Terror & Terroir
Isn’t it interesting which wine stories tend to get picked up outside the food pages?
Today the story with a wine focus that seems to be picked up all over the place is THIS ONE about a Catholic Church official who has planted a vineyard in a graveyard…not OVER the graves, but next door.
This quote from the story making the rounds is the epitome of referencing the elephant in the room without actually mentioning the elephant:
"While planting so close to graves may appear odd to some, vineyards are
referenced in Scripture, and growing wine grapes on church land is in
keeping with the history of winemaking in California, said the Rev.
Mark Wiesner, a diocese spokesman."
It more than "seems odd to some". It likely seems down right "icky" to most. The mind imagines the roots of the plants migrating over to those bodies in the ground and, well, making the most of the contents of the ground. This in turn leads the reader to imagine the what the character, flavor and aroma of the wine would be. And this leads to the "Ick factor".
Let’s face it, for the most part wine is such an inconsequential part of the world in which we live that it takes the specter (sorry) of wine with a terroir of terror (sorry) to get the attention of the non food and wine media. I’m not complaining…just observing.
This must have something to do with the 12,000 Thirsty Eyeballs ad adjacent to this story, here.
One man’s poison is another man’s prized vineyard designation: At Brokenwood in Australia’s Hunter Valley, the jewel in the crown for the better part of two decades has been the Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz. The graveyard on the site dates back to 1882. I am uncertain when it was last used for that purpose before the first vines went in in 1970.
Details at: http://www.brokenwood.com.au/wines/graveyard/
So, there is something to terroir after all.
How many vineyards have had the ashes of a beloved family member or friend or employee scattered over them? Chances are, you have already tasted that wine…!