Consider this/ Einfach zum Nachdenken

Last Sunday I went for lunch to a Heuriger, a typical Austrian place where, for about six weeks a year, a winemaker is allowed to sell his own wine and serve cold food. An innocent question about one of their wines brought the junior boss on the scene, which led to a delightful half-hour conversation about this year’s harvest, different grapes etc. Hearing Mr. Reinisch talk about some of his wines reminds you of some moms when they describe their children: each wine is different, with his own personality, characteristics and history.
So what makes good wine good? Is it luck? Is it the soil on which it grows? Is it the climate? Is it the art of the vintner? The answer of course is “yes”, yes to all the above. It is the fruit of a whole range of factors, none completely controllable, some entirely out of one’s control. Sometimes the elements seem positively to conspire against good wine: steep vineyards, inclement weather conditions or adversarial market conditions. Yet winegrowers labour year in year out to make the best out of what nature has dealt them.
As I learned last Sunday, Pinot Noir is one of the toughest grapes to get right: both in the vineyard and in the keg this grape is very temperamental. Even though it does not yield any higher price on the market, Mr. Reinisch takes great pride when he manages to beat the odds- almost like a teacher who likes the challenge of helping a difficult pupil make the grade.
Maybe it is no surprise therefore that the Bible uses the analogy of the vine to describe human and spiritual development. We all have different personalities, histories, abilities, all of which impact how we are going to develop, not just academically, but also as human beings. It is not true, however, that it is all up to nature, and if we do not feel virtuous, generous, metaphysically inclined, well so be it- that’s just the hand that nature has dealt us. There are many examples of sub-average individuals who have scaled the heights of civic service, selfless giving and spiritual depth, simply because they worked hard at it. Spiritually they might have been more Pinot Noir than Cabernet Franc, yet they cooperated with the divine vintner, and suddenly they have turned into a truly unique vintage.
So next time you want to blame it all on bad weather, poor soil or lack of time- think again, and remember how often the same square mile can yield unbelievable plonk or hundred Pound bottles. Which are you going to be?