And Then Some

A list of 10 things a person should have at their disposal when venturing out into the Wilds of Wine.

8. An outfit for every occasion. If you’re a climber or hiker, you know how you truly need an assortment of protective clothing for what mother nature throws at you. The typical set up is the base-layer for wicking moisture, the mid, insulating layer to keep you warm, and the protective outer layer to keep the elements at bay: an outfit for every occasion. And as someone who loves the outdoors, the more options the better – I just can’t help myself.

One of my favorite mantras that drives Scott nutso is whenever he mentions an “event” and I say, “Oh! Sounds like a new outfit!” I must have formulated that idea after reading this “cultivated” book that shared the happenings of a year in a California vineyard. That book was really uebercultivated and often a grimacing, rough read  because of all the self-inflated moments, but still an interesting glimpse into how “the other side” lives, if we could all be so lucky, born into it instead of making it happen ourselves. Anyway – I digress. All the clothes descriptions for all the parties and events the author described, of COURSE you need new outfits for every public viewing.

I’m more practical. I’d be happy with a new outfit for weeding, or simply a Pucci head scarf for an event. And I did try to beef up my 10-year old fraying “creative class” wardrobe from my old sports company job and schicki-micki freelance meetings for our NYC media trip, and maybe I should have done the same for our venture capital pitches which never amounted to anything (which in hindsight is a godsend we didn’t get investors, for you can’t go your own way  and do what you want if you’re on other people’s dimes).  Scott says I mention that new outfit thing “At more or less any occasion.” But no, I don’t always get a new outfit, we are on a fairly tight budget, you know. It’s just that I can’t help myself.

9. Ability to laugh at yourself, and that’s so you can laugh at others. In my book you can’t have one without the other. And I most certainly love to laugh at others, in a Mark Twain/Jonathan Swift/Alexander Pope kind of way. I’m an anthropologist at heart, and I love to observe people, behaviour, and copycat copy on websites. And you KNOW I can laugh at myself, that goes without saying. For a reminder, see #5 in this post.

10. A leader with an unwavering vision. In hiking, it’s to see your team safely to the top. To make decisions in the best interest of the group, but always with safety at the core, and sobeit if you have to abandon the climb because of weather or injury or fatigue or what-have-you. They know what they are there to do. In this loud, me-too business world you better have someone with a vision. An honest, individual vision, who believes to the core in what they’re embarking upon, and who does not waver from the path. Think Richard Branson. Or Yves Chouinard. Those guys know where they’re going. Not only do they have extremely clear visions, they are visionaries, even better. Theirs is the kind of belief and determination and VISION you need. That’s Scott. He is the guy who knows, heart and soul, that there is no other way other than this. His way. His vision is what has guided this endeavor from the get-go. It is deep inside him. It is the driving force behind everything we do in the vineyard and for our wine. He’s an individual, as every leader needs to be. And he has an unwavering vision.

So, there you have it. My Top 10 Essentials. I know, I know, I didn’t even go into all the martinis or manhattans you might need along the way. That goes without saying.