Vinous Thankfulness

When it comes to wine, I'm thankful for it daily. And, realizing there are so many things that happen day-to-day to make wine what it is, I figure there's good reason to list a few of those now so that I might remember to be thankful for them throughout the upcoming year.

I'm thankful for:

-good sets on new vine grafts
-a bitterly cold winter to kill bugs and disease in the vineyard, but not so cold that it gets the vine
-a cold winter to stave off malo-lactic fermentation for many top wines, especially Burgundies
-fair weather at budding and flowering, in hopes of a uniform and abundant crop
-a gentle and natural start to malos as temperatures rise in the spring
-lots of sunshine with a bit of heat and just enough rain during the growing season
-enough wind during the summer to keep vine canopies dry but not so much as to desiccate the grapes
-no long lags between physiological and phenological ripeness
-a reasonable harvest with no emergencies provoked by rain, birds or animals
-enough ripeness in stems that winemakers who like to use them can do so to boost the fragrance of their wines
-plenty of hands to harvest and no lack of tank space
-sorting, whether in the field or on the sorting table
-solid winery hygiene with clean presses, hoses and pumps
-enough SO2 to keep the wines stable until enjoyed
-well-seasoned wood barrels
-taint-free closures
-cool, dark and lightly humid cellars

With these thoughts in mind, I wish you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!