As pointed out by that old Smothers Brothers gag, there is a long lasting consequence to the idea of a parent showing preference for one of their children over another. Winemakers seem to be put in a similar situation when it comes to different vintages, bottlings or even varietals on a regular basis. Fortunately, wines don’t have feelings so winemakers can actually admit to favorites, for whatever reason. The usual question: ‘Which is your favorite?’ And the answer is usually the same, ‘it depends.’ ‘What are we eating with it?’ ‘What is my mood?’ ‘What is the weather like?’ ‘Who am I sharing this with?’ Just as I love each of my two children for who they are as individuals, the same applies to a degree for each of my wines. There is normally no one ‘favorite’ because they are all unique and special. The challenge of parenting and winemaking is to guide and help each of your children and wines to let their best qualities shine as brightly as possible. Then it is time to stand back and appreciate the results.
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