Wine Outlook

January 19, 2006: One year ago today, I pulled off the 101 and into Redwood City, California. I was ready to kiss the ground after driving a U-Haul for four days, car in tow, across deserts, over mountains, and through canyons. Though I only barely knew two people at the winery and sure didn’t know where I was going to live or even stay, I was willing to give it a go because I did know I wanted to be in the wine business. Therefore, things would work out, somehow.

But four days alone, driving, can make you feel a little crazy and think maybe you made a mistake. I wrote the following a couple months after I got here, looking back:

Road Signs and Other Blunders

Mississippi left behind to hover
on a state line of relief and regret.
U-Haul decals warned of overhead
damage too late and unleaded fuel.
Following their advice
meant repeated stops to pump and
watch the numbers climb. The side mirror
disclosed concern at going
over 45, but traveling the sometimes-
blood-stained highway
through George W’s home
state, miles passed slowly enough.

Halfway between what was home and what
would be, the Rio Grande was parched
as a tongue in need of wine. Further still,
the border patrol overlooked advisement
of dust that never settles. Some signs
indicated the proximity of state prisons
and counseled against collecting hitchhikers.
Not that there was room.

Pulling into California–
as high-windedness (to be
avoided in writing and speech)
prevailed–
proved more intro than climax .
—————

January 19, 2007:
I’m grateful for friends and family back home for believing in me,
the good folks at Thomas Fogarty Winery for taking their chances on me, the winemaker and his assistants for always answering my questions,
the friends I’ve made for listening and helping me drink,
and to y’all, for reading this now.

The dream of writing about wine was what propelled me over 2000 miles into the great unknown. And I’m still here, still doing it, still loving it (usually). Thanks for being here for it. The ride is much easier when someone’s with you.

wine poetry, anniversary

….Farley Walker