The Mission

I'm 30.

Being frequently described as an old soul this age has not, as of yet, born the stereotypical anxieties and fears that are so often attributed to it. If anything I'm feeling more congruent, more comfortable with my "self" after the crossing of this threshold. A great deal of my twenties were spent in turmoil, financially atoning for the sins of my youth (a debt which literally has yet to be repaid in full). But with the end in sight I'm eager for the promise and bounty of this decade as it represents a new beginning, a chance to bifurcate the past from the present in a clear demarcated line. I see opportunity for success regardless of my previous failures and shortcomings.

So it is also with making wine. There are a myriad ways that a wine can fall short of the vintner's expectations. Harvest grapes too early and their acidity levels will never break down in the bottle. Conversely, leaving the grapes on the vine too long concentrates the sugars producing wine that may be too heavy or hot (i.e. alcoholic). Selecting the correct yeasts, predicting the appropriate length of fermentation, choosing to age in oak or stainless steel, balancing the acids and tannins - all of these factors ultimately contribute to the quality of a wine. And while all of these variables are seemingly under the control of the vintner, those that are not such as the weather, the soil, the vines (taken together they are the terrior) arguably have even greater influence on the end product. Wine, like life, is a function of controlled and confounding variables. Some years are better than others. Sometimes it's due to the diligence of our work. Sometimes we just get lucky. Some years are just doomed to fail. But regardless of how the previous year is judged or received, the next vintage represents an opportunity to correct the mistakes of the past as well as to accept the influence of the unknowable, unforeseeable and uncontrollable elements.

I begin this new decade, this new vintage, implanted with a love of wine and a rooted desire to learn as much as possible - how it's made, its history and its future as well as the thousands of different grape varietals that are bottled every year. Grown out of this is the impetus for this blog - to share my passion with others and dialogue with those of similar ilk and inspiration. The theme (because all good dialogues need a theme) is that every bottle of wine I review will be priced under $30. Why thirty dollars? Two reasons. First, because lost amongst the bottles of mass produced name brand "wal-mart" wines and the absurdly expensive hundred dollar bottles of obscurity exists wines of exceptional quality and value (some priced as little as 10 dollars). Second, because as I mentioned above I just turned 30 and so it seemed like an appropriate margin. So the "Over/Under 30" wine review blog. Makes sense?