as much as I do, I think it’s because it’s a drink that is all about nuance, subtlety and immersion. It’s full of history and story, which I also love by the way, but some of it presents itself in the glass. Wine will tell you where it’s grown, it’ll tell you about the weather, the altitude… It needs time to be fully appreciated and it can be learned by anyone if you give yourself time to practice.
Also, wouldn’t it be interesting to suggest we all slow down a little? We sip slower, more thoughtfully through our year? We let ourselves slip into the idea of wine as a spiritual practice, or at least a lovely form of mindfulness?
So what do you think? Have you ever tried the mindful art of wine tasting? Of looking, smelling and then tasting your way through a glass trying to pick up the subtleties? Could it change how you sip?
And if you like this idea of slowing down and thoughtful sipping, you could also read about choosing the right glassware in this post.