THE SPIRIT OF HOSPITALITY
2020, what a vintage to be alive. During this time, the wine industry is fluctuating between the dejection and fear felt by many and the optimism of hope that defines the hospitality spirit. The question remains though if an industry built on the close interaction of people can continue to be of service in a world six feet away. At its heart I like to believe the wine industry is hopeful, a byproduct of having too many things not in total control, from the vineyard to the cellar. Wine history can teach us in these dark times that people have applied this hope to adapt through years of great suffering, whether it be brought upon ourselves or given to us from Mother Nature. I can only imagine the hope needed to overcome the fear people felt as Phylloxera stripped the vine away from their land. Hope was even in the World War vintage of 1914 when artillery shells flew through the sky above France and children darted from vine to vine in Champagne, courageously harvesting everything their small hands could carry.
In my view many wine professionals have risen to the challenges of today with their actions and kept true to the spirit of hospitality, comforting others, and providing determination and optimism for their communities. So many have taken to social media to offer their knowledge in the form of virtual tastings where people can escape from the troubles of the world over a glass or two. Wine sales representatives, whose job takes them across cities have been amazing in helping spread the word about which businesses are open and what they can offer during this time. Wineries have stepped up by offering gift packages of their bottles and food to hospital and emergency staff members that are taking care of us during this time. Wine buyers and sommeliers who work in essential businesses still open for their community deal with new challenges daily that would have been inconceivable before just so we can stock up on our wine needs. Selling wine may seem like a luxury now but in times of hardship what’s inside the bottle for many is reassurance and comfort.
The spirit of hospitality is alive. Its wellness remains to be seen. I tell myself this not knowing where we are in this state of emergency. Some say it’s the middle, others say the beginning. The delusional stubbornly say the end. Although many are suffering, March 2020 has been especially unkind to the hospitality industry with a loss of 459,000 jobs. For these wine professionals, anger, confusion, and resentment may follow close behind. My feelings rapidly swing from righteous indignation to solemn understanding. What workers are needed if there is no work? Being asked to leave is something that most could have never imagined as too many of us are the orphans that fuel the industry, always ready to miss a holiday or family gathering, finding purpose in something with perpetual need for our service. Uncertainty appears daily, but this is not the end of hospitality, even if future sommeliers may be singing the praises of their favorite Barolo producers through sterile mask and gloves in an intimate setting of a quarter full restaurant.
Outside spring has emerged, giving the sky a bright shade of blue that I wouldn’t have fully appreciated before. In vineyards across America grapevines have started to grow, unaware of any of the current problems of people. I try to adopt their resolve as my own. There is wine yet to be made and life in all its forms must go on. Timing is everything. The time to harvest, the time to bottle, the time we might get the chance to start living our lives again. The small things that people in the wine community are doing to survive now will provide the strength and hope needed for the next generation who will be called upon to suffer and endure. There is an old, often repeated saying that stressed vines make great wine. It is time to listen and learn what our old friends can teach. The winter cold has thawed and budbreak has passed, the vine has flowered, and fruit has set. Grapes of hope are coming soon.
