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Notes From the
Vintner
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Welcome
to our column. We hope that you will return to
learn interesting notes on wine, and related
subjects. Wine is a great gift from God to be used
for the enjoyment of man. It is a food, and should
be treated as such. It is meant to lift up the body
and lighten the soul. 7/1/02
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A Vacation
???
"What in the world is that?" you may ask. They say
that is when you get away from the everyday and enjoy
something new. It is a time to relax the body, the mind and
the soul. If you are a blessed soul and can take a vacation,
think winery tours.
There are many
wineries in this great nation. Some states have many and
some have few. It is not the number of wineries that you can
visit but the enjoyment of the visit that counts. Each
winery has a different story to tell, and the physical
operations of each are different. Some have tasting, gift
shops, tours, meals and over night accommodations. The
styles of wines can be different as well as the greeting you
receive. Some are very businesslike; others are very laid
back.
If you are lucky,
you will get to meet the winemaker. This is the person who
calls all the shots in the making of the wine. The vintners
are as different on the outside as night and day, but on the
inside they are all alike - they hold a deep love of making
wine. And most, given the choice of drinking the wine or
making it, would choose the making. It is a part of the
winemaker-a part of the soul.
Now here
are some suggestions for planning your
tours:
- Contact the
Tourism Department of the state you wish to visit and ask
them to send you information about the wineries in that
state.
- Use the
Internet as a source of information to find the wineries
in the area of your travels.
- Contact the
wineries you wish to visit and find out what they have to
offer, when they are open and other things to do in the
area.
- If you wish to
meet the wine maker, call and make an appointment to
visit. Vintners are very busy people and can not drop
everything to visit with you when you show up at the
winery. They would feel like you do when your
mother-in-law shows up for a visit with no warning.
- When you stop
by to visit, be sure to buy some wine. If it is not that
good, give it to your mother-in-law when you get
back.
So now you have
the plan; all you have to do is come up with the time.
And while you are looking for the time, I shall enjoy a
glass of wine..maybe
the whole bottle!
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