First Day of Wine School

I started classes in the Winemaking program at Chemeketa Community College today. I’m taking Intro to Winemaking, Intro to Viticulture, and Wine Appreciation. It feels crazy to be starting school at my age, but I was relieved to see that I was hardly the oldest person in these classes. It turns out that a lot of middle-aged professionals in Oregon decide to start making wine.

First day of school photo.

The winter vineyard at Chemeketa.

It turns out I had met my Viticulture instructor, Bryan Berenguer, back in November at the Indie Wine Mixer, and I had bought a bottle of his Human Cellars Gamay. What better night to crack it open? I enjoyed it with a thing called “Mexican Dinner,” a recipe from a place I lived that I’d rather forget during childhood. I had been craving it for a while, and decided today was that day. Also watched Lessons in Chemistry, as I had just finished the book.

It was a good day, and it felt like the beginning of a new life.

“Mexican Dinner” and Human Cellars Gamay.

Feet up, Lessons in Chemistry on.