To the well versed connoiseurs and to the curious ones who want to experience wine, welcome and thanks for stopping by. My name is Kevin and I’m a PhD student at the University of Toronto where I study microbiology as it relates to our health. But even before I had embarked on my doctoral program, I have been an amateur microbiologist, as a winemaker for over seven years.
It all started one autumn with a large grapevine entangled in our back fence which, strangely enough, had decided to grow some grapes that year - lots of grapes. Staring at the bumper crop before me, I pondered about how my parents, grandparents, and ancestors back in Sicily used to make vino, and then it hit me. I scrambled inside the house, grabbed a few buckets and started to pick the bunches off the vine. I had no clue what to do except crush them up and wait for my Grand Cru Bordeaux-calibre wine to reveal itself.
Well…it was the furthest thing from wine, as you can imagine. After two weeks, it just became a mix of rot bathing in its own vile juices that you would not even use as vinegar. Although I was frustrated with the mess that I had made, I found myself still intrigued and determined to learn and improve the next time around. That was when the journey started and, from that point on, I immersed myself in everything that had to do with wine, from the technical aspects of making good wine to getting acquainted with the culture and tradition that my ancestors had built for centuries.
I still consider myself a beginner because there is so much to learn. A great deal of my education (which is what I enjoy the most) comes from conversing with other winemakers about everything “wine”. I began travelling around the world during my graduate studies and while engaging in conversations with locals including winemakers and hospitality specialists, I soon discovered that wine is not just a beverage in itself but part of a lifestyle, where family and friends come together to enjoy great food, conversation, and culture. Moreover, wine can tell you something about the climate and soil from which it was made as each region of the world imparts a characteristic fingerprint. Wine is a creative expression of art, and the g
reat wines are those that evoke emotions through your senses.
In my blog “Uncorked” I will tell stories and give commentaries with respect to the winemaking process, travelling around the globe, interesting ideas for food pairing, wine in relation to health, and exciting wine-related experiences.
Thanks for reading and here’s to new experiences,
Well…it was the furthest thing from wine, as you can imagine. After two weeks, it just became a mix of rot bathing in its own vile juices that you would not even use as vinegar. Although I was frustrated with the mess that I had made, I found myself still intrigued and determined to learn and improve the next time around. That was when the journey started and, from that point on, I immersed myself in everything that had to do with wine, from the technical aspects of making good wine to getting acquainted with the culture and tradition that my ancestors had built for centuries.
I still consider myself a beginner because there is so much to learn. A great deal of my education (which is what I enjoy the most) comes from conversing with other winemakers about everything “wine”. I began travelling around the world during my graduate studies and while engaging in conversations with locals including winemakers and hospitality specialists, I soon discovered that wine is not just a beverage in itself but part of a lifestyle, where family and friends come together to enjoy great food, conversation, and culture. Moreover, wine can tell you something about the climate and soil from which it was made as each region of the world imparts a characteristic fingerprint. Wine is a creative expression of art, and the g
reat wines are those that evoke emotions through your senses. In my blog “Uncorked” I will tell stories and give commentaries with respect to the winemaking process, travelling around the globe, interesting ideas for food pairing, wine in relation to health, and exciting wine-related experiences.
Thanks for reading and here’s to new experiences,
Kevin Donato
No comments:
Post a Comment