I am not someone who is known for his patience. In fact, some might say it is a concept that exists outside of my reality. And while I feel like fatherhood has forced me to grow a bone I was never born with, the fact remains that I am not known for my forbearance.
And I especially suck at waiting.
So, it is funny that the things that have meant so much to me in my life involve a terrible, excruciating amount of what looks on the surface like waiting.
- I was a runner in high school and college, recognized for my strength and grit—especially as the distances of training runs and races stretched longer and longer. I still lace up my shoes 5 days a week and do an old-dude shuffle of some form on the trails near the vineyards and river by our home.
- I love to read books—real, physical books made of paper and such—and am known to simultaneously consume several different books at once, thus extending the time to completion of each individual volume.
- I write as many as 3 pages in a journal daily—by hand, not on a computer—in a nearly undecipherable, handwritten scrawl that takes longer to draft with each passing year.
- I am a parent of a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old, and I am about to turn 49 years old myself—so it took me forever to become who I always wanted to be—a dad—and as we all know, it’s the one job from which you never retire.
- I make wine, and after the whirlwind of harvest each year—the thrill of bringing the grapes in, stomping them with Dee and the kids, putting them safely into tank and drum and barrel—an eternity transpires before we can bottle. Then “eternity plus one” goes on from there before we can finally release these wines.
And the whole time, with each of these, I am anxiously biting my thumbs, twirling my hair, drumming my fingers, and chasing one thought with five more, wondering how much longer it is going to take to reach the conclusion. Which brings me to the following quote:
“Between the wish and the thing the world lies waiting.”
Cormac McCarthy, All the Pretty Horses
It encapsulates a profound truth about the pursuit of desires. It highlights the power of our choices and the agency we possess to bridge the gap between our dreams and their realization. It reminds me that the world is alive and responsive, urging us to take action and embrace a journey of growth and discovery. Fulfilling wishes requires more than idle dreaming; it demands deliberate action, perseverance, and a willingness to embrace the unknown. Ultimately, this quote serves as a reminder to actively engage our desires, make choices, and shape the future, empowering us to create transformative experiences.
So to me, this sounds a lot like making our wines. Confronted each harvest with beautiful grapes and all their potential, it is our family’s duty to shepherd them to fulfillment and actualization of their potential. And while it is an uncertain path—and it is difficult—and tedious—it is also an exciting and delicious one all at the same time. And when we are finished—each wine crafted with care, safely stowed, aged in bottle, and presented to others for enjoyment—there is no greater joy.
And that’s why we do what we do and why I love what I love. And that is why I love the new wines we are releasing soon on August 8. And I most especially love that the waiting for these wines is finally over—so here they are!
2021 INTERO Syrah
This is the first wine we made as a family of four, and it was also the first wine we made using 100% whole clusters. As such, we fittingly named this wine INTERO, meaning “whole” in Italian. It is a celebration of not only the beauty of cool-climate Syrah, but also of feeling complete and fulfilled as parents with the addition of our son in late 2020. And each year, this bottling will serve to honor the fullness and fellowship of family. Back in January, this wine was awarded the mind-blowing score of 94 points from Wine Enthusiast, being called a “hidden gem” by critic Jim Gordon. I have told many people already that this is the wine I have always wanted to make—hopefully it will also serve as the wine you will always want to drink!
2021 MAGARI Cuvée
In Italian, MAGARI means “hopefully” or “if only.” It is a word used to express a wish for a better future, and like so many parents, we look to each year with hearts full of a desire for something beautiful with and for our children. To us, this elegant blend of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Alexander Valley and Syrah from the Russian River Valley is the vinous embodiment of this sentiment. As with INTERO, this wine also garnered much acclaim in the preceding months, earning a fabulous 92-point rating from Wine Enthusiast as well as a Gold Medal from the SF Chronicle International Wine Competition. We know how many of you adored the SOREN wines—this wine is the next level of that same beauty and depth of flavor and enjoyment.
It should be mentioned that while we are making more wines, our quantities of these remain rather low. We made just 4 barrels of the INTERO Syrah, and the MAGARI Cuvée filled just 2 barrels! And with our growing placements at wine shops and restaurants throughout California, Arizona, and Texas, these wines are becoming scarcer all the time.
Wine club members will receive priority access to these wines on July 25. Those folks on our mailing list will gain access to a private purchase link on August 8. Any remaining wines will then be made available to the public on August 22.
If you are not a member of our wine club, now is as good a time as any to join. Enjoy a guaranteed allocation of our wines twice per year with the benefit of preferred pricing and other membership perks.
The waiting is nearly over…thank goodness. We are excited to share INTERO and MAGARI with you very soon!