July was a blissful month. I had the opportunity to take a vacation and one of the highlights was my visit to Chamisal Vineyards in San Luis Obispo. This little piece of heaven lies between San Francisco and Los Angeles, in rolling vineyards that imitate the Italian countryside.
We drove up and opened our doors to a breeze that was “warm-cool.” I’m trying to coin a new meteorological word – definition: climate that is warmed by the sun to 69 degrees but cooled by the ocean breeze just five miles west. It’s the kind of warm-cool that beckons you to an Adirondack chair to take a nap. The kind of weather than calms your mind, and raises your spirit. The kind of weather that is absolutely not found in the Midwest where you either sweat or freeze. You get the picture.
We ordered a wine flight and were delighted when we tasted a Pinot Noir called 8-N. “That’s an unusual name,” I commented to our hostess. “Is this a placeholder name?” I asked. Sort of like naming a baby, “Baby Girl Smith,” just after the delivery and before you leave the hospital? But our hostess explained that this wine was named after the exquisite little piece of soil that gave birth to it – 8 miles North of Chamisal Estate Vineyards. How did it taste? Conjure up the scene from the movie Sideways where Paul Giamotti’s character describes why he likes Pinot so much, and you can tell he’s really talking about himself.
On the label, as if written by Shakespeare, is the description of 8-N:
“This wine boasts of black cherry, raspberry compote and strawberry flavors, backed by supple tannins and salted dark chocolate on the sultry finish.”
As I sat under the orange awnings sipping 8-N, chatting with a friend and gazing out on the gentle curves of the vine-laced hills, I wondered what my label would read, if I were wine… Maybe this:
- Wine: Cloud 9
- Where bottled: Medical Center Drive Vineyard
- Type of grape: Pinot Noir
- Vintage year: 2013
- Wine description: This wine boasts of sweet and nutty relationships with friends and co-workers, robust and full-bodied work accomplishments, velvety smooth project implementation, backed by an earthy vision and mission.
Think about your own work and home life. What would your wine label read?
(This post originally appeared on the Community Medical Center Blog – It Takes Community. Follow Peg on Twitter @peg_breen
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