A Splash from Your Nantucket Sommelier
Enjoy the Moment
by Leslie-Ann Sheppard
owner of The Cellar on Surfside Road.
It’s funny how no other month seems to elicit such emotion as the month of September. We have an internal calendar, programmed from years of institutional education, that tells us of big changes on the horizon. Time to go back to school. Time to get out into the fields and harvest the crops.
Here on this faraway island that relies hugely on summer tourism to sustain its economy, the change is pronounced. We see our population reduce exponentially; traffic problems instantly cease to exist; trips to the grocery store become bearable again. September means all of our favorite restaurants and shops are open and that it’s possible to go out to dinner at the last minute—even without a reservation.
Labor Day weekend inspires many to contemplate the summer. How did it compare with last summer? The weather was a hundred times better than 2009, from a tourism standpoint. I can’t remember a sunnier or hotter summer in recent history. And good weather brings more visitors to our summer resort. Restaurant and shop owners compare their numbers from last year’s ailing economy and hopefully see a rise this year.
For wine lovers, the reflection of a past season often involves thinking about memorable bottles of wine. That delicious Clos du Marquis enjoyed during a Wine Festival dinner. The Billecart Salmon Rosé we popped on July 4th. The stunning Dr. Weins-Prum Riesling Spatlese we sipped with lobster on the beach. The incredible Philippe Colin Chassagne-Montrachet enjoyed with our dinner at the Sconset Café. The Peter Michael Ma Belle Fille we savored on a warm night in our backyard. The cheap and cheerful Cotes du Rhone Villages from Chateau Courac that we shared during the Pops Concert.
But to really be here, now, in September, is a wonderful thing. Although the sun sets earlier and gets up later, the quality of the light in the afternoons is better. Seagulls and terns reclaim their beaches, and now when we share their space, we are more tolerant of them. It’s also challenging to really be in the moment. Some people dedicate all their conscious energy to the practice of living in the present.
To a wine and food lover, being grounded in the present can only enhance one’s enjoyment. Instead of the equivalent of a fast-food drive through and eating on the road, being present means mindful consumption—using all of the senses to appreciate a glass of wine or well-prepared meal. Slowing down and drinking wine like a professional taster helps a person focus on the present. We swirl the glass, observe the colors and translucency of the wine, observe the glycerol tendency to cling (or not) to the glass. We dip our nose in first to take in the aromas. We consciously try to put words to the impressions we get. When at last we take our first sip, we pull the wine into our mouths, swish it around, covering teeth, tongue, roof of mouth, and gums. We pull a bit of air into our mouths along with the wine, observing what that bit of oxygen does for the wine. We swallow, and silently let our brains process the flavors, the texture of the wine. We form an opinion, an impression, and wait to see what happens after swallowing. Is there a long, pleasant linger? Do we want to reach for a bite to eat, again engaging all of the senses, or another sip?
For business owners, September brings a Gemini-like countenance; we are relieved to have lived through the hectic sprint of July and August, and we won’t miss that pace. But, we will miss the summer’s easy cash flow. It’s too easy sometimes to get caught up in tomorrow’s plans, when conversations at this time of year often start with, “So what are you doing this winter?” We’re not even over being tired from the constant motion of summer, and already we’re wondering about, worrying about, waiting for the next chapter.
For a wine lover, looking ahead may involve thoughts of upcoming dinner parties, holidays, or events, and which wines will go with which events. Families often try to plan ahead for holidays—who will host Thanksgiving this year? And for us ‘wine-ies’ we start to think about the perfect wine for all of the courses of food that we’ll enjoy. And it’s never too early to start to plan for this, as we know that just like the summer was marked by memorable sips and swirls of delicious wine, so will our fall and winter.
September is also a very important month for grape growers. Depending on the weather in their specific clime, vineyard managers in the Northern Hemisphere will decide to harvest their grapes sometime between now and mid October, most likely. This is the busiest time of year for a winery, and for lots of people in the wine trade, who anxiously await vintage reports and the first sips of what 2010 will hold in its bouquet. It can be a great time to visit wine country, although visitors should anticipate that some wineries will be caught up in the important business of the harvest.
Whatever emotions September provokes, we can hopefully all look forward to embracing the change of seasons and all that that brings. Crisp days and cool nights beckon us to finally catch up with friends and family we may have fell out of touch with during our fast moving summer. And a luscious, rich red wine may be just the thing to call all of our senses to be here, now, to enjoy the moment.
