Zen Breath 3-2-1

Note: You are receiving this email because you subscribed to my weekly 3-2-1 newsletter or you subscribed to the Koi Zen Cellars newsletter. Every Friday, I share 3 wine terms, 2 quotes from me, and 1 question for you to ponder. Occasionally, I also send out long-form articles on habits and self-improvement.


" An act of kindness is priceless"
~ The Zen Winemaker ~



3 terms, 2 quotes, 1 question

December 17, 2021


Happy Friday! Time to wrap up this week and get ready for the next! Take a deep breath and kick off the weekend on a positive note. Let's consider where we have been, improve it, and move forward next week. Packing the most content into the least words and trying to change the world, one glass at a time.

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3 - Wine Terms - Burgundy


Burgundy lies just east of central France and is southeast of Paris roughly 200 miles. Some of the most expensive wines come from this very old growing region and it is steeped in thousands of years of traditions. While Burgundy is one of the most prestigious growing regions of France, it only contains approximately 3% of all planted vines but produces over 200 million bottles of wine annually.
  1. Varietals - Burgundy wine is usually produced from a single grape variety (called mono-cépage) with very few exceptions: Chardonnay represents 61% of all production. Pinot Noir accounts for 30%, and 8% is the sparkling wine of Burgundy, Crémant de Bourgogne and 1% rosé.
  2. Classification - during the Middle Ages, the monks were often granted tracts of land and were cultivated as vineyards. The monks were able to studiously observe the quality of wines from individual plots and, over time, began to isolate those areas that would consistently produce wine of similar aroma, body, color and vigor and designate them as crus . This ranking system was expanded to include Grand Cru and Premier Cru. During the 1930's this system was integrated into what is now the AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) system that acts as a vineyard address and includes over 100 AOC regions.

    There are 4 primary classifications of Burgundy wines:

    52% of production (23 appellations) is Regional Burgundy wine, which means the wine can come from a number of different plots throughout the Burgundy area carrying Regional classification

    35% of wine (44 appellations) is classified as Village (Communal) which means the grapes must be grown in and around the village named on the bottle; e.g. Nuits St Georges, Meursault, Mercurey.

    12% is Premier Cru wine which means the grapes will be grown in one single vineyard within the named village. Both the village and vineyard name appear on the bottle; e.g. Vosne Romanée 1er (Premier) Cru Les Suchots

    2% (33 appellations) is Grand Cru wine where just the vineyard name appears on the bottle (e.g. Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru)

  3. Terroir is the essence of Burgundy – and most European wine. Terroir can best be described as recipe of different ingredients resulting from millions of years of geological evolution, comprising the top soil, elevation, angle the vines are planted, micro-climate and lastly but most importantly the underlying subsoil and rock with its multi layers


2 - Quotes from Me:


1. "More stuff doesn't make you happy for very long" ~ The Zen Winemaker

2. "Needing and wanting are very different. Fill your needs, not your wants" ~ The Zen Winemaker

1 - Question to ponder:

The Best Gift

The holiday season in San Diego is very similar to other places in the world. People frantically looking to purchase that perfect gift, to wrap it nicely and have it appreciated. I remember waking up on Christmas morning where piles of shiny wrapped presents were scattered under the tree. I remember the excitement of tearing open packages to reveal the surprise insides. Those are very fond memories and I am blessed to of had them, many people don't.

But, at my stage of life, I have stuff. Too much stuff and have been busy trying to get rid of stuff. My girls are both adults now complete with there professional jobs and they have stuff. If they need something they buy it. Over the years buying presents have become more difficult.

So a few years ago, the family decided to focus on sharing experiences versus things during this holiday season. This year my girls are joining us we are spending a few days in Sedona together, including a boyfriend and Saddie our aging dog.

And for me, spending time with my family in a new place, exploring, sharing, laughing together, eating together and teasing each other is the best gift I could ever receive. I have found that the most precious things in my life don't cost anything at all: love, well-being, health, happiness, and spirituality.
Question:

What is the most precious gift you could give or receive?

~~ Notice ~~

Find someone in need and perform a random act of kindness - it will make you feel good.

~~~


Cheers,

Darius Miller - The Zen Winemaker

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Author of a #1 best seller:
'The Zen Winemaker - Follow Your Dreams & Overcome Your Fears'

Creator of:
'The Zen Wine Tasting Journal - Life is too short to drink bad wine, or to wear ugly underwear.'

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